I hunted down every secret tape in THPS 3+4 – here are the exact lines I use

Why Secret Tapes Are Trickier Than You Remember

After sinking way too many hours back into Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4, the one thing that still slowed my 100% runs wasn’t the score goals or SKATE letters – it was hunting down the secret tapes efficiently. Most of them aren’t just “look up and jump”; they’re full lines that fall apart if you miss one grind or land at a bad angle.

This guide walks through every secret tape in THPS 3 and THPS 4, using lines that are repeatable rather than perfect-run-only miracles. I’ll flag the spots where I kept bailing so you can avoid losing whole runs to one awkward transfer.

Before You Start: General Tips for All Secret Tapes

Upgrade speed and ollie early: A few of these tapes (Los Angeles, Pinball) are much easier once you’ve boosted Speed, Ollie, and Hangtime.
Abuse reverts and manuals: Keep combos going with revert → manual after big airs so you build special quickly. Extra speed from special moves makes some gaps more forgiving.
Use “Restart Run” a lot: Especially in THPS 3’s 2-minute levels, commit a run just to learning the line. If you miss an early grind, restart and try again.
Memorize your “ollie” and “grind” buttons: I’ll use those generic terms so this works across PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Switch. The idea is the same no matter your setup.

All THPS 3 Secret Tape Locations

THPS 3 levels are the classic 2-minute runs, so it’s worth dedicating whole attempts just to grab the tape and nothing else. Here’s where each one is and how I consistently reach it.

Foundry – Center Girders Above the Molten Pit

This is one of the simpler tapes, but I still used to overshoot the grind and fly right past it.

From the start, head toward the central molten metal area and the glass control room.
Skate to the far end of the foundry where the big quarter pipe sits facing the main room.
Use that quarter pipe to build speed with a couple of back-and-forth airs.
On your last pass, hit the small kicker ramp that points toward the metal girder running across the room.
Ollie off the kicker and line yourself up to grind the girder that stretches across the ceiling area.
The secret tape is on that girder – just stay balanced and ride it through.

Common mistake: coming in too diagonally. Aim your approach so you’re almost parallel to the girder before you ollie; that way the grind locks on cleanly.

Canada – Raised Halfpipe Line Above the Cabin

Canada’s tape demands a little puzzle-solving with the raised halfpipe. The breakthrough is realizing you must trigger that switch before trying the line.

As soon as you drop in, turn left toward the snow-covered cabin.
Ollie up onto the cabin roof, then up again to the wooden walkway that runs beside the “nosegrind around the horn” goal area.
Follow the walkway upwards until you reach a halfpipe with a rail/switch on the left side.
Grind that switch. This raises the halfpipe behind you, creating a higher platform you can now reach.
Use the halfpipe to air up onto the new upper platform behind it.
Skate to the end of this platform and line yourself up with the rightmost rail ahead.
Ollie off the edge and grind that right rail – ride it out, and it’ll carry you straight to the secret tape at the end.

Tip: If you’re struggling to land the grind, use a simple grind (no fancy input) and keep your speed moderate instead of maxed; too much speed makes balancing harder.

Suburbia – Haunted House Roof to Tree Branch

Suburbia is dense, but the tape path is surprisingly straightforward once the haunted house is open.

First, complete the goal with the Thin Man to open the haunted house. Without this, you can’t access the route.
Enter the haunted house and ride through the interior.
Inside, you’ll find quarter pipes facing each other. Transfer from one to the other to launch yourself into the backyard area.
In the backyard, there’s a ramp that leads up toward the top floor of the house. Use it to reach the roof / top floor window.
From that top section, line up and ollie out of the window facing the big tree.
As you fly out, aim to land a grind on the tree branch outside. The secret tape is suspended along that branch line.

Don’t make my mistake of trying to hit the branch from ground level; the angle is terrible. You really do want the clean line from the top floor window.

Airport – Window Grind Near the Departure Gates

Airport is a flowing A-to-B level, so you don’t want to waste time backtracking. Think of this as a final stretch line near the end.

Screenshot from Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3+4 — Screenshot from Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4

Make your way through the level as normal until you reach the departure gate area toward the end.
At the end section, turn right so you’re facing the long stretch of windows and wall-mounted grind rails.
Use the nearby quarter pipes and small kickers to build speed and height.
Ollie onto the first grind spot on the wall and chain the wall grinds along the length of the windows.
The secret tape floats along this upper window path – just hold your grind and keep your balance.

Tip: If you’re falling off the wall grinds, simplify your approach: go for a single long grind instead of trying to get fancy with transfers and spin tricks.

Los Angeles – Post-Earthquake Skyscraper Run

This is where many players (including me) burned whole runs. The key is: no earthquake, no tape. You must change the level first.

Trigger the goal that starts the earthquake, causing the freeway/overpass to collapse. This literally creates the line you’ll use.
Start a fresh run after the earthquake is active.
From the starting point, look immediately to your left and grind the wire that leads up to the Town Hall roof.
From Town Hall, line up and ollie onto the collapsed overpass in front of you.
Skate along the overpass until you see the <strong"kicker ramp"<="" strong=""> that now points toward a nearby skyscraper roof.
Hit the kicker with good speed and ollie to land on the first skyscraper roof.
From there, leap across to the adjacent roof and grind the lip that runs around the corner.
At the end of that lip, ollie to a small pipe and grind it – the secret tape is along this final section.

This is the step where most people fail: under-committing on the kicker to the first skyscraper. Don’t be afraid to take one extra pump on the overpass to ensure you reach the roof cleanly.

Cruise Ship – Central High Wire and Platform

Cruise Ship looks huge but this tape is refreshingly quick once you spot the main wire running down the center.

From the start, look for the high wire running along the center of the ship (the same one you invert for a goal).
Ollie up and grind that central wire down its length.
Near the end of the wire, jump off toward the large central platform.
This platform works like a big halfpipe. Use it to build speed and go for a big air in the center.
The secret tape hangs above this area – with enough speed and hangtime you’ll sail right through it.

Tip: Don’t bother raising the ferry or overcomplicating the route; the central wire and platform alone are all you need.

All THPS 4 Secret Tape Locations

THPS 4’s structure is more open, but the individual goals still use a 2-minute timer. Some tapes require you to unlock areas via side goals before the route is available.

College – Tower Drop Grind

This one feels like a victory lap more than a puzzle.

From where you spawn, head straight across campus toward the tall, thin tower on the opposite side of the area.
Go around the back of the tower and enter the open doorway.
You’ll be teleported to the top of the tower.
Drop in, aim for the grind on the way down, and ride it. The secret tape sits along this path; you’ll snag it automatically if you stay on the rail.

Common mistake: bailing right off the teleporter because you spin too aggressively. Keep it simple; you don’t need spins here.

San Francisco – Hospital Terraces and Roof Lips

This route is all about stepping up the hillside by the hospital in clean stages.

From the drop-in, head left toward the hospital building up the hill.
Use the sloping walkway to climb up one level.
At the top of that path, turn left again to face another level up.
Use the quarter pipe here to transfer up to the next terrace.
Once you’re at roof height, use the building lips to grind across the row of buildings.
The secret tape is suspended above this upper section; if you keep chaining lips and transfers, you’ll pass right through it.

Tip: It helps to approach the lips slightly angled so your grind locks on. Don’t come in completely sideways or you’ll just crash into the wall.

Alcatraz – Cell Block Rails to Window Leap

Alcatraz’s tape isn’t hard mechanically, but the prerequisite objective trips people up.

First, complete the goal to free the prisoner. That means checking five trash cans around the map to find the key, then using it to open the cell block at the top of the hill.
Once the cell block building is open, head inside.
Use one of the quarter pipes to launch yourself up and catch the highest grind rail you can inside the block.
Ride the rail upward, then hop off when you’re near the upper windows.
Look for two open windows. You want the left one.
Get some speed, then take a flying leap through the left window. The secret tape is just outside; you’ll grab it in midair.

Common mistake: jumping too early and clipping the window frame. Aim for a clean, centered jump and try not to spin until you’re through.

Waterpark – Dual Boomerang Slide Launch

This level is huge and easy to get turned around in. The tape path revolves around the Dual Boomerang Slides.

After you exit the first big waterslide at the start area, turn right.
Look for the arcade building nearby.
Next to the arcade is an open door. Enter it to teleport to the top of the Dual Boomerang Slides.
Drop into the slide and follow it down, building as much speed as you can.
Near the end, use the back curve of the slide as a launch point and go for a big air.
The secret tape will be within reach ahead of you; with enough speed and a clean ollie you’ll pass right through it.

Tip: Try not to scrub speed by carving too wildly inside the slide. Stick closer to the center line until you’re ready for the final launch.

Shipyard – Rooftop Vent Drop

Shipyard is cramped and messy, but the actual tape grab is really chill as long as you slow down at the end.

From the start, head left following the rail tracks on the ground.
Almost immediately, take a right turn down a narrow alley.
Enter the open door at the end; this teleports you to the rooftops.
On these roofs, look to your right for an air vent sticking out near the edge.
Roll slowly onto the vent and then gently ride off the edge.
As you fall off the vent, you’ll pass through the secret tape on the way down.

Don’t make my mistake of trying to gap off the roof with full speed. This is one of the few tapes that’s actually easier if you take it slow.

London – Monument Launch and Spine Transfers

London’s tape is all about getting above street level and chaining a couple of spine transfers.

From the start, head straight toward the central monument in the plaza.
Use the monument as a launch ramp, aiming up and to the right.
At the peak of your jump, aim to grind a rail or edge that sends you toward a nearby rooftop.
Land on the first roof and immediately use the quarter pipe to spine transfer to the next roof.
From that second roof, spine transfer again toward where the secret tape is suspended.
If the line is clean, your second spine transfer carries you right through the tape.

Tip: Don’t over-rotate your spins off the monument. You need directional control more than style points here.

Pinball – Hawk Skull and Upper Quarter Pipe Launch

Pinball is visually loud and easy to get lost in, but the tape sits above a clear landmark: the giant hawk skull.

From the start, look to your left to spot the giant hawk skull.
Skate past the skull toward the multiball target area you normally wallplant.
Go around the back of this area. You’ll find a setup where you can transfer from a lower quarter pipe to an upper one on the wall.
Use the lower quarter pipe to transfer up to the upper quarter. This gets you higher in the arena.
Turn right and line up with the giant kicker ramp that points back toward the skull area.
Hit the kicker with good speed and go for a big air – the secret tape floats high above the hawk skull, and this launch line puts you right through it.

This is the scary part: you need more speed than you think. Use a couple of warm-up pumps or a quick combo beforehand to ensure you clear the gap.

What’s Next After Grabbing Every Tape

Once you’ve nailed all of these lines, secret tapes stop being a roadblock and just become another part of your flow. With every tape collected in THPS 3+4, you’re well on your way to 100% completion, unlocking secret characters and racking up the cash you need to max out your stats.

If any tape is still giving you trouble, dedicate a couple of runs purely to practicing that one route with no distractions. After a few tries, the muscle memory clicks, and it becomes just another satisfying part of your line.