In the original Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, players collect the five-letter word SKATE in each applicable level. The letters are placed around the environment, encouraging players to explore ramps, rails, half-pipes, rooftops, and other hard-to-reach lines.
Collecting S-K-A-T-E is one of the series' signature level objectives. It fits the game's design philosophy: players are not simply racing to a finish line, but learning how each park can be navigated through jumps, grinds, transfers, and carefully planned trick routes.
The letters are sometimes confused with the game's other collectible-style objectives, such as hidden tapes, cash, or stat points in later entries. “SKATE” is specifically the five-letter collection challenge. The objective also became a recurring feature across subsequent Tony Hawk games and remastered editions.