Guide · Skate 3

Play Skate 3 natively on PC

Install skate3recomp on Windows, Linux or macOS from your own Xbox 360 disc image.

skate3recomp is not an emulator. The Xbox 360 game’s PowerPC code was translated ahead of time into native code, and since v2.0 a native Direct3D 12 / Vulkan renderer draws the scene. It’s the base most current Skate 3 mods build on.

What you need

  • Your own Xbox 360 Skate 3 disc image (ISO). Nothing on this page ships game files.
  • Optionally, Title Update 3 if you plan to use the Level Loader. It asks for it on first run.
  • An Xbox controller (best), a PlayStation or Switch controller through SDL, or a keyboard.

Install

  1. Download the zip for your OS from the skate3recomp releases: Skate3Recomp-Windows.zip, -Linux.zip or -macOS.zip.
  2. Extract it to a folder you control (not Program Files).
  3. Run skate3.exe (Windows) or skate3 (Linux/macOS).
  4. Click Select ISO, pick your disc image and wait while the installer extracts the game files.
  5. Click Start Game.

macOS: the ARM build is experimental. If Gatekeeper blocks it, open System Settings → Privacy & Security → Open Anyway.

Linux: some setups run better with the Windows build through Proton than with the native Linux build.

Settings worth changing

v2.0 added MSAA up to 8×, better shadows, ambient occlusion, bloom, volumetric lighting, longer draw distance, render scale up to 3× and ultrawide support. Start with render scale and MSAA, and raise the rest if you have headroom.

Known rough edges

Texture pop-in while streaming, skater customization rendering, Hall of Meat rendering, and some park-editor visual differences. Check the project’s issue tracker before reporting a bug.

Next

Updated 2026-10-01 · Improve this guide on GitHub