Summary
Skating is a rewarding and satisfying thing to do in and of itself, but developers have shown throughout the years that it’s also a great source of fun in video game format.Games likeTony Hawk’s Pro SkaterandSkate 3are just a couple examples of well-crafted skating games.
As indie games have entered the mainstream in recent years, becoming increasingly popular as time goes on, a broad variety of genres have been represented. One of the most underrepresented, though, is the skating game genre. That said, there are a handful ofpolished and fun skating experiences to be had in the indie scene.
7Helskate
Steam User Rating: 83%
Helskateis a unique combination of the action rogue-lite and skateboarding genres, blending fast-paced skating with character-action gameplay and a rogue-lite structure.Helskateis great for fans of the rogue-lite formula,Tony Hawkgames, and even lightspectacle fighters such asHifi Rush.
AlthoughHelskateis currently in Early Access, it’s already a promising and unique title. The game’svibrant visual style, fast-paced action, and satisfying movement provides a well-crafted package, and the unique mash-up of mechanics makes it worth a shot in and of itself.
6SkateBIRD
Steam User Rating: 84%
This light-hearted, straightforward skateboarding game tasks players with skating as a small bird in miniature skate parks.SkateBIRDdoesn’t take itself too seriously, which is apparent from the get-go withits rag-doll physicsand silly tone.
SkateBIRDis a relatively accessible and affordable skating game that features intuitive controls that fans of theTony Hawkskating games will likely get to grips with fairly quickly. The game’s straightforward, objective-based gameplay loop may not be for everyone, but it provides a solid experience that fans of skating games should enjoy.
This rollerskating action game’s theme and tone is clearly inspired by science-fiction films likeRollerballandThe Running Man, with a visual style that possibly takes direct influence from games such asSable. However,Rollerdrome’s action-packed andTony Hawk-adjacent gameplay is a unique boiling pot of fun ideas.
Rollerdromeis an extremely stylish game in which players rollerskate around several arenas, attempting to complete objectives while taking out enemies with a variety of weapons. Players can also perform a variety of tricks, which in turn will provide them with more ammunition.
While the originalOlliOlliand its sequel,OlliOlli 2: Welcome To Olliwood, are both successful and satisfying skating games in their own right, it could be argued thatOlliOlli Worldis the most polished of the lot. The game’s stylized 3D visuals, from its fun characters to its vibrant environments, are reminiscent of cartoons such asAdventure Time, and the gameplay is both accessible and rewarding to engage with.
Like many skating games,OllliOlli Worldfeatures a scoring system that attempts to encourage players to strive for high scores.OlliOlli Worlddoes this rather successfully, asits accessible gameplayrarely punishes the player outside a reduced score.
3The Ramp
Steam User Rating: 95%
Thisminimalist indie gamefeatures a simple but satisfying gameplay loop based around vertical skateboarding. The game comes with a clean-cut, minimalist visual style and satisfying movement that aims to put players into a flow-state.
The Rampwas developed by Paul Schnepf, one of the key developers behind theunique tower defense game,Thronefall.The Rampfeatures no unlocks, no missions, and no score, making it closer to a digital toy than a fully-fledged game, but it’s a worthwhile way to spend a lunch break.
2Driftwood
Steam User Rating: 96%
Driftwoodis, more specifically, a game about longboarding. In particular, longboarding downhill at breakneck speeds as a sloth named Eddy.Driftwoodis a relatively tranquil experience, allowing players to sail downhill through picturesque, mountainside landscapes.
However, it’s not an entirely serene experience; players will have to worry about incoming traffic and other obstacles as they drift along the road, making sure to take extra care on the abundance of tight corners they will come across.Driftwoodis a fairly minimalist experience, but players can unlock new boards and wheels by scoring points with tricks.
This hyper-stylized action-adventure skating game takes clear and heavy inspiration from theJet Set Radiogames, which can be seen both in its gameplay and its visual style.Bomb Rush Cyberfunktakes place in a futuristic metropolis and tasks players with writing/painting graffiti all across the city.
Throughout the game, players navigate the city via a variety of different modes of transport. These include a classic skateboard, BMX, and inline skates. Furthermore, players will have to maneuver around the militarized police that roam the city, which adds awelcome level of difficultyfor those looking for it.
Special Mention: Skate Story
This unreleased skating game by Sam Eng is being published by Devolver Digital and looks to be a visually distinct adventure, similar to Devolver’s recently publishedChildren of the Sun, which had an equally individual style.Skate Storyis set to be a psychedelic action game with a uniquely striking visual style and a high-stakes narrative.
Set to take place in The Underworld,Skate Storywilltask players with tackling demonsas they perform tricks and customize their board. In fact, the game’s store page currently boasts that the game will include over seventy tricks for players to perform. Although the skateboarding gameplay looks like a fluid experience, two ofSkate Story’s biggest draws are its visual design and its atmospheric, psychedelic music. The soundtrack is predominantly performed by Blood Cultures, a collection of experimental musicians, and sounds like the perfect fit forSkate Story’s trippy atmosphere.
