Skateboarding games continue to be popular.
Skateboarding, a sport with a fair chance of injury, is best experienced by many in a virtual world, where limbs and heads are protected from the various falls that every skater inevitably faces. While most skate video games aren’t simulations of the sport, they’re still a great way to experience the thrill of skateboarding and feel like a badass, especially those that focus on impressive aerials and spins that take real-world skaters years to master. While there aren’t a ton of skateboarding games released every year, retro classics and the occasional modern gem keep this beloved genre alive. If you want to enjoy some virtual skating, these are the best skateboarding games.
Top Skate Games
The first skateboarding game was an Atari arcade game. 720° Released in 1986, the game was pretty basic compared to today’s skate games – you ride your bike around your neighborhood, perform tricks, and try to get enough points to eventually make it to the skate park – but from this idea an epic genre was born.
Skateboarding games are a popular genre that doesn’t get much attention these days. In the early 2000s, following the success of the Tony Hawk franchise, skateboarding games were everywhere, and some are considered the best games of all time. But over the past decade, true AAA-level skateboarding games have become rare, with a handful of indie developers and the occasional big release serving up a genre with a large, devoted fanbase. This list compiles the best games of recent years, based on critic and fan reviews, but the important thing is that they’re all easily playable on modern hardware.
Ten. Hellskate
Hellskate is a skateboarding game and an action roguelike, a winning combination. Ride your board, perform tricks, and power up your next attack to defeat monsters that inhabit the world. Each time you play, you’ll be given different power-ups to use in battle, but you’ll always be skating and saving the world.
It entered Early Access earlier this year and is still in development by Phantom Coast, but even in its unfinished state it’s a lot of fun. It sounds a little silly in its genre-blending, but it works well and the roguelike elements keep it fresh, something you won’t find in other skating games. It’s PC-only for now, but seems like it would suit other platforms, so if you’re looking for a skating game with a bit of a twist, this is the game for you.
9. Skate Bird
Catch a bird, give it a skateboard, and let it run free in the house. Skatebird, And because it’s so simple, it works wonders: it’s by no means a complicated game, but if you just want to do some awesome tricks, it’s the perfect introduction to the genre.
Developed by Glass Bottom Games and released in 2021, the game has been a hit since its launch on Xbox Game Pass for Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S, with versions also available on PC, Switch, PS4, and PS5. It’s not overly complicated, but it’s a great way to spend a few hours, and it’s simple enough that anyone can pick it up and play right away.
8. Subway Surfers
please listen: Subway Surfers is a skateboarding game. Sure, it’s called surfing, and the wheels never hit the ground, but if hoverboarding isn’t a natural evolution of skateboarding, then what is it? That ends my argument.
No need to explain Subway Surfers If you’ve ever been on the internet, you’ve probably seen it for over an hour. This is because it’s a game that is overlaid on a video that is primarily audio-focused to give you something to watch. It’s an endless runner, where you ride a hoverboard and run along a track, avoiding trains and other obstacles. It’s not a traditional skating game, but it’s surprisingly addictive and pretty fun to watch, which is a testament to co-developers Kiloo and SYBO Games. The game was first released in 2012, but has found success in recent years after it gained fame on TikTok. It can be played on most mobile devices and browsers, including iOS and Android.
7. session
session The next game on this list is a very similar pair of games: stylistically it’s reminiscent of the old Skate games, with a complex control system that lets you roam the map and attempt tricks, which takes a long time to learn but is exactly what fans want.
session It will be released on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Switch in 2022 and is produced by Crea-ture Studios. When you imagine a modern version of the classic skateboarding game from the early to mid-2000s, this is what comes to mind, and for the most part it works well. However, there is no depth beyond hitting tricks, and the base game without mods can feel underwhelming. But if you’re a content creator, this game is perfect for you, as the deep photo/video modes and multiple camera lenses give you more customization options.
6. Skater XL
Skater XL It’s essentially a rival sessionand which one you prefer will probably come down to personal preference and platform. Thanks to the available mods, Skater XL It will rank higher, but if you stick to the base games of both it won’t make much of a difference.
The game was released in early access on PC in 2018, and was later released on PS4, Xbox One, and Switch. sessionHowever, the PC version has a large mod library, so even those with limited technical knowledge can make the game better. As expected, you’ll be running around trying tricks, but many players will find that this Simulation Style Easy Day Studios, the developer, Skater XL Although it’s realistic, it still lacks a lot of depth, so this is a game for people who want to recreate real-life board games in a virtual world.
Five. lamp
lamp is the simplest skateboarding game around, literally doing tricks on small ramps and bowls. Solo developer Paul Schnepf describes it as a “virtual toy” rather than a full game, and there are no scores, missions, or unlockable items. All you do is go down the ramps and do tricks.
But it’s this simplicity that makes it so great. There’s nothing to distract or frustrate, and the smooth controls make it incredibly satisfying to play. You might not play for hours on end, but it’s perfect for distracting yourself for a few minutes periodically. With PC, Switch, and Android versions available, there are plenty of places to play. Released in 2021, it’s still as great today as it was when it was released, and with a great price, there’s almost no reason to skip this one.
Four. OlliOlli2: Welcome to Olliwood
OriOri 2 Adopting the original, nearly perfect formula Ollie Ollie And while everything gets bigger, this is rarely a bad thing. This is a 2D skateboarding game where you’re given goals to accomplish and play through relatively short, handcrafted levels. It looks simple, but it’s not simple at all in reality.
It was developed by Roll7 and released in 2015 for PS4, PS Vita, PC, Android, Xbox One, and Switch. OriOri 2 Mastered 2D skateboarding style with addictive levels of challenge and a satisfying control system. As you progress through the levels, there are tasks to complete and you need to pull off tricks to increase your score. However, the addition of a manual means you can continue combos throughout the level in most cases, making it a bit more difficult than its predecessor. This is a game for those who love chasing high scores and appreciate the art style, but be warned that once you start it’s very hard to stop.
3. Skate 3
Skate 3 It’s been 14 years since its release in 2010, and it only just barely passes the “playable on modern hardware” test, as it’s available on the Xbox Cloud Gaming platform as well as on its original platforms, PS3 and Xbox 360. But it’s such a good game that it deserves a place on this list.
Developed by EA Black Box, Skate 3 Considered by many to be the best skateboarding game of all time, it offers a vast open world to skate in and perform tricks in amazing locations. It also has a story and tasks to complete, but Skate 3 All you have to do is roam a massive world, pull off some cool tricks and look cool, making this a great choice for anyone looking for an open world skating game with a great control scheme and can live with the dated visuals.
2. Olly Olly World
Second Ollie Ollie The games on this list are similar to the previous games but are very different. Olly Olly World It brings the series into 3D space for the first time, and while the familiar side-on skate festivities from previous games remain, the 3D engine and new art style make for a different experience than ever before.
This one is also being developed by Roll7 and will be available in 2022 for Switch, PS5, PS4, PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S, with a new visual style. Ollie Ollie world It feels completely different from the previous games. Its cartoony style is beautiful in a completely different way than other games in the series, and the 3D engine allows for branching paths in levels, bigger jumps, improved physics, and more. It follows the same score attack style of play across multiple levels, but it feels quite different playing in the new style. If you liked the other games, you’ll love this one, and even if you didn’t like the old games, the new style may make this one more appealing.
1. Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2
If this list of the best skate games ever made, even ones you’d struggle to play today, there’s a good chance it’s completely fabricated. Tony Hawk’s Games. From the classic original to the iconic underground There are games and some even more bizarre titles, but this series is the flagship of the genre.
But now that the originals are outdated, the best way to experience them is the remake of the first two games, released in 2020 on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC and Switch, and produced by Vicarious Visions. While the content remains the same, many improvements have been made from the later games in the series in terms of control, making this arguably the perfect skateboarding game and an easy game for anyone to play. Ride around the now iconic levels and get high scores with tricks to unlock the next levels and customization options. It’s simple, but it’s a lot of fun.
Conclusion
Skateboarding games are a genre based around a single sport, yet there is a surprising amount of variety in them. From open-world blockbusters to small indie titles and a host of classics, there may not be a huge number of games released each year, but there’s still plenty to choose from.
