There have been a lot of great skateboarding games over the years. Obviously, the Tony Hawk Pro Skater series put the genre on the map. Others have carried the mantle, with Skate probably being the most realistic version of skateboarding simulation. Now there’s Skater XL. It’s taking the skateboarding genre to new heights in terms of immersion and authentic controls.
For the longest time now, it has been in Early Access on Steam. Finally, though, it’s about to release on the PlayStation 4 and other consoles. The PS4 release time frame was just given in a recent trailer, in fact. July seems to be like the target date so long as the coronavirus doesn’t cause Easy Day Studious major delays.
If you’re a PS4 user and enjoy skateboarding games, you’re probably stoked to get in on the amazing action that PC gamers have already enjoyed. Skater XL is shaping up to be one of the more unique and intricate skateboarding games to date.
It’s showing a lot of promise with its stick controls, particularly. You have to control both sticks to perform off a successful maneuver. Timing, flick precision, and aim all count when performing even the most basic of maneuvers. Instead of just smashing a button and pulling off surreal moves, Skater XL requires you to learn and grow each time you play.
There is immense satisfaction pulling off a trick you’ve been trying to land after hours of failed attempts. It’s the same feeling you have when skateboarding in real life. It’s incredible that Easy Day Studious was able to achieve such a realistic experience in a video game. It’s the reason why many have flocked to Skater XL ever since the beginning.
In addition to the realistic moves and skating mechanics, Skater XL also will be featuring real-life professional skateboards that you can play as. A list was just announced from the developer, which includes Tiago Lemos, Brandon Westgate, Tom Asta, and Evan Smith. Each one of these pros has signature moves that you’ll be able to pull off.
Or, you can just hit the streets with your own created character. You’ll have the chance to shred iconic spots that have been featured in magazines like Thrasher and Transworld Skateboarding. The PS4 release is still a couple of months away, but already, Skater XL is showing a ton of potential. It could shape the landscape of skateboarding games from here on out, in fact.
2 Comments
PyroSamurai
4 years agoYou’ll find most players don’t want a “realistic” skateboarding experience. As a skateboarder myself or anyone who has tried it can attest, skateboarding is 10yrs-to-master hard and the Tony Hawk series was not that. ‘Skate’ enjoyed some success b/c good skating games are hard to find, period. But not THPS success. The closer a game comes to actual skateboarding, the smaller its marketshare will be. It’s considered an extreme sport for a reason.
Chris Miller
4 years agoI disagree; I was an amateur skateboarder in the late 90s (hold your applause, please) and always found THPS derivative work at best. It approached the market well with its zany arcade-like experience that it offered, and its ‘grunge meets sports’ formula served them well. It’s nowhere close to what the skateboarding scene is, and I believe they’ve missed the mark in what makes skateboarding so addictive.
Which is working on various lines to perform tricks. Whether it’s a simple 5-step staircase that you want to nail, or a more complex marrying of street and vert, lines are a consistent feature of skateboarding that the skate franchise performed impeccably. Add into the skate franchise a fantastic video editor that allows you to build your own footage (another massive staple of the industry). THPS became increasingly self-reflective with each iteration of the franchise, repeating what made them a powerhouse in the first place, until the series fell flat on its face in 2016.
Attempts to find precise sale figures from both franchises for a closer comparison have been stymied thus far, making it difficult to talk about which franchise sold better, but it’s an apples to oranges comparison at the end of the day; one is an arcade-style game with skateboarding, and the other is a skateboarding sim. And players are desperate for a new skateboarding sim.
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