2020 should officially stand as the year of the return of skateboarding games. Look at what all’s happened with the genre. We’ve gotten the indie favorite Session on Xbox One; Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater is making a remastered return to platforms next month; and a new Skate is finally in development, after what feels like ages. Not to mention the sensation that is Skatebird, though that’s a 2021 release. (No matter – skateboarding bird, damn it!)
But then there’s Skater XL. This indie wannabe has been in the works for some time, becoming a hit on Steam Early Access while, at the same time, being highly anticipated on consoles. So now that it’s arrived, what’s the verdict? Well, it definitely has the skateboarding theme nailed down. But when it comes to long-term enjoyment, some people may find themselves, ahem, “board” with the content.
Hitting the Ground Running
As you start up Skater XL, you’ll be introduced to the game’s tutorial, which will walk you through its two-stick control system. It’s a bit complicated compared to what Pro Skater usually works with, so you’ll want to pay attention here. You’ll learn all the general tricks you can pull off, as well as how to get around. From there, you’re unleashed onto the game’s numerous levels, given a handful of challenges to complete on each one as you work your way to becoming a better skateboarder.
The way that the sticks are set up, each one controls a foot on your board. That sounds innovative; and when you pull off the right stunt on a rail or over a jump, it can feel refreshing. However, it’s a heavy work in progress. Skater XL is a game that takes a heaping amount of practice to master. And even then, when you think you’ve gotten everything down pat, it’s easy “bail” on a trick or stumble to the ground.
There is a progression scale to Skater XL that is impressive, but the game feels like it’s making you work harder for your goals than expected. That’s not to say it’s bad, but if you want into this with an arcade skateboarding style of mentality (like, say, Sega’s Top Skater), you’re going to crash and crash hard. The developers set out to make this game very technical, and that may not be your particular speed.
Fortunately, the gameplay does click once you figure it out, though, again, things aren’t always perfect. But it’s an innovation that could easily be given room to expand with further updates to the game, refining the experience so it doesn’t feel like, well, a grind? Mind the pun, but to some, that’s exactly what it is.
Lacking Any Skating Content
The big problem with Skater XL – and it’s noticeable right off the bat – is just how bare-bones it is on console. Over on the PC front, you have a number of mods that you can play around with and have fun using. Here, though, it’s a ghost town. There are only the challenges to serve you, and not really anything to build upon in terms of a campaign or increasing your skateboarder’s skills. That’s probably the way the developer planned it, with a “just hit the board and have fun” short of mentality. But without that structure in place, there’s not much to lean on.
Skater XL does have a variety of impressive wide-open levels to explore; and its Big Ramp is excellent to try and get air on for the first few times. But without that sort of “pat on the back” to reward you for your efforts, Skater XL has nothing to offer for the long-term. Not to mention that there’s no secondary characters with personality, nor any kind of multiplayer features. That’s right, you can’t even get together with your friends in a skate park of any kind. Had the devs brought over some of the fun features from the PC version, we would’ve been in for something. As it stands, however, Skater XL is an isolated experience – and a far cry from the rambunctious nature of the amazing Pro Skater games.
The Presentation’s Not Bad, But, Again, Missing Something
The in-game visuals for Skater XL aren’t bad, with nicely drawn out levels and authentic animations that capture the nature of skateboarders, right down to the somewhat awkward bails. And though not as impressive as Pro Skater’s selection of tunes, the soundtrack is admirable, with a handful of indie artists contributing rock tracks you can listen to in the background. (I was just hoping the default volume wouldn’t be so low.) But, again, the game lacks any kind of distinct personality to make Skater XL feel like its own animal. Without in-game characters to interact with or even anything remotely silly about the levels themselves, it just runs by the basics. To some, this will be enough, especially if the gameplay can distract them. However, others may be turned off by how plain everything seems to be.
This One’s Spinning Its Wheels
When it comes to Skater XL, you can see where its core design lies. Easy Day Studios wanted to create an authentic skateboarding experience with a unique control system. And in that particular area, it somewhat succeeds. However, there’s very little game to actually surround that system. There are several stages and great challenges here, but hardly anything else in the way of progression, building to something great, or, to some, maybe even fun. Skater XL reminds us of those boarders that talk up a big game, but when it comes to actually performing and showing off, they just can’t hang with the bros. Maybe future updates – particularly with mods – will fix that.