Developer: Roll7
Publisher: Private Division, Take-Two Interactive
Switch Release Date: February 8, 2022
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox One
Reviewed On: Nintendo Switch
Looking for a fast-paced, side-scrolling skateboarding game where timing is everything? Time to shred! OlliOlli World is a marvelous skateboarding experience.
Synopsis:
The introduction to OlliOlli World throws you in a skateboarding utopia called “Radlandia”. You battle through many courses to become the chosen one. Time to prove yourself to the skateboarding gods!
Gameplay:
The gameplay in OlliOlli World is a leap forward from previous OlliOlli games. First let’s start with the character customization. There is a good variety of customization to the character you create at the beginning of the game. Choose from a decent selection of body/face templates and then start swagging out your character with all the Rad clothing. After this you’ll get to choose a skateboard and customize the deck, wheels, trucks, and even how you hold and mount your skateboard. So many ways to make your character look flashy!
As you play, you will come across little dialogue segments before each level. Unfortunately, it’s very hard to follow, which led me to fall off the story and dialogue pretty early. It was silly in a dull way and didn’t capture my attention. Fortunately, the action more than makes up for what is lacking in the dialogue.
The skateboarding is side-scrolling and fast-paced, as you try to make it to the end of the level without wrecking. This becomes difficult from all the different obstacles in each level. The difficulty progression is very lenient and doesn’t ramp up very fast. This is a nice addition for players new to the franchise but can be lacking a challenge for half of the game.
You can complete the game just by getting to the end of each level, but there are plenty of challenges that would keep a completionist engaged. There are a variety of tricks that can be done and ways to tweak tricks or make a big combo! Getting a very high score is satisfying, along with completing any of the extra challenges.
The buttons are very simple and are laid out very well through the tutorial. One new quality that made this game less intimidating as the previous game is timing your landings isn’t as big of a deal anymore. Previous games you had to hit a button at the exact time of your landing or it would cause your character to wobble the landing and slow down dramatically. In OlliOlli World, you can still time your landings, but I didn’t notice a huge difference in not doing so. The landings were always smooth, but perfect landings give you a little boost. I found this very convenient, and I abused the landing system often by not even worrying about it.
At the end of each world, there is a god that you have to prove your worth to; only getting the blessing of every skate god will prove you are the chosen one.
Final Score: 3 / 5
OlliOlli World is a wonderful journey with a lot of new gameplay mechanics, great vibrant art style and character customization. Although easier than previous games, I had a blast with the extra challenges in the game and the catering landing system. The story and dialogue can be cringe, but the game does allow you to skip the dialogue if desired. Nevertheless, this skateboarding experience has enough to keep an audience captivated and wanting to complete level challenges.
OlliOlli World can be purchased on the Nintendo eShop for $29.99 (USD). Will you be picking up this game? Let us know in the comments, or hop on over to the Boss Rush Discord!
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