I remember my days in High school competing with friends on Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, trying to set the longest combo. EA’s Skate took things to the next level with a game that was quite a bit more challenging but far more realistic and super rewarding. There was a time when skating was a big thing in video games, but that time has been gone for a while. Skater XL looks to kick off what seems to be a resurgence in the genre.
Skater XL is an indie game developed by Easy Day Studios and it looks to recapture realism in its controls, so much so that completing something like a basic kickflip can feel like quite the accomplishment. The studio is making sure to incorporate community creation with mods, brands and maps to keep things feeling fresh and I really like this concept. Skater XL really seems to put a ton of focus on the controls and how much control you have over the skaters feet and board. This allows for some very specific and custom trick combinations that could make for some really amazing highlight reels. This is a bit different from the arcade style game that Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater prides itself in with its insanely, mostly unrealistic combos. Since these two games differ so much in play style I think fans of the genre can enjoy both.
The game is currently in early access on Steam and will be coming to PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch as well. It’s good to see this releasing on all platforms that way as many people as possible can get their hands on it. With mods and community creation being such a big part of the game, I think it will be important for as many people to get their hands on Skater XL as possible. This also seems like it would be a great game to have on the go so I’m very happy to see it coming to Switch.
I remember skating all through middle school and high school. Attending and watching street league was some of the most fun I’ve had and I always thoroughly enjoyed playing skating games. Watching the trailer got me super excited just to see the genre pop back up and I can’t wait to actually play the game myself. It’s not surprising to see the skating genre of video games coming back with Skater XL, and the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 remaster both coming this year. I’m actually surprised it took so long for this to happen but I’m definitely looking forward to getting my hands on Skater XL to see for myself what the game has to offer. The game releases on all platforms on July 28th. If you want to get your hands on it early it is currently on Steam in early access.
