Slopecrashers review

I may not look it nowadays, but in my youth I spent an unhealthy amount of time balancing on planks of wood, hurtling around at frightening speeds. Admittedly, most of this was done in the virtual domain, be it via the Tony Hawks Pro Skater series or even more aptly, playing SSX on various generations of console. I may not be the Chairman of the Board that I once was but I like to think that I know my Backside from my Butter, just so you know that there’s nothing Shifty going on (I’m sorry).

Slopecrashers is an arcade style snowboard racer that instantly feels familiar in the hand. Blending together constituent parts from an array of classic titles, I’ve been transported back to my younger years, playing with friends on the sofa, gently (and often not so gently) ribbing and cajoling each other as we tear down the mountains in desperate attempts for bragging rights. As such, I was sold from the off.

The sheer avalanche of content on offer is simply staggering, especially impressive when you consider that this has been a solo developed game. With seven varied game modes, a wide selection of animal characters, multiple cups to compete in, local co-op scenarios, online multiplayer, and solo challenges, there’s something to cater for every taste. And that’s not even mentioning the on-course collectibles, the levelling system, or the unlockable cosmetics. There’s a mountain of content to see and do for those that want to drop in to it.

The game modes in Slopecrashers include battle races, the love-child of Mario Kart and SSX Tricky. Aside from just having to hurtle down the slope faster than your opponents to the finish line, there’s the added complication of items boxes that will let you pick up both offensive and defensive measures. With blue boxes offering passive abilities and red ones handing out projectiles, this adds a little twist to proceedings from the much beloved kart racer that can be both gratifying and frustrating in equal measure. Let’s face it, there’s nothing worse than having gotten feet away from the finish line before having a snowman drop on your head at the last moment, allowing your opponents to whizz past as your board slows to a crawl. However, if you are the one doing the dropping, well that just feels fantastic. Springs, ice blocks, balloons, bees, and rockets all come into play and make for a fresh feeling race each time you play, be it against AI characters or online with actual humans.

Elsewhere, there are slalom courses, time attacks, and trick challenges to contend with, all classics in their own right, but then there are a few fresh ideas to take on. Boss Battle has the player chasing an irate snowman down the course in a race to blow him to pieces with rockets before he reaches the finish line, all the while throwing out obstacles to dodge and weave around, testing both your on-board agility and offensive tactics against the clock. Stressful, but a whole lot of fun. Target Takedown is another take on this style of play, tasking you to destroy static targets with projectiles on your way down the mountain, a test of precision and timing. With limited opportunities to nail the shot, every throw will count. With multi-race grand prix modes, individual arcade challenges, three levels of difficulty per game type, and a huge career mode that offers its own rewards during its mix of events, there’s something to suit every mood and amount of free time.

Controls are tight in Slopecrashers, with any mistakes feeling very much a result of your own input rather than the game. Hitting tricks off the multitude of ramps scattered around is satisfying, especially as nailing one perfectly will boost you forward as you hit the powder again. Tricks and spins are easy to input and can be simplified further still with accessibility options available to cater for gamers of all ability levels.

The titular slopes themselves are a varied selection of bright, cartoony worlds, presented in a slightly polygonal style, reminiscent of the PS2/N64 era, which is no bad thing. Not content with only snowy slopes to blast down, there are themed worlds including sandy pirate bays, leafy autumnal forests, and neon-lit cityscapes, each with their own unique character, be it an excessive amount of rails to grind or gaping pits to throw yourself over. You’re never short of landscapes to gawp at or challenges to face with multiple tracks set in each locale. Multiple racing lines are on offer, with courses criss-crossing multiple routes to the podium. It’s not uncommon to see a parrot strapped to a surfboard flip overhead, alerting you to a hidden route to uncover on your next attempt.

The soundtrack is an upbeat pulse designed to keep the blood pumping whilst battling your way to the finish. Whilst it might lack licensed tracks, there’s a mix of pop, jazz, and dance that seems to have created its own genre whilst simultaneously bringing back hazy memories of old consoles. Nostalgia-pop anyone? My only gripe on the audio front is the ever present commentator whose ”good combo” line has been etched into my brain. An option to turn this down would be a fantastic addition. The sounds of the environments and characters themselves are more than functional but none have really stood out in the iconic fashion that they did in something like SSX.

Slopecrashers is a great action racing game offering plenty of fun in both solo and multiplayer. With gargantuan amounts of stuff to collect and explore, it’ll still be offering plenty to do for months to come. For anyone with even a passing interest in the snowboarding genre, this is a fantastic time that shouldn’t be slept on. With promise of additional content in future, you’ll need your goggles on for the bright future of Slopecrashers.