![]() ![]() This is an idea rooted in actual skating according to the developers. Since every level can be completed in a single massive trick linked together by grinds and manuals, you may have an entire level's worth of tricks combo'd together that can all be undone by a final sketchy landing. The game will rate your landing on a scale from perfect to sketchy and score you accordingly. The tension of this final input can be extremely nerve-racking. While requesting directional inputs on the left stick in a fashion similar to that of a Street Fighter game, you are also asked to jam down the b button on your right Joy-Con just as you complete your trick. When you actually are managing to pull tricks, they are not entirely focused around wildly difficult inputs. While you may start by shredding a fairly standard set of stairs and rails, eventually you will find yourself flying through courses that present an incredible challenge in simply finishing them without pulling a single trick. The "Urban" stages and "Olliwood" stages are much closer to your typical street skating environment than the considerably wilder backdrops that will be your setting for later levels. Playing this game well is hard and these early stages are perfect for learning what kind of skater you want to go out and become. "Career Mode" for both games will start by dropping you into either OlliOlli's "Urban" opening stages, or Olliwood's movie studio back-lots. ![]() All of this is done in order to present you with the full set of options available to skate in a way that feels truly unique and always your own. The completion of these challenges helps to familiarize the player with the multitude of different commands available to whip your skater into all sorts of mid-air hysterics. ![]() As straightforward as that challenge sounds, in actuality it forces you to approach the game with a totally different frame of mind. These sorts of challenges come in the form of collecting hard to reach tokens or simply not grinding throughout a level. Each one complimented by 5 challenges, ranging from simple score-breaking, to challenges that will entirely shift your play style. These levels come in digestible, bite sized chunks. If you are unfamiliar with the original games, both centered around navigating your plank-pushing avatar down increasingly difficult, 2D skateboard-slaloms of death. No crash feels unfair, and regardless of the time put into the session, every time you go out and skate with OlliOlli you are adding to your overall ability to put together the kind of runs that this game is just begging you to perfect. There are very few titles in the Switch's current lineup that can exist as both a quick diversion at the bus stop, or a perennial couch favorite as well as OlliOlli: Switch Stance. The unique and fascinating control scheme makes a perfect centerpiece with which to focus the rest of this beautiful game around. In fact, I believe the sheer amount of content, and wealth of playability packed into this port makes it a contender for being an essential Switch must-have. Joy cons, mobile gameplay, and everything else that sold us on the Switch. If it wasn't made apparent from the name, this is a Nintendo Switch port, which means all the fun that comes with. Thankfully I held off, as we now have a best in class, fully tweaked bundle of these games on a console that feels custom made for this particular title. Upon 'Olliwoods initial release, my desire to play on the go was so strong I nearly purchased a Playstation Vita. ![]() All with an expanded set of tricks and levels, allowing us to take the OlliOlli experience one step further. No, this is OlliOlli: Switch Stance! Yes, in a master stroke of marketing, developer Roll 7 has delivered us a port of both the original OlliOlli as well as their followup title OlliOlli: Welcome to Olliwood. Olliolli THIS however, is not OlliOlli, nor it's massively well received sequel. This is exactly the idea that drew so many to the sport and subsequent games emulating it in the first place. Through gameplay, soundtrack, and design this game gives you all the tools Tony Hawk Pro Skater did in the 90's to make you feel like you are really skating a style that is your own. This is what OlliOlli shoots for, and this is what OlliOlli nails. You are somehow magically perched in an equally balanced push-pull of hyper-focus, and blissed out head nodding. When OlliOlli is doing these things together in harmony, the game seems to transcend itself and elevates you into a pure, flow-state of chill. While infectious, lo-fi hip hop thumps, you are blazing downhill and all your tricks are coming together and clicking. ![]()
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