By: Roberto Nieves
Skateboarding isn't just a sport but a story of people, skills, and the message they send through every challenge. The skateboard genre of video games has seen a small resurgence lately, with the release of last year's Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2.
In Pro Skater's wake, the skateboarding genre has a chance to have a new spotlight on various developers pursuing their own spin on the genre. Snowman, the studio behind the critically-acclaimed Alto's Odyssey, partnered with Agens to put out their ambitious take on skateboarding to the masses, the wisely-named Skate City.
Skate City spent some time as an Apple Arcade exclusive for Apple users but is now making the switch to consoles and PC platforms.
Skate City bills itself as a more down-to-earth and authentic take on West Coast Skateboarding, featuring an experience that is local, personal, and more laid back. Players visit the skateboard scenes of Barcelona, Oslo, and Los Angeles, going at their own pace and pulling off tricks, all to a lo-fi soundtrack complemented by the dream-like visuals.
Players participate in challenges to earn new customizable gear and experiment with new tricks. Skate City has an Endless Skate mode to endlessly play and experience for those looking to go at their own pace.
Andrew Schimmel, Producer of Skate City, shares his enthusiasm with the announcement:
Skate City offers something a little different for players who love the sport, or just love skateboarding games. We’re really excited to see what people think, and to introduce more people to the genre!
There was a time when extreme sports and skateboarding games were everywhere, and every other game was an extreme sports title, from skateboarding to ATV racing. Times are different, but it is a refreshing moment to see skateboarding get an organic new take against other genre competitors. With Skate City arriving to a much wider audience, the chance of seeing skate games make a comeback could be a possibility.
Skate City arrives on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Steam, the Epic Games Store, and Nintendo Switch sometime in 2021.
