OlliOlli (PS VITA)

If you've ever wondered what a Tony Hawk's 2D side-scrolling skateboarding game would be like the developers at Roll7 have the perfect answer for you. OlliOlli which happens to be the name of their creation is in essence what Tony Hawk's Pro Skater would have been if it were made back in the retro gaming era. It features highly interactive, and layered 2D landscapes filled with plenty of skateboarding obstacles. At the helm of this radical action game is a generic pixel constructed skateboarding protagonist whom the gamer guides throughout the various courses. There's plenty of variety in the way of level layouts, and a wide variety of challenges that are setup in a mobile gaming format (i.e., Angry Birds) for this manly master of skateboarding stardom to trick, and grind through. At the core of it the protagonist (you) will be grinding, flipping, and performing advanced tricks via your applied left thumbstick, and "X" button inputs. The real trick though lies with your timing, and landing of each maneuver. As with Activision's Tony Hawk's skating franchise you'll find that your score comes from completing level specific tasks, and the combination of tricks/grinds that you land. Thrown in for good measure you'll also find that collecting certain in-game icons as well as doing certain tasks during a skate through will help you to unlock the more challenging level difficulties for later playthroughs.

OlliOlli is for the most part a simple game that utilizes standard Playstation control functions as well as the more innovative PS Vita touch screen features (for menu navigation). Tricks, and grinds in the game are fixed solely the left thumbstick, and shoulder buttons while the "X" button coincides with landing the various trick, and grind combos. By press the left thumbstick down followed by a directional input (Think fighting game inputs) you will be able launch your skateboard off of the ground, and perform a trick. Of course landing the said trick always requires the press of the "X" button. By timing your pressing of "X" you will end up with a rated score ranging from a "Sloppy" fail to a "Perfect" landing. It goes without saying that while getting a "Sloppy" will earn you next to nothing in the way of points the "Sketchy", "Sick", or "Perfect" landings will earn you more points respectively. Your ultimate goal in the game is definitely to get the highest score by making the most perfect playthrough possible, and if done correctly you can make the top of the list on the global leaderboards.

Aside from the tricks, and landings grinding also plays a huge role in how you go about getting that high score. After launching yourself, and your skateboard into the air (Press down on left thumbstick & release) you will be set to catch a grind on any nearby rails, or rail-like obstacles. In order to do so though you must press down again on the left thumbstick just as you make contact with the rail. By adding a directional slant to your grind you can also perform grinding tricks further adding to your possible combo score. Keep in mind though that once you derail you must press "X" before you hit the ground in order to complete any combo string that you have setup. Combos in OlliOlii include sequential landed tricks, and grinds. The landing at the end of your performed combo string must always be completed successfully in order to partake of the points you have racked up though.

As you continue to play you'll find that the level layouts in OlliOlii consist mainly of flat ground, rails of various shapes, and hazardous obstacles which will trip you up if you hit them. You will end up skating, and grinding at different locations across the globe including the snow covered lands of the Soviet Union, massive junkyards, and even building covered cityscapes. Your skating will be measured in meters as you trick, and grind your way to an awaiting finish line filled with cheering spectators. As you try, and reach that highest score before the end you'll also be trying to complete five different objectives in order to unlock a pro version of the current level you're skating through. These objectives range from collecting themed icons to performing certain tricks/grinds as well as tasks pertaining to how you go about traversing the landscapes. Should you wipe out before you reach the finish line though you will have to restart your trek from the beginning. If you are successful, and make it to the finish line you will be rewarded with Super Mario Bros. inspired fireworks, and will in turn unlock the next available level. No certain score is required to do so.

In the core game you'll find two types of modes. The first is a straightforward mode called "Career" which I've been describing all along, and the second is more, or less a challenge mode called "Spots" for those looking to perfect their playing style. The career mode basically includes a themed (Soviet Union, Junkyard, City ...) base level with 4, or 5 sub-levels. These sub-levels, as I call them also include a laundry list of level specific objectives that must be completed in order to unlock the pro versions of each. Once the Pro levels, and their sub-levels are unlocked you'll have a new set of objectives available to complete. The "Spots" mode on the other hand is a single level mode that takes place on a shortened version of each Career sub-level. In order to make it to the top of the leaderboards in this mode you must land the highest value trick possible. Only one trick counts though, but you can bypass the early ending by turning a combo grind session into one combined trick. I've seen players reach scores in excess of 100,000+ points, so it is possible to score big in "Spots" mode.

Lastly, and likely most importantly of all you'll find a mode called the "Daily Grind" in which you compete for the top spot on the "Daily Grind" global leaderboards. In this mode of play you'll be placed on an obstacle course that is not unlike the Pro versions of the standard levels. You can practice all you like in this mode, but once you choose to play for a place on the leaderboard you'll have only one chance to get the highest score possible. If you wipe out you'll end up with a pitiful score not worth bragging about, but if you make it to the end of the grinding session you'll at least have the chance to earn a place amongst other top players. After that you'll have to wait until the main menu "Daily Grind" timer counts back down for another shot at fame. As they say practice makes perfect, and in the real world of skateboarding as well as in OlliOlli that's definitely a fact.

Now for the verdict ...

OlliOlli is one of those gaming experiences where consistently invested game time is a must if you hope to get good at it, and remain good at it. From the start I, myself had issues learning the game's mechanics regardless of the included tutorial mode, and the well-named "Tricktionary (Trick Guide)". Often times I'd get my landing functions mixed up with my grinding functions making a proper mess of my intended playthrough. After a couple of hours of repeated gameplay though the mechanics became a somewhat second nature sort of deal. One thing a gamer needs to keep in mind is that if you lapse in playing this game, and don't play it for an extended amount of time you will more than likely screw up your playthroughs after returning. The game really demands continuous focus from the player, and once you can establish that you'll begin to be able to add in tricks amongst the basic gameplay functions. Timing your landings properly will also come into play after you've mastered the basics of OlliOlli.

As far as recommending this game goes I can definitely say it is a "Must Have!!!", especially for those gamers seeking a proper score based challenge. OlliOlli will definitely cater more to the hardcore gaming crowd in that respect, but don't let that discourage you. Mastering OlliOlli can be quite the rewarding experience if you spend the time needed to do so. Not only will you have proper bragging rights if you make it to the top of the leaderboards, but you'll also feel as if you've accomplished a great feat. The added fact that OlliOlli will be discounted upon release (more than likely for PS+ subscribers) it makes the game all the more worth it. Before I close I'd like to leave a note to the developer though as there are some game issues going on. I've found during my playthrough that some of my standard level playthrough objectives will not be acknowledged even though I perform the task that is noted on the 5-Star list. I've also had issues with the touch screen functions not working as they should. I can tell that it's not my touch screen, because the 3D in-game button will visually press down when I touch it. It just won't register as being pressed though, and will not take me to the menu location I want to get to until I press the required spot on the screen repeatedly. I'm pretty sure these are all bugs that can be fixed by the developer though, and that's why I stick by my recommendation. If you are a fan of Tony Hawk's skateboarding games, or skateboarding in general be sure to give this game a go. It's definitely worth it if you have the time, and patience to invest in it.