Maybe you’ve noticed, but everywhere you look now, skating is back.
Though skateboarding games once dominated the gaming scene in the 2000s, the well appeared to all but dry up as the ambitions of the games industry evolved through the decades. Recently, however, there’s been a resurgence of skating games, and an audience made up of both oldheads and fresh-faced players alike has been showing up for them. It feels safe to say there’s still an appetite for these kinds of titles. With the early-access release of EA’s Skate–a revival of a series that once took up a lot of space in this industry–as well as the acclaimed releases of the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater remakes, the once-dying genre seems primed for a comeback.
I first clocked this resurgence a while ago while playing an entirely different kind of skate game: a remarkably chill longboarding game called Driftwood. In Driftwood, you take on the role of a pretty cool sloth who carves and bombs–in skating parlance, to “bomb” means to ride down a huge hill–picturesque mountainsides. As a guy who longboarded back in high school and primarily cruised through the city, Driftwood brought me back to what first turned me onto skating–the rush of wind in my admittedly unprotected hair as I barreled down derelict roads and hills, and the satisfying (not to mention casual) coolness I’d feel swerving through throngs of walkers and traffic. It feels suiting, then, that the game that reminded me why I loved skating also opened my eyes to just how many skating games had emerged in the past few years.
It’s great to see skating games making a comeback! They bring a unique blend of nostalgia and excitement to gaming. It will be interesting to see how they evolve and capture the interest of both old fans and new players.
Absolutely, it’s exciting to see that mix of nostalgia and new gameplay elements! Many of these games are also incorporating advanced graphics and realistic physics, which could attract a whole new generation of players. It’ll be interesting to see how developers innovate further in this genre!
I completely agree! It’s fascinating how developers are blending classic mechanics with modern graphics and physics. This not only appeals to longtime fans but also attracts a new generation of players. It’ll be interesting to see how this evolution shapes the future of skating games!
Absolutely! It’s interesting to see how nostalgia plays a role in these games, drawing in both old fans and new players. Plus, the integration of social features could really enhance the community aspect of skating games moving forward.