The golden age of skateboarding games had a particular kind of magic. You’d drop into a level, find a rail, launch yourself off a ramp and then spend far too long trying to keep a combo alive because you were absolutely convinced the next trick would make it even better. Skatesterre wants to bring that feeling back – and it’s doing it today with fast-paced arcade skating across Xbox Series X|S, PS5, PC and Nintendo Switch for £11.99.
Playing as Dutch skateboarder Sterre Meijer, better known as Surfsterre, you’ll take to a collection of urban playgrounds packed with ramps, rails, gaps and hidden routes. The aim is simple enough – skate fast, perform ridiculous tricks and chase increasingly impressive scores. Actually pulling it off without ending up eating pavement is where things get interesting.
We first covered Skatesterre back in June when its console release was announced, so this is the point where the wheels finally hit the concrete.
At A Glance
- Game: Skatesterre
- Developer: Goon Squad
- Publisher: Headup
- Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, PS5, PC, Nintendo Switch
- Price: £11.99
- Genre: Arcade Skateboarding
Back To The Golden Era Of Skateboarding
Skatesterre isn’t trying to reinvent what makes arcade skateboarding fun. Instead, it goes back to the basics that made the genre so addictive in the first place – tight controls, big combos and levels designed to reward players who learn every inch of the environment.
You’ll be able to string together kickflips, grabs, manuals and grinds, linking tricks into longer runs and chasing bigger score multipliers. The more familiar you become with each level, the more opportunities you’ll spot for extending a combo or finding a better line.
It’s very much an easy-to-pick-up, harder-to-master approach. You can jump on the board and start throwing tricks around without needing to understand a complicated system, but mastering the flow of a level is likely to take rather more practice.
Skate In Style
There’s also plenty of opportunity to give Sterre her own look. Completing missions unlocks fashion items and outfits, allowing you to customise your skater as you progress.
And because no respectable skateboarding game would be complete without the right soundtrack, Skatesterre comes backed by underground skate punk and skate rock designed to capture the attitude of the late-90s and early-2000s skate scene.
Time To Get Some Air
With its focus on arcade action rather than ultra-serious simulation, Skatesterre looks to be aiming squarely at players who miss the wonderfully uncomplicated pleasure of finding a good line and seeing just how long they can keep it going.
Whether you’re chasing mission objectives, hunting for hidden routes or simply trying to beat your previous high score, there’s plenty of room to get creative. Just remember – if the combo starts looking particularly impressive, that’s probably exactly when you’re going to mess it up.
Skatesterre is now available on Xbox Series X|S (on the Xbox Store), PS5, PC and Nintendo Switch for £11.99. Time to grab your board and get rolling.
