OlliOlli (Wii U) Review

A transition to the second dimension may mean that the scope for exploration and free-roaming (for which games like Tony Hawk's Pro Skater were revered) has diminished, but there's plenty of joy to be found in OlliOlli's simplicity. There are fifty levels here and each is, in its most basic form, an auto-runner akin to Jetpack Joyride. The player's aim is simply to pull off a series of insane tricks and grinds on the way to the goal - and, of course, to avoid wiping out.

That's easier than it sounds to begin with. A solid tutorial at the start of the game ensures that the basics are made clear, but there's a certain art to OlliOlli's mechanics and it can be slightly difficult to get to grips with the timing. Once the player has that down pat and things start to become a little easier, the game is quick to ramp up the difficulty with a host of challenges in order to liven up the experience.

There are five of these challenges in each level, and completing them unlocks significantly more challenging "Pro" levels. Combined with additional Grind Spots, a competitive "Daily Grind" that sees players try and pull off the longest and most complex grinds, and even an unlockable super-hard mode, there's a deceptively large amount of content here to ensure that it takes a long time for players to get… board (ha!). The only thing really missing is an endless mode to keep high score chasers occupied long after completing everything on offer.

The action takes place over a number of stages, heading from the suburbs to a junkyard and ending up in a Soviet army base and even a ridiculous interpretation of Japan filled with dinosaurs. Perhaps OlliOlli's greatest pitfall is that it holds back a little too much; there are signs of madcap brilliance in the wacky settings, but the game's minimalism prevents things from going much further. The pixel art style looks great in HD (albeit perhaps a little worn out on the indie scene by now) and the soundtrack is a fantastic selection, but it can sometimes lack personality that would have been far more apparent with features such as character and board creation, or a real career mode.

Inconsistencies in its presentation aside, OlliOlli is a fantastic indie gem that should not be passed up. It's challenging without becoming frustrating, its trick system is deep (aided by the GamePad, which provides a handy "Tricktionary" to consult mid-skate), and has a sublime soundtrack to boot. This isn't one that should only be picked up by skaters: Roll7 has produced an addictive, rich, and above all fun game that deserves to be enjoyed by everyone.