OlliOlli World review: A hard but joyous celebration of skateboarding

I want to ascend to Gnarvana — to meet the gods of skateboarding that built a world around the sport and its culture. I want to prove my skill and become Radlandia’s next Skate Wizard.

OlliOlli World, the third entry in developer Roll7’s skating series, the current Skate Wizard, Chiffon, is retiring, and the world needs a new link to the skate gods. As part of my promotion, she rides with a group of other skaters through various biomes. This includes a sandy desert where I grind bones, dense woods filled with friendly bees and bustling factories where the skateboards are made.

OlliOlli WorldIt builds on the intensity and skill-based gameplay from the first two games. However, it also broadens the scope by showcasing the evolution of skateboard culture in recent decades. It’s still a game about perfecting a wide skill set, but it’s also a more inclusive experience, in everything from its world to its expansive social options. It’s fantastic, joyous, and at times devastatingly difficult, but not so hard that I ever wanted to stop playing.

With OlliOlli World, Roll7 has pivoted toward a colorful, surrealist art style that’s more similar to Adventure Time than a pixelated Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater. OlliOlli WorldIt also allows for branching routes, wall-riding and more. It’s a friendlier take on OlliOlli OlliOlli2: Olliwood is your homeBoth were extremely punishing in their gameplay. The big difference here is that it’s much harder to outright fail in OlliOlli World; I largely stay on my board unless I’ve crashed into something or fallen into a gap. It does occur quite frequently, though.

Image by Roll7/Private Department

The goal is simply to survive each level. For those who want to experience more punishment, the game’s scalability makes it harder. There are simple tasks like finishing levels without the use of the checkpoint function, but there are more difficult and challenging challenges such as bopping all the frogs or accomplishing a particular level with one combination. For me, it’s a nice concession from the controller-breaking gameplay of the first two games, but doesn’t eliminate the need for expert precision entirely.

The thing I love about skateboarding is how it lets me be creative with my body — to use the world around me in ways it wasn’t designed for. OlliOlli World’s wacky environments explode this fantasy to the nth degree: Stairs can be ridden down or soared over, leading into rails that wind like waterslides into ramps and halfpipes — all accessible with a flick of the thumbstick or trigger. The world moves fast: In a matter of seconds you’re doing a stalefish grab over a friendly slime blob with a banana on its head, then wall-riding over a billboard held by giant bees.

OlliOlli WorldIt showcases creativity through its extensive multiplayer and social components. Within each level, I can see leaderboard stats for other players — including a few close to my skill level, deemed my rivals. But I can also watch replays of their runs, to see how they’ve approached these different levels and what tricks landed them their scores. You can also view replays of the highest scorers.

Once a player’s reached Gnarvana — which unlocks, fittingly, at the end of the game — there are other options for multiplayer skateboarding competitions: the Gnarvana League and the Gnarvana Portal. You can find the League here. OlliOlli WorldMy goal is to beat a team of players and achieve the highest score. We’re not playing in the same arena, per se, but we are riding the same routes and comparing scores on a leaderboard. My Portal account allows me to generate customized runs which I can then share with other friends. (From there, you can compete for leaderboard spots and watch one another’s runs, too.)

Image by Roll7/Private Department

Skate videos — once on VHS tapes and now on Instagram and YouTube — are such a core part of skateboarding and the evolution of the sport. OlliOlli World’s replay functionality and social elements capture that communal aspect wonderfully. They let me test my skills against those of other players in a productive way — to amplify my own progress by watching them improve as well. In the single-player story, the community aspect of the culture is also present. Chiffon and her skating crew share these journeys and the camaraderie and friendliness give it a deeper meaning.

As with any skill-based game, it’s easy to get bogged down by the mechanics and forget to smell the roses. Or you can try these: OlliOlli World’s In this case, don’t forget to high-five any friends who may be waiting at the green. Most of OlliOlli World, I’m rushing past Roll7’s weird little landscapes, focused more on hitting combinations and scoring big than checking out the sights. Replays let me see tiny details I didn’t notice on my runs. For example, aliens in underpants dancing or beach lounging. Visual aesthetics are what make this so special. OlliOlli WorldSkateboarding’s quirky whimsy and precision gameplay are just as appealing. Skateboarding, like this sport, is hard. However, OlliOlli WorldFeels special because it allows me to celebrate the sport in my own way.

That whimsy never loses its appeal or delight, even as I’m wall-riding myself into gaps or wiping out down sets of stairs. This instead amplifies the kindness and joy of a skateboarding world that is based on genuine love.

OlliOlli WorldFebruary 8th, 2018, will see the release of The Switch on Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4. Reviewers used a Roll7 Switch code to download the game. Vox Media also has affiliate relationships. Although these partnerships do not impact editorial content, Vox Media could earn commissions for products bought via affiliate links. Find out more. additional information about Polygon’s ethics policy here.