OlliOlli World
By Marc Saltzman,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Fun, fresh take on skateboarding games.
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OlliOlli World
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What’s It About?
The premise behind OLLIOLLI WORLD is that the divine Skate Wizard, Chiffon, is looking for a successor, so you're working your way across the vast space of Radlandia to sharpen your skateboarding skills to fill this role and achieve "Gnarvana." This new story-based skateboarding arcade game folds in colorful cartoon characters, platforming elements, and a huge emphasis on customization. This indie game -- a sequel, of sorts, to 2015's OlliOlli2, which debuted a year after the original OlliOlli -- first has you learn the mechanics of pushing, taking on ramps, and performing various tricks with your board. The tutorial walks you through the basics, as you accomplish objectives, and you'll be cheered on by your crew, which consists of the abovementioned Chiffon, Suze (who captures your skills with a living camera named Cammy), the humorous Gnarly Mike, and the older "Dad," who runs the skate shop. You'll meet plenty other characters along your journey across Radlandia, which houses five large and visually diverse areas. Along with accomplishing many missions at every stop on the map, you'll also earn points for performing sick stunts as well as rewards, such as new clothing, skateboards, sticks, or other items and upgrades. The game features more than 100 moves to master. Along with the main game, there's a Sandbox mode, the option to compete with others across the globe, and you'll be rewarded for exploration, as there are alternate paths, secrets, and side quests.
Is It Any Good?
This is a charming, accessible, and imaginative skateboarding adventure that gets it mostly right. The first thing you'll notice in OlliOlli World is a huge emphasis on customization and freedom of expression. There are literally millions of combinations to personalize your skating hero/heroine, and it's fun to unlock new pieces over time. You can create fun and crazy outfit combinations and see all kinds of humorous things, including chickens driving cars, walking trees, and more. The 2D side-scrolling levels you'll grind and flip through are also wildly (and refreshingly) creative, including boardwalks and desert landscapes (with cheering cacti!). Truthfully, the game is like what a skateboarding fan may see behind their eyelids while lucid dreaming. But that doesn't mean there isn't a lot of depth. Along with skateboarding, you'll need to figure out how to bypass some environmental obstacles that will take some trial and error to reach the next story element, each with a half-dozen or so main challenges and new areas to skate through. A Super Mario World-like map shows where to go next in this mostly linear game, but includes hidden side quests you can access by completing some optional challenges (like high-fiving a character).
The controls are easy to learn (and the Tricktionary section off the main menu lists how to pull off all the moves), but there are a couple of small issues, such as accidentally tapping a button that rewinds the game to the start of the level, which can be frustrating, especially if you're happy with your performance. Another issue is that it's difficult to find cosmetic items when you unlock them. Thankfully, these were the only (and minor) problems), and it didn't mar the overall experience much. Bursting with personality and personalization, OlliOlli World is a fresh and fun take on skateboarding games.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about character and gender customization. Should the makers of OlliOlli World be applauded for including options such as having a woman with a beard or a man wearing a skirtt, or will these upset some traditional players (or their parents)?
Is there a reason for OlliOlli World to include crude humor in its gameplay, or does this stand out as a stark contrast to the accessible gameplay?
Game Details
- Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
- Pricing structure: Paid
- Available online?: Available online
- Publisher: Take-Two Interactive Software
- Release date: February 4, 2022
- Genre: Action/Adventure
- Topics: Sports and Martial Arts, Adventures, Music and Sing-Along
- ESRB rating: E10+ for Crude Humor, Drug Reference
- Last updated: February 17, 2022
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