With a cast of cute, fluffy animals battling it out for victory on the slopes, Slopecrashers had enough charm to catch my attention when the offer to review it first came up. I’m not a fan of hyper-realistic racing games. They just don’t hold my attention for very long. I do enjoy the odd arcade racer though. There’s no complex narrative to follow, so I can jump into them quickly whenever I have an hour or so to spare after work.
That’s what I liked about Slopecrashers. It doesn’t take itself too seriously. It’s charming and playful – the sort of game that’s easy to pick up and hard to put down, and I think it’ll appeal to a lot of people regardless of age and skill.
Presentation
Slopecrashers is a fun and lighthearted game, and that comes through in its presentation. It won’t tick all the boxes where graphics are concerned, but the cartoonish aesthetic and upbeat music suit its overall style and chaotic gameplay to perfection. It doesn’t try to be hyper-realistic or overly polished, which is part of its charm. Instead, it embraces a vibrant and colourful art style that, in my opinion, looks pretty good.
One of its standout features is, without a doubt, its track design. This was one of my favourite things about Slopecrashers. With it being a snowboarding game, I worried the tracks might all feel similar, but I was pleasantly surprised by the sheer variation the game has. Each track has a distinct look and feel, ranging from classic snowy slopes to vibrant, cyberpunk-inspired cities.
Considering it was developed by such a small team, it’s genuinely impressive how much content there is, and future updates might even add more to keep us hooked.
Gameplay
The gameplay is smooth and simple but takes a little time to master if you’re aiming for gold, and let’s face it, why wouldn’t you be?
The controls are straightforward and responsive. You don’t need to memorise a complex string of commands to pull off a trick. You do have to practice your timing if you want to avoid messing up though. It’s all too easy to fail to land a flip because you left it too late or got cocky. If you’d rather not worry about it at all, you can turn on the safety toggle for a more relaxed experience.
As you’d expect, you steer, jump, brake, and perform tricks – most of which are fairly intuitive, especially if you play a lot of racing games. You can also deploy tools like gliders and jets that shake up the gameplay, allowing you to extend jumps, cross larger gaps, and access shortcuts. The boost bar fills up as you perform tricks, so if you’re lagging behind, you always have the chance to catch up.
If you’re playing on PC, it’s worth noting that the developers recommend using a controller. I haven’t tried it myself, but I can imagine that using a mouse and keyboard would make the gameplay feel awkward and clunky.
Power-Ups
The most exciting aspect of Slopecrashers’ gameplay is its Mario Kart-style mechanics. Many races feature presents scattered across the map containing power-ups. Some of these presents contain offensive items that you can use against your opponents, whilst others contain defensive items to help you speed ahead or shield yourself from attacks.
These power-ups add a layer of chaos to the gameplay as positions can change in an instant. One moment you’re in first place, the next, you’re being lifted into the air by balloons, helplessly watching your rivals speed past. It’s especially disheartening when you’re inches away from the finish line and miss out on a spot in the top three.
Customisation
There are nine animals to choose from, but not all of them are available from the get-go. Each has unique stats, so it’s worth trying them all to find one that suits your playstyle, or you can just opt for your favourite. I tended to enjoy playing as the penguin the most. It’s a pretty well-rounded character, and, well, penguins are cute.
As you progress, you unlock customisation options. Some are purely cosmetic, letting you dress your rider in a variety of outfits and change the appearance of your board and tools. Others have gameplay implications, offering boards and tools with different stats and mechanics.
Game Modes
Slopecrashers features several modes to dive into.
Firstly, it boasts a pretty substantial campaign mode with multiple events set across the globe. These include standard races, time trials, boss battles, and more. Each event has objectives, rewarding you for doing things like finishing in the top three or scoring a specific combo. Completing these objectives earns medals, which unlock new tools, riders, and races.
The arcade mode lets you choose a map and route, while the Grand Prix mode allows you to compete in themed cups – both of which are good for short bursts of gameplay.
All of these modes can be played with local multiplayer via split-screen, but you can also jump into an online match to test your skills against players from around the world.
Final Thoughts
I wasn’t sure what to expect when I went into Slopecrashers. I was intrigued by the premise yet wasn’t sure how much substance the game would actually have, but I was pleasantly surprised. Not only does Slopecrashers play well – I didn’t notice any bugs or glitches while I was playing – but there’s a lot more content than I was expecting.
With several different game modes, and both online and local multiplayer, Slopecrashers offers endless replayability, so in my opinion, it’s worth the price tag. If you’re a fan of snowboarding, arcade racers, or even just cute, fluffy animals, it’s definitely worth checking out.
Developer: Byteparrot
Publisher: Byteparrot
Platforms: PC
Release Date: 4th December 2024
Gaming Respawn’s copy of Slopecrashers was provided by the publisher.
