OlliOlli

OlliOlli

Developer(s) Roll7
General Arcade (PC)
Blit Software (PS3, PS4)
Curve Digital (Wii U, 3DS, Xbox One)
Publisher(s) Roll7
Devolver Digital (PC)
Blit Software (PS3, PS4)
Curve Digital (Wii U, 3DS, Xbox One)
Platform(s) PlayStation Vita, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Microsoft Windows, OS X, Linux, Xbox One, Wii U, Nintendo 3DS
Release date(s) PlayStation Vita
  • NA 21 January 2014
  • EU 22 January 2014
  • AUS 22 January 2014
Microsoft Windows, OS X, Linux
22 July 2014
PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4
  • NA 26 August 2014
  • EU 27 August 2014
Wii U, 3DS
5 March 2015[1]
Xbox One
6 March 2015
Genre(s) Sports
Mode(s) Single-player
Distribution Download

OlliOlli is a side-scrolling skateboarding video game developed and published by Roll7. It was released on 21 January 2014 for the PlayStation Vita in North America, and 22 January 2014, in Europe, Asia, and Australia for the same platform. It was later ported to Microsoft Windows, OS X, Linux, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Wii U, and Nintendo 3DS.[2]

A sequel, OlliOlli2: Welcome to Olliwood, was announced for PlayStation Vita and PlayStation 4 on 25 September 2014, and was released on 3 March 2015 in North America and 4 March 2015 in Europe.[3]

Gameplay

OlliOlli features two-dimensional levels and a very basic control scheme, using only the "X" button, shoulder buttons, and left analog stick. The player combines tricks performed with attempting to land perfectly, and failing to do so results in the game awarding only a fraction of the points that would have been earned with a perfect landing. Each level has 5 achievements to perform, and once complete unlocks a harder level. Falling at any point in a level forces the player to reattempt the level.[4]

Development

OlliOlli was developed by Roll7 and was originally intended to be released for iOS devices. In an interview with Gamasutra, Roll7 founder John Ribbins cites a conversation with James Marsden, creator of Velocity as the reason he took the game to Sony. After pitching the game to Shahid Ahmad, Senior Business Development Manager for Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE), Ribbins decided to drop iOS and develop OlliOlli exclusively for the PlayStation Vita. The use of physical controls over touch-screen controls allowed Roll7 to add additional mechanics to the gameplay, including the perfect landing system and the unlockable "RAD" mode.[5] The game was delayed from its planned December 2013 release into 2014 due to an issue with the "Daily Grind" system.[6]

Reception

Reception
Aggregate scores
AggregatorScore
GameRankings83% (PS4)[7]
79% (VITA)[8]
79% (PC)[9]
Metacritic79/100 (VITA)[10]
78/100 (PC)[11]
Review scores
PublicationScore
Destructoid9.5/10[12]
Edge8/10[13]
Electronic Gaming Monthly8.5/10[14]
Eurogamer9/10[15]
GameSpot8/10[16]
IGN7.7/10[17]
Polygon8.5/10[18]
The Escapist[19]
Hardcore Gamer4/5[20]

OlliOlli has received positive reviews. The Vita version holds a score of 79 on Metacritic[10] and a 79% on GameRankings.[8] The PlayStation 4 version has an 83% score on GameRankings.[7] On PC, OlliOlli holds a 79 GameRankings score and a 78/100 Metacritic score.[9][11] Writing for Destructoid, Ian Bonds gave the game a 9.5/10, and praised "the sweetspot of "simple to control" and "just difficult enough" to keep you playing without tearing your hair out".[12] On Eurogamer, reviewer Simon Parkin rated the game a 9/10, and wrote "Elegant, understated and yet with the capacity for wild showboating, OlliOlli is a twitch classic"[15] The Escapist reviewer Jim Sterling was more critical of the game, giving it a 3/5 and noting his frustration at times, writing "While playing this sidescrolling skateboard game, I was tempted to crack the Vita over my knee on multiple occasions".[19]

OlliOlli won GameSpot's inaugural Game of the Month award in January 2014.[21]

Accolades

List of post-release awards and nominations
Year Award Category Result Ref.
2014 GameSpot's Game of the Year Overall Game of the Year Nominated [22]
PS Vita Game of the Year Nominated [23]

References

  1. ↑ Tom Ivan (February 5, 2015). "OlliOlli hits Xbox One, Wii U and 3DS in March". Computer and Video Games. Retrieved February 5, 2015.
  2. ↑ Tom Ivan (December 3, 2014). "OlliOlli coming to Xbox One, Wii U and 3DS". Computer and Video Games. Retrieved December 3, 2014.
  3. ↑ Porter, Matt (25 February 2015). "OlliOlli2 gets a release date". IGN. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
  4. ↑ Webster, Andrew (21 January 2014). "'OlliOlli' is 'Tony Hawk' reimagined as a side-scrolling Vita game". theverge.com. Retrieved 22 January 2014.
  5. ↑ Rose, Mike (21 January 2014). "How skateboarding game OlliOlli skipped over iOS, and onto Vita". Gamasutra. Retrieved 22 January 2014.
  6. ↑ Farokhmanesh, Megan (1 December 2013). "OlliOlli launch delayed into 2014". Polygon. Retrieved 22 January 2014.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 "OlliOlli for PlayStation 4". GameRankings. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 "OlliOlli for PlayStation Vita". GameRankings. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 "OlliOlli for PC". GameRankings. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 "OlliOlli for PlayStation Vita". Metacritic. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 "OlliOlli for PC". Metacritic. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Bonds, Ian (21 January 2014). "Review: OlliOlli". Destructoid. Retrieved 21 January 2014.
  13. ↑ "OlliOlli review". Edge. 21 January 2014. Retrieved 21 January 2014.
  14. ↑ Harmon, Josh (21 January 2014). "EGM Review: OlliOlli". Electronic Gaming Monthly. Retrieved 21 January 2014.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Parkin, Simon (21 January 2014). "OlliOlli review". Eurogamer. Retrieved 21 January 2014.
  16. ↑ Peele, Britton (23 January 2014). "OlliOlli review". Gamespot. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
  17. ↑ Ingenito, Vince (21 January 2014). "Concrete Maestro". IGN. Retrieved 21 January 2014.
  18. ↑ McElroy, Griffin (21 January 2014). "OlliOlli Review: In the Air". Polygon. Retrieved 22 January 2014.
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 Sterling, Jim (21 January 2014). "OlliOlli Review - Skate, or Try, Try, Again". The Escapist. Retrieved 21 January 2014.
  20. ↑ Peeples, Jeremy (22 January 2014). "Review: OlliOlli". Hardcore Gamer. Hardcore Gamer. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
  21. ↑ McShea, Tom (7 February 2014). "Game of the Month January 2014: OlliOlli". GameSpot. Retrieved 10 February 2014.
  22. ↑ "Game of the Year 2014". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. December 18, 2014. Archived from the original on December 29, 2014. Retrieved 29 December 2014.
  23. ↑ "Velocity 2X - PS Vita Game of the Year". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. 14 December 2014. Archived from the original on 29 December 2014. Retrieved 29 December 2014.

External links