Developer: Roll7
Platform: PS Vita
Release Date: January 21st, 2014 (NA), January 22nd, 2014 (EU)
Price: $13/£8 ($10/£6 with PS+)
Talking Ship - 10/10
OlliOlli is the Vita game. It is perfectly suited for the platform: short, pick up-and-play bursts of top notch, hyper-addictive gameplay. Even five minutes of this is brilliant fun, and that in itself should convince you that this is a brilliant game. Considering it’s only $13/£8 ($10/£6 if you’ve got PS+), you would be mad not to buy this. It’s quite possibly the best game on Vita.
Shogun Gamer - 10/10
Fast, fun, and brutal would be the best words to sum up the experience that is OlliOlli. Far from being a traditional skateboarding game as we’ve seen in the past, the team at Roll7 have perfectly instilled the key traits of what makes an arcade style game so much fun: it’s addictive, fun, and extremely brutal at times, but even then it’s hard to put the game down since you don’t want to stop playing.
Destructoid - 9.5/10
There's a lot to love about OlliOlli. The game is in the sweetspot of "simple to control" and "just difficult enough" to keep you playing without tearing your hair out. The Daily Grind and Spots challenges will keep the score-centric crowd happy, and Career mode will have you blistering your thumbs as you try to perfect each level. A masterpiece.
Backwards Compatible - 4.75/5
Good - Stonkingly good fan service for lovers of Skateboarding, controls as tight as a gnats chuff, great level of challenge and hours of replayability. Good use of online leaderboards. Looks and sounds great too.
Bad - Soundtrack is lovely, but quickly loops after extended gameplay and becomes all too familiar.
Gamers Xtreme - 9.5/10
OlliOlli may be the PlayStation Vita’s first skateboarding game, but it’s one of the best games to grace the console since launch. Roll7 has delivered an amazingly rewarding and addictive skateboarding title that truly should not be missed. OlliOlli may be an indie title, but it achieves something truly remarkable. In the way Tony Hawk Pro Skater kept me coming back for more back in the day, OlliOlli achieves the same feel and experience that’s very much needed. Here’s hoping we see an OlliOlli sequel in the near future. Until then, back to perfecting lines I go.
PSN Stores - 4.5/5
In the end, OlliOlli may be one instrument shy of a full orchestra, one card short of a full deck, but it’s still one beast of an indie skateboarding game. I never imagined playing such an amazing skateboarding game with such old school graphics but it works. Part of me kinda wishes there was a Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater or EA’s Skate being released on Vita at the same time so the industry could see how this lightweight would do toe-to-toe with a heavyweight. Pixel for pixel, OlliOlli is a must buy, must play, and must show demo worthy addition to any Vita.
New Gamer Nation - 9/10
OlliOlli brings skateboarding games back to relevance by breaking down the once popular genre to a much simpler and mechanically sound form. Roll7 proves that skateboarding games aren’t dead, and that they can still provide some of the most entertaining and addictive forms of gameplay. Solo challenges are perfect for quick pick up and play sessions, and challenging the leaderboards and your friends’ high scores will undoubtedly keep you coming back. Those who aren’t even interested in skateboarding will still find much to love about this game, and anyone with a Vita would be doing themselves a disservice by missing out on this surprisingly fantastic exclusive.
iGame Responsibly - 4.5/5
Going into OlliOlli I didn’t know what to expect. I’m not a huge fan the endless runner genre, so I was going in on word of mouth alone. It doesn’t hurt that the mouth was SCEE‘s Shahid Ahmad, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to enjoy it nearly as much as he did. The fast-paced gameplay will keep you on your toes, but the responsive controls, awesome tricks, great looking art, and wonderful soundtrack make OlliOlli a real treat. Add an enormous dash of replayability, four game modes, including the “Daily Grind” that pits the community against one another every 24 hours, and OlliOlli emerges as a must have for any Vita owner.
Geeked Out Nation - 90%:
The Vita has finally has its new must have title that is also so far an exclusive. Playing through OlliOlli will make you feel like you actually getting better at the game whilst challenging yourself to get better scores and take risks when needed. Different range of challenges and increasing difficulty will keep gamers occupied and whilst frustration might prevail from slamming to the ground, it typically feels like it was your mistake and that gives you an incentive to replay the level until you nail it down without that feel of the game being unfair. OlliOlli will drain your life for the first few days of play time and you’ll probably get back to it all year long just to get your high scores higher and give a go at the Daily Grind. This 2D side scrolling skateboarding game has basically put itself as one of the most solid skateboarding titles we ever got a chance to play and easily one of the best Vita games we have got so far. Time to stop doing everything else, grab your Vita (or buy one!), start OlliOlli and lose yourself to this game!
Bitparade - 9/10:
Cracked skin on my thumbs and RSI are hardly "injuries" you'd brag about and wear with pride and its not likely to cause you to feel any empathy with real skateboarders or even OlliOlli's avatar, considering the bruatality of the bails he'll be frequently submitted to, but after near consistent play you'll find yourself trying to nurse such ailments just to keep going. That probably sounds off-putting, it really shouldn't, I may be over-exagerating a little bit but its OlliOlli's brutally addictive gameplay that makes it such an essential purchase for Vita owners.
Punk and Lizard - 9/10
In the early stages of seeing OlliOlli, we knew we were watching something special. We felt that while others might be looking the other way, we knew it was only a matter of time before this game would finally get the recognition it deserved. Make no mistake, OlliOlli has set a very high benchmark for what all handheld developers need to aim for this year. That’s why I love OlliOlli, because sometimes in life, it’s nice to be reminded that every now and then, the good guys win. Roll 7 have been sitting on a volcano waiting to erupt. Now that OlliOlli is here, your Vita will never be the same again.
God Is A Geek - 9/10
With a fair learning curve that will ease in all-comers, and RAD mode (every landing must be a perfect one) for the people who want a challenge, this is an absolute must own game. As long as there are developers like Roll 7 out there making compelling, interesting, and exciting titles like OlliOlli, I’ll be a very happy gamer. The Vita continues to be a real home for independent developers, and this is a fantastic game that deserves every bit of attention that it (hopefully) gets.
Eurogamer - 9/10
Elegant, understated and yet with the capacity for wild showboating, OlliOlli is a twitch classic, a startling console debut from a young British indie that manages to bring together the purity and focus of seminal arcade games with the latest asynchronous multiplayer designs. Moreover, it's a game that serves the ambition of its theme - physical flow and the mastery of architecture with a plank of wood and a quartet of rattling wheels. Find flow here and you may find the very essence of the sport that the game so joyfully celebrates.
Quick Jump Network - 4.5/5
After logging some considerable time in OlliOlli my thoughts are actually quite simple. OlliOlli is easily one of my favorite titles on the PlayStation Vita. Roll7 has managed to combine the fun and addictive gameplay of games like Super Meat Boy and the depth of tricks we expect in a skateboarding game. Its soundtrack ranges from pulse pounding to a mellow beat that I found really helps you focus when going for huge combos. For the best results I like to put on Deadmau5 ft Gerard Way - Professional Griefers. You can pick up OlliOlli today on the PSN Store for $12.99 (PS Plus members get it for $10.39).
The Vita Lounge - 4.3/5:
After much consideration and gameplay, it's obvious that Roll7 has accurately captured the essence of skateboarding - if not the realism. With that "one more try" mentality and a scoreboard to shoot for, this one's a must-buy for anyone who's a fan of skateboarding or just likes a challenge to live up to. Roll over to the PlayStation Store and pick this one up ASAP; it's sick, bro.
Polyon - 8.5/10
OlliOlli's slick presentation and streamlined skating are capable of throwing players into a kind of trance. Roll7 has crystallized the very idea of combos into something new and inventive, but so familiar. It's enough to transport me back to the golden days of skateboard games, enough to make me wish for the genre's resurgence. OlliOlli might not be the broadest skateboard experience out there, but in this department, it might be the most refined.
EGM - 8.5/10
Even with a few scuffed knees, though, OlliOlli lands enough of its tricks cleanly to make it an essential addition to the Vita’s library. Roll7 has nailed the most important aspect of a great portable game: the quick, pick-up-and-play fun that can vanish away the pockets of tedium in your day. Perhaps more importantly, they’ve trimmed the skateboarding genre back to its heart and instilled its staling conventions with a bit of youngblood vigor.
Going Sony - 8.5/10
OlliOlli is a fantastic twist on the depreciating skateboarding genre. It takes the fun and appeal of the classic skateboarding games from recent years and updates it expertly in a modern style. While it might have more in common with fast-paced endless runners like Bit.Trip Runner and Canabalt, it still retains that "one more run" feeling. OlliOlli is nothing more than a modern 2D version of that feeling that made Tony Hawk games so compelling.
Gaming-Age - A-
Ultimately, though, it all comes back to the gameplay, and on that front, OlliOlli delivers: it's hard, it's addictive, and it's got tonnes of replay value. If you own a PS Vita, it's most definitely a must-own.
PlayStation Universe - 8/10
OlliOlli is a solid indie game with a healthy amount of unlockables and levels that will test your patience. With tons of levels, tricks, and modes to keep you busy, you'll definitely get your money’s worth.
The PlayStation Show UK - 8/10:
For how much there is to do in the game it’s definitely worth giving a go and we can always brag scores through the vita’s excellent twitter app or Facebook, buts it’s not the same as actually seeing friends scores in-game giving me that urge for just one more go.
OlliOlli releases on the 21st January in the US and 22nd in UK/Europe, if you loved your old school skaters or games that keep you coming back to beat your score than we think you will love OlliOlli
Radio PlayStation - 8/10
OlliOlli is a must have for anyone who loves skateboarding games. Anyone who enjoys button mashing, high scoring and combo breaking will also be at home with this title. OlliOlli uses controls from our favorite skateboarding games and adds a twist. Play wherever and whenever you want because playing in short bursts is just as satisfying as a few hours. Besides the music OlliOlli is an overall well rounded game that is perfect for the Vita.
Eat Pray Game - 8/10
OlliOlli is simple, good-looking, re-playable game. At times it is extremely challenging, maybe even to a fault, but if you start playing this game and get the hang of it, you will keep coming back. As an exclusive, it is a great addition to the Vita's game library.
Softpedia - 8/10
OlliOlli is a fun side-scrolling skateboarding platformer that's quite challenging but still accessible for those who aren't as skilled in pulling off sick tricks, grinds, and, most importantly, landings. There are some issues with the detection of certain button combos but, overall, you'll have a great time with it.
Edge - 8/10
Pulling off tricks in OlliOlli – each precision twist, rotation and flick of the Vita’s left analogue stick – feels as satisfying for your fingers to negotiate as any fighting game finishing move. So even if you’re terrible at the game, even if you can’t land a single trick or grind, even if your scores barely creep into triple digits, your avatar’s tumbling faceplant will still imprint the outline of a grinning mouth in the pavement.
Push Square - 7/10
OlliOlli’s certainly not going to kickstart an extreme sports revival, but that doesn’t mean that it’s not worth your time. This fairly straightforward side-scrolling skateboarding simulation incorporates some sneaky systems that will keep you hooked until you hit the perfect heelflip and five-o, even if the odd oversight in its leaderboards system will leave you pondering the point. It’s not up to par with the Birdman at his best, but this tiny hawk is still good enough to get you in a flap.
The Sixth Axis - 7/10
OlliOlli is a great game, with a brilliant trick system which is clearly well thought out and has had a lot of development time. It’s unrelentingly fun, and at times unforgivingly hard, but you’ll find it hard to let go as you trick, grind and spin your way through the plethora of levels included, trying to get the highest score.
It’s just ultimately let down by how it feels on the system it’s made for, and the fact that there’s no sense of challenge against your friends, which is arguably the draw of an arcade-y high score challenge game such as this.
The Escapist - 3/5
Bottom Line: A fun little game at times, a frustrating little nightmare at others, OlliOlli is a relatively decent, if fairly forgettable, mobile game.
Recommendation: Unless you're starving for a PS Vita game, you can wait until this becomes a freebie or a greatly reduced deal. Worth playing, but not necessarily worth paying much for.
this is no way to start the year
