Skateboarding and videogames go together like peanut butter and jelly. Just like the Tony Hawk and Skate games left their mark on the industry so too did OlliOlli. Although the sequel may not be revolutionary it does are great job of capitalizing on what made the first game great while simultaneously improving itself in almost every aspect. New stages, tricks, and challenges will make this second installment a worthwhile play for those who have already finished the first game. If you're new to the series don't worry, excellent tutorials will catch you up to speed real fast.
OlliOlli is a fast-paced, side-scrolling, skateboarding extravaganza. Those who played Skate will feel right as home as this games main tool for tricks is the analog stick. By flicking the analog stick you can jump up in the air and perform various flip tricks. You'll also need to hold down the analog stick right before hitting a rail to grind. To land any other tricks you'll need to tap the A (or X) button right before landing. As you proceed father into the game you'll need to be able to quickly transition back and forth between rails and the surface in mere seconds. Its a thrilling experience that requires you to find the right rhythm to flow smoothly through each stage.
The atmosphere in OlliOlli 2 is incredible and the art is gorgeous. The game has a very slick, colorful, presentation.. Although it clearly resembles the original, this time around the art is much cleaner and a lot less pixalated. Each location offers a unique theme from the jungle, to the old west, the carnival, and beyond. The highlight however is the soundtrack. A wonderful selection of pulsing electronic music is bound to put you in a trance as you play. The best part about the music in this game is that it keeps playing continuously, even as you reset a stage or open up various menus.
The most notable change to this sequel is the new tricks, specifically manuals. Just like manuals revolutionized the second Tony Hawk game so too do they this game. The ability to manual coincidentally lets you combo your tricks trough the entirety of each level. This is especially import for the Spot mode which only let you perform one combo per stage. Manuals are pretty easy to do so if you really want to achieve a high-school you'll need to combine them with two of the other new tricks, grind-switches and reverts. Grind-switches let you mix things up on long grinds while reverts let you switch your stance as you land a trick.
This is clearly an enjoyable title in many ways. The gameplay is very smooth and rewarding while the soundtrack is exciting and motivating. That all being said this really isn't that drastically different from the first game. If you played the original OlliOlli you can pretty much expect more of what that game offered. The new stages and tricks, along with a magnificent new soundtrack, add quite a bit of value and incentive for picking up this game. Whether you played the first one or not it, definitely check this one out. OlliOlli offers a thrilling experience for gamers and skaters alike.