Arcade snowboarding is back, baby, and Slopecrashers is leading the charge down the slopes. Literally. Developed by Byteparrot and published by Neonhive Games, this racer doesn’t just channel the energy of classics like SSX; it makes the genre feel exciting again. With a roster of adorable animal friends, inventive mechanics, and courses that go from snow to neon-lit chaos, Slopecrashers had me locked in—well, mostly.
I played this one with Mike, one of the Unruly Folk, and we had a blast tearing through the campaign and dabbling in multiplayer. It’s wild, it’s silly, and it’s not afraid to embrace pure arcade fun. But let’s look into what stood out (and what didn’t).
What We Loved
From the second we booted it up, Slopecrashers radiated joy. The controls were easy to pick up, but there’s enough depth to make pulling off perfect tricks feel rewarding. I spent way too long trying to land flips and spins without faceplanting or falling off the track, while Mike got suspiciously good at nailing power-up shots.
The trails are so creative. One minute, we were zipping through snowy slopes, and the next, we were flying through a cyberpunk city. Each course feels like a new adventure, packed with shortcuts, ramps, and enough absurdity to keep you grinning.
The animal characters deserve a shoutout, too. I kept coming back to the capybara (because, obviously) while Mike got attached to a lemur on a frying pan. The level of detail and charm in each character—and the ridiculousness of seeing them pull off snowboard tricks—really adds to the experience.
Oh, and the music! Benedict Nichols’ upbeat, arcade-inspired soundtrack absolutely slaps. It keeps the energy high without ever feeling repetitive.
Where It Could Improve
As much as we loved it, there were a few things that felt off:
- Multiplayer Needs More Action: We played a few online races, and while it was fun, the tracks sometimes felt a bit too spacious as we barely saw each other. We’d love to see NPCs to keep things lively.
- Lack of Feedback in Co-op: Inviting each other into matches was a bit clunky. There’s no clear notification when the invite is sent or received, so we ended up spamming invites and hoping for the best.
- Track Awareness: Without a mini-map or some kind of positional indicator, it’s easy to lose track of what’s happening mid-race. It’s not a deal-breaker, but it could help multiplayer feel more cohesive.
- Crystals Are Fiddly: It seems impossible to grab all of the floating crystals, and while a challenge is expected, I don’t see the point of them being there if we can’t manoeuvre our way to get them somehow.
None of these are too horrible, but they do pull you out of the fun now and then.
Multiplayer Madness
Mike and I spent most of our time in multiplayer, and while it’s undeniably fun, it feels like it’s just shy of greatness. The tracks are big and beautiful, but it often felt like we were racing solo rather than battling it out. There are loads of cheeky power-ups, but it’s all for naught if you manage to do an entire run without seeing another player, which was often our experience.
The Verdict
Slopecrashers is exactly what it promises to be: a ridiculously fun party game. It’s hectic, charming, and overall a really good time. Especially when you’re playing with friends. Sure, there are a few rough edges, but nothing that gets in the way of the core experience: having a laugh while racing as a capybara (or your chosen favourite animal). Go on. Give it a go.
Game: Slopecrashers
Genre: Racing, Action, Indie, Sports
Platform: Steam (PC), coming soon to Nintendo Switch and Xbox
Dev & Pub: Byteparrot | Neonhive Games
Price: A$26.50
Release Date: 4 December 2024
Multiplayer: Local co-op and online multiplayer
Game Modes: Campaign Mode, Grand Prix Mode, Arcade Mode, Split-Screen Anytime
Languages: English
