Crayola Scoot Review (Nintendo Switch)

A unique skating title that blends together elements from the Tony Hawk Pro Skater and Splatoon series is what Climax Studios’ Crayola Scoot is all about. This arcade-style skater is able to appeal to all audiences of gamers, from kids to adults, thanks to its varying difficulties, trick combos, and customization options. Plenty of events and different areas help to create an experience that is sure to keep players invested.

Tight Controls and Presentation

The game’s controls are tight and never feel slippery. Moving around each individual area never felt rough or bogged down. It was always quick and easy to zoom around while executing combos. Doing tricks was also an easy process to grasp. A tutorial is found at the start in order to understand the basics, but chaining together lengthy and advanced techniques is a skill self-learned. There is a Skill Chamber that helps players get better with this aspect, but it’s ultimately through challenges and events where it truly comes into play. Grinding, however, isn’t as tight as it could be. Jumping off a grind rail sometimes flung me far away rather than to where I was supposed to land. Other than this, no other strange occurrences made itself known.

In terms of aesthetics, this game appears vibrant and fun. All the splatted colors of paint help contribute to an overall cheery mood. Graphics aren’t spectacular, but they’re well done enough to not notice any stutters or lags. Areas are polished and don’t look as if it were rushed out, similar to other licensed titles. The game’s soundtrack, on the other hand, is alright to listen to, nothing spectacular or memorable. It attempts to be funky and jazzy but comes off as more childish and forgetful than anything. Music also becomes muted or silenced as tricks are being done, almost like the game is holding its breath. In a title where combos are key, this appeared odd and was just simply muted. Although this was annoying, it doesn’t detract from the looks or feels of the parks.

Areas and Events

The parks take three different forms: the first being a standard Crayola themed area, second is an enchanted forest, and the third centered around alien technology with more advanced obstacles. All of these themes are welcome additions yet they also mirror the game’s difficulty options. Selecting an event yields an options menu for how challenging it can play out. For casual gamers and children, easy is much more welcoming, while still presenting an obstacle for players to overcome. Medium picks up the pace and can be a bit tough, so being familiar with the mechanics is necessary. Hard mode, however, spikes up the AI to a point where advanced trick chains and well-tuned accuracy are a must. In doing this, Crayola Scoot can quickly pivot itself from a licensed children’s game into a more engaging experience for all audiences.

There are a plethora of events that can be chosen to help earn stars and experience points. Survival-based tag, capturing crayons, trick contests, and team-centric modes can all be found, but one that particularly stands out is Color Frenzy. Fans of the Splatoon series will notice how reminiscent it is of the game’s Turf War, where players must fill a map up with paint and whoever has the highest percentage wins. Hopping around the map to activate beacons that shoot out your chosen color made it hectic and fun. Color Frenzy is a true delight and was usually the first event played after it was unlocked.

Unlockables and Customization

Unlockables are a major aspect of gameplay, mostly due to the level-up system. Playing through events and coming in first place garners XP towards the next level. XP was very quick to earn and not dependent on a first-place finish. Although higher combo scores and difficulties helped, it was still possible to complete without it. The eight levels of the game are centered around a leaderboard, with each slot occupied by a differently skilled skater who challenges the user before their next level. A head-to-head skill competition thusly takes place called SCOOT. Much like the basketball game, HORSE, turns are taken to top a previous high score. If unable to, a letter is earned until the word SCOOT is formed. At first, these appear simple and can be swiftly finished, but near the end game, difficulty escalates to a nearly rage-inducing point. AI becomes an almost perfect opponent where mistakes are rarely made. Many restarts and attempts were made, but once victory was earned, it feels very sweet.

After this ended, the opponent’s scooter parts and outfit became available in the shop. The created character could have many different permutations that makes a playthrough more unique. Scooter parts all contained individual stats which helps boost different aspects of gameplay. This provides a more technical approach for those wanting a bit more out of this title. Customizing a character also helps it to stand out in the local multiplayer. Up to four players can pick up a controller and choose from every mode available in the game to tackle. Playing with friends is a complete blast, but one thing that hinders it is if only a single joy-con is used. A whole controller is definitely needed, or else handling a scooter can feel cumbersome.

Crayola Scoot is truly the definition of a hidden gem. It’s a completely fun experience that can continue to be revisited even after the game’s completion. This is also perfect for a wide range of audiences, even if it may appear solely as a kid’s game. A challenge can still be found, alongside a more casual playstyle. Difficulty spikes and repeating the same events can become tedious but despite this, it’s still one of the most enjoyable titles out on the Nintendo Switch. Most licensed releases aren’t well made, but this is truly an exception.