OlliOlli: Switch Stance Review (Nintendo Switch)

The addicting skateboarding series, OlliOlli, has found its way onto the Nintendo Switch in an all-in-one package. Both OlliOlli and OlliOlli2: Welcome to Olliwood come together to give users 50 different levels, 250 challenges, and plenty of tricks. Each game presents its own approaches to gameplay and contains its own sets of challenges. Alongside this, a local multiplayer option is available and helps add another aspect to the already content loaded package.

Lots of Content

Both games contain 25 levels with five different themed areas to explore. Cruise through a theme park, junkyard, military base, and even Olliwood itself. The levels can be complex with their own sets of challenges and can cause some trial and error. There’s a lot to look at but it all goes by really fast. In just under two hours, I was able to finish every level in the game, excluding challenges. Challenges can be complex and take a bit longer to complete since they range from executing certain tricks to obtaining top scores. Trying to finish levels with a five-star rating is what takes up the brute of the gameplay and can last quite awhile.

Besides the main levels in OlliOlli and its sequel, there are a few more things to do. Daily Grind is an area where players can check in and compete in a new location for a top score. Spots Mode lets users attempt huge skill chains with grinds throughout various levels. And then there’s Rad Mode which adds an extra challenge to every level of the game. Only perfect executions can be made to progress, anything below that results in a faceplant. All of these are incredibly fun and add an extra layer of gameplay which is much needed after the quick 50 levels.

OlliOlli vs OlliOlli 2

The two games may be packaged together, but each offers different amounts of depth. In OlliOlli, the title feels fun but a bit barebones. Levels seem simple and not very complex compared to its follow-up. On top of this, operating through the levels can feel cumbersome thanks to the menus that pop up. It’s not as fast and fluid that this game should be. For example, pressing the B button starts player’s skating but after a faceplant, the menu shows up very quickly and when you’re trying to go rush back into action it’s very easy to go back to the main menu.  Despite this, the game is still enjoyable and addicting to play through, it’s just not as great as its sequel.

OlliOlli2: Welcome to Olliwood expands on everything its predecessor stumbles on. This is where the title truly shines with detailed worlds, a vast array of tricks, and more of a polish to it. Running through Aztec temples or a zombie-infested theme park feels much better than the generic Port or Junkyard type of levels. Also, the issue of jumping into gameplay quickly is not felt here and runs a lot smoother. More grind opportunities and varying paths make this the better of the two and provide a high-quality experience. If you haven’t tried any of these before, definitely go through the first title so it won’t hinder any experiences.

Nintendo Switch Version

With each game coming in a total package, you would think that switching between the two titles is pretty easy, right? Well, you’d be wrong. If you want to swap from OlliOlli to OlliOlli2, then going to the Switch’s main menu and closing then reopening the game is your only option. It feels so tedious and like two separate games are being played rather than a complete package. Being on the Switch should make this feel seamless and smooth, not jumping through a hurdle to get to respective games.

Another feature for this version is OlliOlli2′s Combo Rush mode. Up to four players can grab a joy-con and compete in a local multiplayer matchup. It’s super fun and lets users have a neat way to introduce this to friends. However, you’re only competing for top scores in the game’s normal levels. There aren’t any ways to mess with each other’s screens by way of power-ups or other unique shakeups. Combo Rush is an enjoyable experience but it isn’t the main selling point, it’s more of a fun inclusion than something to rely on.

These are two incredibly fun and fast-paced games whose content will keep players coming back for higher scores and completing every level. Even though finishing the base 50 levels can be done quickly, there are still different modes that add on to the game’s length. At only $14.99, this is very well worth gamers’ time and has enough content to provide a great time. Neither one of these had any graphical or performance issues, so no need to worry about that. A few problems are presented, though, such as swapping between games and a barren local multiplayer, but overall the gameplay and experience more than make up for it.

Thank you to Roll7 and Gambitious for providing us with a review code!