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Podcast Special: Roll7’s John Ribbins talks to us about OlliOlli

January 20, 2014, Author: Neil Hughes

Indie developer Roll7 have ventured outside of their PC and mobile comfort zone to bring a 2D side-scrolling skateboard title called OlliOlli exclusively to the PlayStation Vita via digital download on January 22nd.

OlliOlli mixes addictive one-life gameplay with over 120 tricks and grinds over 100 deviously crafted levels and 250 challenges, across its four gameplay modes. For those of you that like short snappy sound-bytes, it’s like Super Meat Boy on a skateboard.

OlliOlli rewards the most skilful and riskiest of players, always tempting you to go for that massive 360 Inward Heelflip and ludicrous chain of combos. Leaving you to time your landing to perfection, or risk losing your score!

The entire game is hand-drawn in pixellated loveliness, which is no mean feat considering the number of tricks, grinds, slams and stages that are on offer. If there is one certainty, I can guarantee that you will slam on your face on concrete on many occasions. Call me old-fashioned or even childish, but that makes me thirsty for more.

Maybe it’s because I have very fond memories of the 80s TV show First Class with the lovely Debbie Greenwood, and I recall cheering on kids in chunky sweaters who were playing the Atari classic skateboard game 720 Degrees, but everything about OlliOlli appeals to me.

For anyone that has thrown their controller on the floor after playing Trials HD, you will be all too aware that the balance between frustrating and addictive is probably the hardest balance to find.

After hearing that one of Roll7’s trio of co-founders, John Robbins, originally had the idea for OlliOlli when he was only 13, where he enjoyed a youth that consisted of being a sponsored skateboarder and playing numerous 2D pixel-based games, we simply had to find out more. Thus we invited Roll7’s creative director along to speak with Neil Hickton on this special podcast, where they discuss exactly what we should expect from their upcoming skater.

Podcast (podcasts): Play in new window | Download (Duration: 20:36 — 15.7MB)

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