This VR game for Meta Quest 3 makes me feel like a teenager again

Image: Perp games / Deficit games

In VR Skater SL, I skate on ramps and rails like my 16-year-old self did on a VR skateboard – but this time without the bruises.

For many adults, skateboards are a relic of their youth, a memory of that summer they will never forget. For me too. At the turn of the millennium, I experienced many firsts as a teenager – my first party, my first beer, my first live concert, my first kiss – all unforgettable moments, and I always had my skateboard with me.

Unfortunately, I always lacked the talent and dedication to really ride well, which caused me more bruises than I would have liked. So at some point, I traded my battered deck for a virtual deck and chased Rodney Mullen, Buckey Lasek, Eric Koston and company down rails and half-pipes in Tony Hawk's Pro Skater.

For all of you who, like me, gave up skating early, but would still like to take an extra (injury-free) ride in the amusement park, there is now a cure: VR Skater SL gives you a feeling of nostalgia. of Tony Hawk Pro Skater in virtual reality. I tried it on Meta Quest 3. Spoiler: It feels good!

Just like Tony Hawk

VR Skater SL offers a gaming experience similar to old master Tony Hawk's classic skating games. You skate through different skateparks, modeled after real-life championship parks, trying to score as many points as possible with clever moves and combinations.

With the XP you earn, you can then upgrade your skateboard in the store and customize the grip, deck or wheels. Collectibles, like SKATE letters, are also available during timed rounds.

Of course, the corresponding soundtrack is also indispensable. Even though no original licensed songs from Goldfinger, Suicidal Tendencies or the Dead Kennedys come out of the speakers, the lively guitars create a great atmosphere.

Smooth skating without motion sickness

If you think Skate VR SL is just about riding a skateboard in first person and performing tricks with the press of a button, think again. The skateboard controls are excellent and are modeled after the movements of real skateboarding – only with your hands. However, you will need to memorize certain moves to collect points and beat the high score lists.

At the beginning I choose whether I want to ride Regular or Goofy, that is, whether I want to stand on the skateboard with my right foot or my left foot in front of me. If I swing my right arm back and forth (regular), I pick up speed and use the right trigger to brake. By holding down the left trigger and moving my hand left or right, I control the direction. Continuous arm movements prevent motion sickness during the ride, at least for me.

If you want to score points, you need to learn some tricks

For ollies and nollies, standard skateboard jumps, I hold A or X to kneel and let go to jump. For kickflips and shove-its, which involve rotating the skateboard around its own axis lengthwise or sideways, it gets a little more complicated.

If I squat with A for an ollie and let go, I have to slide my left arm from left to right or vice versa. To hold on, I press A again just before landing. The faster I slide with my free arm, the more turns I get.

For grinds and slides, I have to press and hold a combination of buttons to land safely on the rail. A slight movement of the head in the right direction is enough to jump sideways from rail to rail. To understand the basics, you definitely need to read the excellent tutorial before you start chasing high scores.

My verdict on VR Skater SL

VR Skater SL is a lot of fun. The controls are superbly implemented and transfer actual foot movements almost seamlessly to the hands. During my first VR ollies, I was so gripped that I jumped in the air as if I had a real skateboard under my feet again. Once you've mastered the moves and are comfortable with the feeling of riding in virtual reality, VR Skater SL is a VR game that brings the fun of skateboarding into your four walls – without the bruises and broken bones.

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