The Ramp is a skateboarding title from the co-creator of Superflight and Islanders. It is the first title from Hyperparadise and is out now on Steam. This title strips away all the fluff from skateboarding games and gives players a clean, mechanically satisfying experience, which they can spend a few minutes in. In our The Ramp review, we’ll talk about what we loved in this minimalist title.

Contents

Gameplay

The Ramp takes away many of the elements we saw in arcade-style games. This means that the UI is non-existent, with no scores, no challenges, or any objective. You play through the tutorial, and it shows you how to kneel, gain momentum, and let go. It gives you an idea about how you can rotate in the air, and do tricks with the right stick. You can continue playing the tutorial level, or move on to the larger levels.

This screenshots show the opening tutorial ramp — The Ramp Screenshot

This is the beauty of this title, as it doesn’t exactly feel like a game where the player is tested, challenged, or provided with a goal. You can do whatever you want, without the pressure, or the need to compete. That doesn’t mean that the game isn’t deep, or mechanically satisfying, because the more you play, the better you’ll understand the controls and momentum of the board.

It’s pretty easy to get into, but to really pull off some nice stunts, you will need some practice. There’s no timer either, so you’re free to switch between maps on the fly, and keep respawning to your heart desires. It also helps that the respawning is instant, further motivating you to keep playing.

Using the right stick allows you to do a variety of moves, and a little pop-up tells you what stunt you performed. You can also grind on edges, and it never gets old.

Controls

The game feels great to play, and a controller is highly recommended. Simple controls and basic moves are easy to pull off, and everything feels extremely responsive. Tight controls are essential to any skateboarding experience, and The Ramp delivers beautifully.

The third stage in The Ramp, and something of a highlight in this The Ramp review — The Ramp Screenshot

There is weight behind the board, and unlike Tony Hawk titles which lean a bit towards the arcade-style, The Ramp feels more realistic in approach. This is one of the strongest points of The Ramp Review.

Visuals and Audio

The Ramp has a stylized look and a very clean aesthetic. There are no distractions, or anything on the screen apart from your character, and the ramp itself. The texture work on level looks excellent, and the colors contrast nicely with everything on display.

Each map looks different enough and is more complex than the previous one. My personal favorite is the swimming pool because it looks so good, with the rough texture mixed with blue of the pool’s surface.

The Pool stage in The Ramp — The Ramp Screenshot

The game sounds great and features multiple tracks. There’s a very particular chilled-out vibe the game is trying to induce with these tracks, and it works quite well. The sound effects are crisp, and the impact of your board hitting the floor never gets old.

Replayability

The developer describes the game as a digital toy, and it’s pretty appropriate. The Ramp only costs $5, and you’ll be playing a few levels over and over again. Here’s the thing though The Ramp isn’t a game you can master easily, as we explained before, it’s still mechanically deep. Sure, you won’t be chaining tons of combos, but to really stay on your ~~feet~~ board, you will have to play this for a while.

The actual content is limited, but the mechanical depth will keep interested players hooked for a while. There are also Steam achievements, which sort of give you a goal to look forward to.

Verdict

The Ramp is a polished skateboarding experience, with tight controls, deep gameplay, and some chill tunes. It’s easy to get into, but hard to master, and best played in short bursts. A true digital toy, that you can play with, and get better at, while having an absolute blast.