When EA rolled out the original ‘Skate’ back in 2007, it changed the way we thought about skateboarding games. With its innovative “Flick-It” control system and a focus on realism over arcade chaos, it stood as a fresh alternative to the dominance of ‘Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater’. Over the years, ‘Skate 2’ and ‘Skate 3’ built a loyal community, cementing Black Box’s creation as more than just another sports title, but it became a culture, a digital hangout for everyone.

After years of silence and countless fan petitions, EA has answered with ‘skate.’, a reboot developed by Full Circle, a studio that formed specifically to carry the torch. It’s not just another sequel; it’s a modern revival that aims to recapture the soul of the series. Does Skate. stick the landing, or does it wipe out under the weight of modern expectations? Let’s drop in and have a session.

The one thing I’ve forever loved about the Skate games is the freedom, and they’ve kept that alive in Skate. The gameplay captures their vision of “make your own fun” with San Vansterdam being a massive open-world hub design as well as a fun little playground to kill some time. You can cruise around solo, hit lines with friends or drop into community-created spots that keep the city constantly evolving and teeming with people from around the world.

The structure leans less on story-driven career mode and more on play-driven progression, so you get challenges, contests and missions sprinkled around San Vansterdam. The new live-service model feeds into events, seasonal drops and collaborations, keeping the game feeling fresh and not dated.

Multiplayer is a major pillar in the gameplay loop, and jumping into the server sessions feels seamless. I like the construction element and how simple it was to use, so you could place a ramp or rails down to your heart’s desire and make your own fun, or even make those challenges sometimes easier or more complex. I liked how they have made the game free-to-play, but I feel that it may divide the community, as progression is steady, but cosmetics and customisation options are tied to a heavier grind or microtransactions. Thankfully, none of this actually affects the overall gameplay of the game, so the core experience remains untouched.

I was a little disappointed with some of the omissions compared to Skate 3. The absence of Coach Frank really stood out, since he was such a massive part of the last game, alongside iconic pro skaters like Eric Koston, Mike Carroll, and Rob Dyrdek, who made encounters and missions feel more lively and immersive. I was also very surprised by the removal of ‘Hall of Meat’, which was hilarious and an addictive side challenge where you could see just how munted you could get in the most ridiculous bails.

I was also surprised by the lack of brands in the game at launch. We have the option of ‘Thrasher’, ‘Chocolate’ and ‘Vans’, but overall, the brands felt lacklustre with the big names that define the culture like ‘Gir’l, ‘Plan B’, ‘Element’ or ‘Baker’, which would make the game feel more authentic, and not to mention where all were in the previous title.

If you are a Skate series fan, you would know that the “Flick-It” system on the right stick was a revelation back in 2007, offering a tactile, intuitive way to perform tricks that made the well-known button-mashing combos feel outdated. In skate., the developers have stayed true to the legacy while layering in some modern refinement. The basics of the system still remain the same, meaning flicking the stick will allow you to perform tricks such as ollies, flips and shove-its with precision.

They have also added some fluidity to the mix with animations blending smoothly, and transitions between tricks feeling more forgiving. The stick-based system can be daunting for newcomers, especially compared to the arcade-friendly controls of rival titles. That is a good reason why people should do the tutorials and maybe even just skate around and flick the stick to see what you can and can’t do. Whilst the responsiveness has improved, online latency sometimes could throw off the timing in those group sessions. I did find that sometimes with this, you would go to perform something as simple as an ollie, and it would not respond properly, and you would end up having a wipeout and not nailing the grind down the staircase.

One of the most noticeable shifts in skate. compared to its predecessors, is its art direction. Rather than chasing that ultra-realism like most of the sport titles in the current generation, the developers have leaned more to a stylised, cartoonish look, whilst it’s not cel-shaded or over-the-top, it does have those softer, exaggerated edge to the visuals that makes the entire world feel more vibrant and approachable. San Vansterdam has bold colours, clean lines and that energy that fits right into a more modern skating culture. The character models have the same style with a massive improvement in the physics that captures the weight of skating. Clothes sway, and the wipeouts come with just enough exaggeration that you chuckle when you eat shit.

Not everything is flawless. You’ll still notice the occasional rough texture and some weird frame dips in busier areas, and the occasional light shining through bridges and lighting it up way more than it should be. It was a little weird that the cartoon-inspired design sometimes helps mask these technical blemishes, and I was all for the art design compared to the ultra-realism from most titles.

I feel like the sound design is always a little underrated in what makes the Skate games feel authentic and in skate. the audio design really ties the entire experience together. From the first push, you’ll notice the smaller details like how crisp the board sounds from the scrape of the trucks to the sound of the wheels scooting across the concrete. I liked the attention to detail added with the different surfaces, making different noises.

I was super impressed with the soundtrack, and it’s always been well known that they can mix a killer playlist with a mixture of underground punk, hip-hop and indie tracks that capture the skate culture without feeling like a corporate playlist.

I liked that it didn’t just feel like the music was playing in the background; it almost felt like it was fueling how you were skating, which was something I could get behind. I was impressed with the voice dialogue, even if it sounded AI-generated to a degree, and sometimes you wish they would shut up and stop talking, but it was a nice little mixture of audio being added.

skate. is a revival that doesn’t just live off nostalgia; it reimagines what skateboarding can be in 2025. Full Circle have kept the heart of the series intact, with the beloved “Flick-It” system, free-flowing gameplay, and a world that encourages you to create your own fun. The shift to a more stylised, cartoonish look gives it personality and separates it from the hyper-realistic titles we normally see, while the sound design and killer soundtrack capture the skate culture perfectly. After years of waiting, the series has returned and, for the most part, sticks the landing.

Written by: Hayden Nelson