Ready, Set, Shred – Slopecrashers Review

If you’re anything like me, then insane racing games were a good 80% of your childhood gaming experience. I’m talking the weirder, the better! Rocking a PS2, 2L of Tizer, some choccy, and the likes of X-treme Express, SSX, and Jet x2o made Friday nights lit. So, when our friends at Neonhive reached out with their new SSX-inspired snowboarding game, I started barking like a damn dog.

Fresh off the back of publishing the brilliant Harvest Hunt, Neonhive Games launched Slopecrashers, and to be honest, I’m so here for it. Developed by Solo Dev Johannes Lugstein’s studio byteparrot Slopecrashers is an ‘Arcade Snowboarding Combat Racer’ starring a wild crew of animals embarking on a world tour to become snowboard champions… Yes, it is just as crazy as it sounds, but in a good way.

Grab your lantern and sharpen your wits, Harvest Hunt is about to take you on a journey through the eerie, haunted village of Luna Nova.

Will You Survive?

Multiplayer Mayhem: Split Screen, Steam Remote Play, and Online Action

Whether you’re on the couch with mates or connecting across the globe, Slopecrashers serves up multiplayer chaos in every flavour. A particular highlight is the local split screen, something rarely seen in modern games. What’s more, with support for up to four players, Slopecrashers might be the new goat of pre-drinks… now, all I need is some IRL friends.

One of Steam’s best features also makes an appearance in Slopecrashers, Remote Play Together. This brilliant game-sharing system lets you invite friends to join in on the hectic racing, even if they don’t own the game. All they need is a controller and an internet connection to jump into local multiplayer sessions.

Slopecrashers is a heck of a lot of fun, even more so with friends. Well, they won’t be your friends for long though. However, if you’re looking for more of a challenge on the slopes, online multiplayer supports up to eight racers, letting you duke it out in epic races across the world.

I mean, is it really that bad to lap your friends and then wait to hit them with a weapon? YES????

Gameplay: Tricks, Combos, and Chaos

Slopecrashers nails that arcade snowboarding feel with gameplay that’s fast, fluid, and endlessly entertaining. Each course is a playground of possibilities, whether you’re chasing speed boosts, stringing together gnarly trick combos, or collecting chaotic power-ups to sabotage your rivals (if you really want a challenge or to rage quit, try turning off stunt safety and playing the Too Fast mode). Slopecrashers’ physics engine is very reminiscent to rose-tinted memories of SSX and Jet x2o, striking the perfect balance between over-the-top action, satisfying control, and just a dab of jankiness, but I mean that in the best way possible.

Of course, chaos comes with its quirks. Bugs do crop up, but you’ll be too busy laughing at your friends to care. Like that one time I got catapulted off the map and stuck there, with no DNF mercy killing in site and having to accept this as my new life. Objectively hilarious, especially when it’s not happening to you! It’s worth noting Overclockers UK received an early review key, with these comments being based off a pre-release version of the game. Hopefully, this bug will be terminated with the full release…or not if you’re an agent of chaos like me.

Weapons are where Slopecrashers truly shines, offering a range of tools to keep things unpredictable and hilariously competitive. Whether you’re deploying an explosive mole, grappling to an unsuspecting rival, or launching a rocket-powered takedown, the variety ensures every race feels fresh. However, if I get hit with one more of those sodding balloons that take you into the atmosphere, I’m throwing my controller at the screen. A good 70% of your time in multiplayer will be spent screaming at your so-called ‘friends’.

Meet the Wild Crew

The characters in Slopecrashers are as wild as the racing itself. Choose from nine eccentric, voice-acted animal riders, each with their own personalities and hilarious antics. No seriously! You can choose from an adrenaline-fueled squirrel to a fearless penguin. Fair warning the penguin appears to have shell shock. Do not look it directly in the eyes.

As you progress through the game, grabbing currency (that I’m totally gonna call Shred Coins cuz that’s cool), you’ll unlock 90+ customisations for your character with everything from ties to shiny hats. After all, there’s no point becoming king of the slopes and a snowboard champion if you don’t look good doing it.

Slopecrashers TL;DR

Slopecrashers is a nostalgic blast of PS2-era wacky racing action that fills the gap I’ve had since the glory days of games like SSX. With wild animal characters, insane trick combos, and chaotic weapons, there’s everything you love about arcade racers and more!

You can grab Slopecrashers right now on Steam.

Slopecrashers PC Requirements

Component	Minimum Specs
Operating System	Windows 10
Processor	Intel Core i5 or AMD equivalent
Memory	4 GB RAM
Graphics	NVIDIA GTX 660 or AMD Radeon HD 7950
Additional Notes	Gamepad Recommended