Despite some issues with the art style, the core skateboarding and obstacles in skate. is a lot of fun. There are a bunch of new tricks to master, such as wallies and slappies. The Skatepedia has a bunch of other new tricks, and almost all of them depend on the core of skateboarding: Ollies. You’re not a real skateboarder until you learn how to ollie, then eventually kickflip.
Thankfully, ollies in skate. are dead simple to execute. While skating, just hold the right stick down and flick it up, and you’ll do an ollie. Sometimes, though, you might feel that your ollies aren’t high enough, and you aren’t clearing obstacles that would otherwise be easier in previous games. You’re not alone, as I felt the same way a couple of hours into this game. Here’s how you can ollie higher in skate.
Mastering The Pop
Unlike other arcade skateboarding games like Tony Hawk, EA’s game sticks with its iconic flick-it controls for performing all your tricks. Every trick in the game depends on this system, including ollies. The basic input of an ollie is as simple as flicking up the right stick, but height is determined by a couple of different things.
Firstly, the speed of the flick is important. A faster, deliberate flick will give you a slightly more “explosive” pop, launching you slightly higher in the air. On the other hand, a slower, more casual flick will result in a lower, shorter ollie. To increase height a tad more, the game has a pre-wind mechanic. Hold down the right stick for as long as you can, and quickly flick it straight up in a twitchy manner for a higher ollie. Pre-winding isn’t as easy as it sounds, as you need to practice to get the timing right.
In the settings, you can also find a Pop Height setting in the gameplay menu:
- Go to Settings > Gameplay > Assists.
- Scroll down to find Minimum Pop Height Amount
- Set this to 100 for an automatic higher pop height
Boned Ollies And Grabs
There are two more advanced techniques you can try for higher ollies: Boning the ollie and grabbing your board.
For maximum height and style, a boned ollie is the way to go. After you successfully pop the ollie, keep holding the right stick upward. This “bones” the board, tucking your feet up higher and pulling the board with you. It’s probably the most important technique for clearing high gaps and ledges. It’s a bit harder to combine this with flip tricks, as you need to immediately release the stick and flick it in a different direction right after the boned ollie.
Grabbing your board in mid-air can also take your ollies slightly higher. Straight after an ollie or boned ollie, quickly press and hold one of the grab buttons (left or right triggers on controller) to get more clearance. For the best result, combine a fast flick, a boned ollie, and a grab all in one smooth motion.
Speed, Momentum, And Character Height
In this game, never underestimate the power of momentum. The faster you roll, the higher your ollie. Use the push button to build speed, and please, don’t push with your back foot. You can also get creative by using bowls and ramps to generate natural momentum without ever taking your foot off the board. Also, use the object dropper to place ramps exactly where you need them to clear a gap.
Finally, here’s a little-known tip you may never have thought about: your character’s height affects your ollie. Taller characters can achieve higher ollies because of their longer legs. My deepest apologies to my fellow short kings.
