Session: Skate Sim

No list of mine would be complete without a skateboarding game, and although Crea-ture Studios’ Session: Skate Sim is four years old now—it launched in Steam Early Access in September 2019—it’s still the one I play the most when I just wanna chill. A hardcore skateboarding simulator not unlike EA’sSkate series, Session is a difficult game to master but one that’s creatively rewarding when you understand its intricate mechanics. I’ve spent a lot of time in this game, building parks to set upthe perfect line (a series of tricks performed consecutively along a planned route) and creating the drippiest skater possible. Sure, my lines and trick attempts don’t often turn out the way I anticipated, but they always lead to new paths I wouldn’t have considered skateable.

That’s the beauty of skateboarding: regularly challenging yourself to transform drab spots into exciting opportunities for shredding. It forced me to rethink what it means to skate, tapping into the dormant skateboarder within me to find inspiration in areas where skateboarding shouldn’t happen, and it worked. I’ve never felt so inspired to pick up my skateboard again.My deteriorating vision makes me nervous, but remembering that skateboarding isn’t always about the flashiest tricks and, instead, is about the freedom of expression and exploration, reminded me that the spirit of skateboarding can exist everywhere.

Read More: Session Is A Hardcore Skateboarding Sim With Cool, Weird Controls