Skate City, from Alto's Odyssey developer Snowman, kickflips its way onto Apple Arcade

Skate City has been a long time coming, with our coverage dating all the way back to early 2017. It’s the latest game from Alto’s Adventure and Alto’s Odyssey developer Snowman, and it’s currently available to play on Apple Arcade.

Following in the footsteps of the classic Tony Hawk and Skate games, Skate City is a mix of arcade skateboarding action and hardcore sports sim. It originally caught our eye thanks to its striking aesthetic and promise of inventive touchscreen controls.

Speaking to Polygon late last year, associate producer Andrew Schimmel briefly discussed the game’s skateboarding system and all the potential it holds, saying “you’ll be able to play with a fully-modeled avatar and be able to imprint on that avatar in interesting ways”. Tricks are all contextual, with spins, grabs, manuals, grinds, slides, and spins all being possible depending on what you’re coming up to (rails, stairs, jumps) or are interacting with at that moment.

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This is all controlled through holds, touches, and swipes on various parts of the screen. Despite the complexity of its systems, the core controls are said to be accessible and intuitive.

We also know that the game offers in-depth recording tools, with the option to zoom in & out, pan the camera, and replay your impressive tricks in slow motion. You’ll then be able to edit your favourite clips using iOS 13’s video editing tools.

Those with access to the iOS 13 beta have already had the chance to test out Skate City on Apple Arcade. If you’re not one of the lucky few to get in early, be sure to check out our extensive list of all the games coming to Apple Arcade.