Skiing is an absolutely exhilarating experience, sadly marred by its seasonal restriction to only the coldest and snowiest of climates, and also its exuberant cost of entry. Thankfully the video games industry has recognised the mass appeal of plummeting down a slope at ridiculous speeds, and so recent years have been littered with attempts to capture the lightning in a bottle of such extreme sports. Whether that’s Steep on consoles, or even iOS titles such as the recently released Shiny Ski Resort ($4.99) by Kairosoft, skiing has never been more accessible, and Farseer Games’ upcoming release Just Ski is the next release in the avalanche of alpine activities. Featuring a minimalist aesthetic and an emphasis on fast pick-up-and-play sessions, Just Ski looks to take a focused approach to the genre, and is set to launch on the App Store on May 10th for only $0.99.
From the outset, Just Ski isn’t positioning itself as a unique experience – let alone the evident resemblance to titles such as Alto’s Adventure ($4.99), the developer cites the physics control mechanic to be borrowed from an ‘old abandoned game called Ski Stunt Simulator‘. However, rather than try to create a title full of gimmicks and unnecessary additions, Just Ski takes a purist approach that resonates perfectly in its bold and basic name, and the comparisons to Desert Golfing ($1.99) when we first caught wind of the game in February are particularly apt. With no in-app purchases, quick restarts and realistic physics around the concept of angular momentum, you need to crouch and stretch out specifically to control the spin of the skiing protagonist. With a deceptively effective color-changing background to depict the progression of your skier, it’s extremely evident that a lot of care has been placed on the core mechanics of Just Ski, which is all the more impressive considering it was created by a sole developer over a six month period. Look out for Just Ski when it launches for $0.99 on May 10th, and plummet to our forum thread for more details leading up to the game’s release.
