As Acclaim continues their rapid rise back into public prominence with title after title, it’s clear this resurrected giant of Gaming History is ready to take swings left and right. From a fascinatingly addicting rhythm hacking game GRIDbeat! to the artistically gorgeous roguelike Talaka, the future is a bright and multifaceted gem for Acclaim. Justen Andrews was both candid and informative in his recent interview, and, thankfully, I had some time to jump in with one upcoming title during my time at BitSummit. This time, Acclaim has given a totally different retro perspective, tapping into the gaming excitement that comes from a hybrid of Cool Boarders, SSX and Jet Set Radio Future. The game is HYPERyuki, Snowboard Syndicate, and it has real potential for being a wild, bombastic ride.

OHGODIMGONNAVOMITILOVETHISGAME!

During the demo, players were able to choose from several different riders to hit the slopes in either a limited free ride area or a specific course to best get the most out of the acceleration. While I could have been some kind of boy or girl, I went with the kaiju creature because that just tickled my fancy the most. Additionally, it let me get a better perspective on how the colors of the world popped against something that was more mottled grey instead of hyper saturated. Don’t get me wrong, the almost bleeding neon character art is what makes the game great, but I loved being able to shred as something that was a little more muted. It gave me a stronger perspective on the game at large, and also made it more interesting when I crashed and was covered in a light sheen of snow upon recovery.

One thing that I truly love about the SSX games is how intuitive the trick system feels, and HYPERyuki positively nails the layout and flow of movement. You understand immediately the way to jump, hold, flip and transition between tricks even if you don’t pay attention to the tutorial advice. The animation allows for smooth rendering of how well you move through space so you know exactly when to change up your buttons and either attempt to stick the landing or squeeze in one more point multiplier before a glorious return to Earth or an embarrassing, tumbling disaster. When you get up on the rails, the grinding is instantaneous with just a focus on being able to stay balanced. When you take off from a jump, the airborne trajectory feels appropriately otherworldly and catapults you further than Mark McMorris could ever dream.

Tricks are great, but a successful grind is my jam.

While there won’t be any acts of vandalism to underline the insanity of the sport, the influence of JSRF is most apparent in HYPERyuki’s moment of acceleration and explosions of color. Players who use the dash button (and you’ll be charging and using that constantly) will watch their screens melt into a refraction of light and sound that feels like you’ve triggered a hyperdrive jump instead of setting up a wicked takeoff. The game constantly keeps you in a high energy feedback loop, with massive text proclaiming your trick was AWESOME or SOLID with each successful iteration. When you crash (and you will crash), there’s only enough time for the CPU or your friends to get the drop on the lead before you’re back on your feet. There’s a superb balance between kinetic momentum and proportionate timing, and Wabisabi Games has threaded the needle.

Something that’s truly spectacular about HYPERyuki is the way the whole game came together. You’ve got this incredible title that captures some of the best aspects of gaming in the early 2000s, put together by a team of Mexican 90s kids who grew up with anime and Japanese games, and published by the reborn giant of the gaming era of the pre-Millenium. This was essentially crafted and assembled on the other side of the globe, and then traveled to Japan, to the backyard of modern video game royalty, and presented in Kyoto with a level that contains massive pagodas. It proves the effect and excitement of gaming and globalization, and the influence that cultures can have across nations and generations, leading to new and exciting interpretations. I’d put it on par with the creators of Ghost of Tsushima making one of the best samurai games straight out of Bellview, Washington.

There’s no overstating how much I love this.

It’s a perfect recipe of hype and enjoyment. If you know the games that inspired this vessel, you’re going to have such a great time with HYPERyuki: Snowboard Syndicate. There’s potential to elevate even further as future players will get to experience the full campaign mode, online and local competition, and what will probably be a positively sick soundtrack. While console release is still affixed, Steam players can gear up and ride the hills later this year. Be sure to add this to your wishlist and show Wabisabi and Accalim some love for a thrilling experience!