Wave Break

Wave Break is a title with great ideas, but it's execution leaves a lot to be desired. What it could felt like a fun and a little violent version of Pro Skater, ends up being quite frustrating due to its controller and some design decisions.

Wave Break is a frantic, over-the-top skateboater with style and moves to burn. Its campaign mode is a welcome addition, and online play and a park editor add variety. All the pieces are here for a sublime tricking experience. The only thing missing is the Steam version’s features, most notably local play. The game is practically screaming for it, and the gameplay perfectly lends itself to local matches.

Wave Break has so many redeemable qualities, but for every positive there is a negative. Large diverse levels are hampered by the fact there are only six of them, fun fluid game play marred by jarring camera angles and frequent clipping, a rocking soundtrack only to be let down by performance issues such as frame drops. Underneath these issues is a fun homage to the Tony Hawks series, and fans will most certainly look past them while others would expect better.

Wave Break is, at best, an average Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater clone that just so happened to be launched at the worst time possible, right alongside the debut of its main source of inspiration on the Switch. Sure, it’s cheaper than its main competitor and I suppose ultra-die-hard Weezer fans will want to grab it just because of the inclusion of one of their songs in its soundtrack, but it’s inferior in every conceivable way.

If this was a free-to-play title, I may even be a bit more lenient with it, but at half the price of a full retail game, I honestly can't even recommend it for a laugh. I'm calling it. It's time to abandon ship.

Wave Break is an eclectic mix of different styles that is almost a guaranteed recommendation on the Switch. It’s a colorful game that’s sure to please anyone looking for a quick pick up n’ play download. But given that the eShop is already packed with similar bite-sized titles, I imagine it’ll be hard for it to set itself apart in the long run, for as nutty as its premise can be.

Wave Break is a whole lotta fun, with its zany Tony Hawk’s and boating mash-up making for a unique and enjoyable experience. It’ll just take a fair bit of practice to master, with the tricky controls, challenging objectives, and sometimes awkward camera making for a rough time at first. When you finally nail it though? A good time is DEFINITELY to be had. It does have a few missteps here and there, but I would happily recommend Wave Break – especially for gamers who enjoy the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater series (or maybe just want to listen to some Weezer).

Wave Break is a title that could be quite interesting for skateboarding game fans who want something a little more exaggerated in tone. However, the single player experience turns out not to be all that interesting for someone who is a complete newcomer to the genre. Furthermore, the game still needs more polishing and more content to really be a good example of an extreme sports game.

As a fan of Wave Race, the Tony Hawk series, and multiplayer shooting, in theory all of the building blocks going into Wave Break should make it a sort of Reese's Peanut Butter Cup of a hybrid game for me...

Now that it's free from the shackles of Stadia exclusivity, Wave Break can now be enjoyed by those on Switch and PC. The game has its foibles, and it's not as smooth as Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, but it's a good time. Funktronic Labs needs to add a 'quick restart' feature, pronto. The combination of guns and skateboating amid the bright aesthetics makes for great fun. There's good reason why I can't stop playing and trying to perfect each level. If you can't beat the heat this Summer, then soak up the sun in Wave Break.