Sledding Game is an online multiplayer game where you play with friends (or with strangers) without any actual objectives, but where you can take part at a range of different activities such as sledding (as the title says), racing, fishing and more. Oh, important detail, you’re a frog with a bum 🍑.
I first tried out Sledding Game as a demo and then more recently the Early Access version that got released last month. Shout out to Sey and Margot for playing it with me, and to Opal and Scruffy who were really nice folks that joined our lobby!
Thank you The Sledding Corporation and Future Friends Games for the review key!
All images featured in the post were provided with the press kit.
Practical information
No objectives, just chilling
From the get-go, you realize this is not your typical multiplayer game. You start sledding, making snowballs to throw at friends and taking the lift to the top of the mountain (where you get off with a hilarious ragdoll-motion). You will see an amount of points accumulating as you do some of these things. For example, a “bad landing” when sledding gives you X amount of points. Even though the game has no objectives or quests, one might say that’s the main gameplay aspect, as you exchange those points for accessories like various types of sled, hats or scarves for your frog-self, a fishing rod etc.
Speaking of fishing, that was one of my favorite things to do in the game. You might be thinking, isn’t that an individual activity? And well, in theory yes, but seeing the crazy fish you and your friends start catching, it just makes for some hilarious moments.
Racing is also very fun, though I am objectively terrible at it. You “activate” a mode at a certain place and then sled down the mountain with your friends to see who gets to the final checkpoint first. My sled kept flipping halfway and it took me a while to get momentum again. But hey, I still collected points.
You can make a private lobby or a public one. When we played, Sey made a public lobby and we met friendly people who helped us with some tips and showing us some secrets / easter eggs from the game. It was a fun experience, even though I’m typically a bit awkward meeting others this way. I was never an MMO person, can you tell?
Unfortunately, as of now, Sledding Game is not totally crossplay, which is my biggest pet peeve with games that are multiplayer. If you get the game on Steam, you can only play with others also using Steam. Xbox/Game Pass players can play with others using the console or on the Xbox app on PC. In short, Steam players can’t play with Xbox players. I hope that might change with the full release of the game, but I don’t know how complex of a change that would be.
Graphics and music
The graphics of Sledding Game are simple, but I mean it in the best way. I love that it’s 3D but not super realistic, the color palette is super satisfying, with the environment being more muted while the animal skins or objects have lively colors in comparison. I also love the design of your frog and of the other animal skins you can get. They’re very cartoony and goofy-looking. Or cheeky if you will.
I am so glad that the game is not first-person. First, because I would totally experience motion sickness. And second, because I want to see all the wacky-cute accessories I am wearing!
The soundtrack is surprisingly GOOD, yep, with capital letters. Maybe it’s unfair to say “surprisingly” but I do feel that in these kinds of games the music either comes as an afterthought, or are just sort of forgettable. You can tell the developer really wanted the soundtrack of Sledding Game to be memorable while also not feeling distracting, and they definitely achieved that with the soundtrack from Wrigley. It even got an official vinyl released with two variants, one of which sold out in no time. You can still pre-order the standard version.
Here’s one of my favorite tracks:
My final thoughts: great game, but it remains to be seen how often I’ll actually play it
I had a fun time playing Sledding Game for sure, if you couldn’t tell by now. My favorite part was fishing, which felt really relaxing, trying to improve my sledding skills, and playing curling. But realistically, I am thinking, how often will I actually play it?
Since the price is €7,49, so not too heavy on the wallet, I think I would still have bought it (if I hadn’t gotten the key). But for my kind of gaming habits – as someone who does like to play with friends online but more as a once-a-month thing – I don’t see myself putting that many hours into it (I guess I won’t get that cool double decker bus…).
Are you thinking about getting the game, but don’t have a friend group to try it out with?
I am part of the GoodGameLobby Discord community, where we have a co-op channel to organize some casual sessions. Feel free to join in, we are a friendly group of people!
Alternatively, you could join the Sledding Game Discord server.
Thank you for reading,
-Luna
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