One of the best snowboarding games to ever grace gaming, Steep puts some serious effort into making its gameplay as smooth as possible. A big part of the game's appeal is its unique trick system that has many moving parts, confusing novice players and sending some into a point wall that they can't seem to get past.
Even though giant jumps and hitting the highest-scoring trick can be very complicated, players have to break everything down and look at them as many pieces of the whole. Improving the individual skills will eventually lead to some beautiful runs and, before long, players will be hitting the leaderboard at high speed.
10 Hang Time
Once the basics are covered, hang time is the most important thing when it comes to getting the maximum score possible. While this might seem obvious and simple, there a lot of different details that come into play in order to keep the time racking up.
Starting position is one, experimenting with the start point will be an important point to making all the difference on any given jump. Speed is the most straightforward, the faster the better but it will also take down all accuracy and make the player work for it.
9 Trick Rotations
With so many options when it comes to rotations, beginners are sure to get lost in the choices. However, experienced players will know that the cork is the best all-around pick if the end goal is only to rack up the most points.
The next thing players have to worry about is when to let go of the spin, the most crucial part of the entire trick. With big jumps, it's recommended to give the system some time to correct the position before landing whereas short jumps will set it straight almost immediately.
8 Go-To Moves
One of the most crucial parts of keeping the scores at a top level is having a go-to trick that's been mastered, making sure there's always something to bring out in no time that can be executed perfectly.
This doesn't mean that players can let all the other tricks fall to the wayside, otherwise, consequences come when an unexpected change pops up. Players should pick their favorite high-scoring trick and drill it until it becomes second nature, that way they don't get left empty-handed.
7 Grabs
Grabs are unique because they each have their own tweaks that ratchet up the points scored, requiring players to know an array of inputs as the trick happens. This is important because double grabs barely get any extra points, contrary to what most players might assume.
Meaning players have to put in some serious time to get the best tricks down pat and remember the most efficient way to score points. Certain grabs will work better in separate jumps so all the eggs can't be in one basket, making the learning curve pretty gradual.
6 Landing
While it's not the most exciting or flashy part of any jump or trick, knowing the right way to land is the difference between a high score and a complete failure. This will be especially obvious as players start attempting more complicated moves or combinations.
Giving any trick time to breathe is the best tip out there, trying to desperately squeeze more points out of a jump is a sure-fire way to land off balance and ruin the point multiplier. Keep straight and make sure to aim for a smooth surface, as long as some control is kept most tricks will work out.
5 Entry
Gathering speed and placing the board perfectly are all pre-production to the actual jump, the moment players leave the snow is what really matters. This is where the player's timing will come into play, leaving it to the last possible minute to release the jump and send the character flying.
The biggest issue players run into in the entry are bumps in the ramp, throwing the character off in almost every way. From speed to placement, making sure a smooth run-up is essential.
4 Hardware Tweaks
As much as the mechanic plays a part in the system, hardware can also make things harder than they should be. The joysticks on a controller, something that most serious players use, can get thrown off their alignment and cause consistency problems.
If need be, players should also set the game's graphics to a lower resolution, prioritizing performance over visuals. By ensuring that Steep runs smoothly, players can focus on the mechanics, making the journey as easy as possible.
3 Trick Safety
Trick Safety is something that a lot of beginner players will initially struggle with, limiting how creative tricks will get and how close to the wire the game will allow. Keeping Trick Safety on while players are getting used to the controls is a great way to form good habits; however, once the real points begin to look tasty, take it off.
Stopping any trick that's unlikely to succeed is a fast route to low points on moves that rarely have any style, both taking the fun and competitive drive out of the game.
2 Speed Control
The general rule in Steep is going as fast as possible in lead up to a jump, however, certain events or maps benefit from players taking their foot off the gas. This is more of a preference than a hard rule, with some players committing fully to the send.
Shorter jumps and tighter turns will lean in the favour of the slower rider, preventing players from overshooting or having to master the drift mechanic.
1 Paraglide Tips
Without the wide array of moves to choose from in the paraglide and no drift mechanic, players have to rely on gathering speed and precise turns in order to fly in style.
Hugging close to the mountains and gaining as much speed as possible can help players towards the finish line, as they employ sweeping turns that carry them across the endpoint like a bullet.