Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Grind Session immediately positions itself as a pretender to the Tony Hawk’s crown, offering a tight, combo-driven skateboarding experience that feels both familiar and fresh. From the moment you ollie your first fence to nailing long grinding lines, the game’s physics strike a satisfying balance between arcade flair and a hint of realism. Each control input is responsive, whether you’re tweaking a kickflip or chaining manuals into a shove-it, giving you the freedom to express your personal trick style.

The heart of the mode lies in its respect-based career progression. You’ll select from six licensed skaters—Willy Santos, Daewon Song, Cara-Beth Burnside, Ed Templeton, Pigpen, and John Cardiel—or craft a custom boarder who reflects your vision. Every level challenges you with multiple objectives, from simple high-score runs to elaborate gap clears and special trick lists. Completing these objectives earns respect points, unlocking new parks, competitions, and game modes in a way that feels rewarding without ever growing stale.

Beyond career, Grind Session’s two-player modes inject a competitive edge. Whether you’re racing side-by-side in real time or battling in Best Trick showdowns, the split-screen action is energetic and encourages friendly rivalry. The game cleverly balances risk and reward: you can play it safe to pad your score, or you can attempt wild, high-scoring combos that teeter on the brink of a disastrous bail. Either way, the gameplay loop keeps you coming back for “just one more run.”

Graphics

For a PlayStation-era title, Grind Session delivers surprisingly detailed environments brimming with skatepark flair. Textured ramps, graffiti-tagged quarterpipes, and the occasional cheering crowd breathe life into each of the eight stages, including licensed Vans Triple Crown parks. It’s clear the developers wanted each location to feel distinct, from the sun-drenched outdoor plazas to the shadowy underpasses riddled with railings.

Character models for the six pros and your custom skater look sharp, with each pro’s signature move animations faithfully captured. While polygon counts and draw distances aren’t going to wow modern players, the smooth framerate and fluid transitions—especially during grinds and vert airs—ensure the action never feels choppy. The game’s color palette leans toward muted urban tones, but well-placed lighting effects highlight your board’s pop and the satisfying dust kicks from your landings.

Subtle touches, like board decals that flex under pressure and the occasional crowd reaction when you nail a triple combo, elevate the visual presentation. Menus and HUD elements stick closely to a skate-punk aesthetic, with stenciled fonts and gritty backdrops that reinforce the underground vibe. Overall, Grind Session’s graphics may not be revolutionary, but they meld style and performance in a way that remains appealing today.

Story

Grind Session doesn’t weave an intricate narrative in the traditional sense, but it does craft a compelling journey of underground skate cred. Your story unfolds as a rising local skater determined to earn respect in eight escalating stages. Each park you conquer, from dingy street circuits to high-stakes competition arenas, represents a new chapter in your ascent through the skateboarding world.

Unlockable competitions—divided into street, vert, and best trick events—serve as narrative milestones. Qualify for the Vans Triple Crown finals or clinch the high-score title in a gritty warehouse jam, and you’ll feel genuine momentum in your progression. While there’s no branching dialogue or cutscenes laden with exposition, the organic “you vs. the park” tension fills the story void, making each earned respect point feel like a hard-fought victory.

Even the absence of a traditional storyline works to Grind Session’s advantage by letting the gameplay and level design tell the tale. As you move from one venue to the next, your boarder gains style, confidence, and an ever-growing trick arsenal. In the end, your personal rise from amateur to respected skater becomes the narrative anchor, driven entirely by the objectives you choose to tackle.

Overall Experience

Grind Session stands out as an engaging alternative for fans who crave the thrill of skateboarding without the brand recognition of bigger franchises. Its robust career mode, peppered with objective-based progression and unlockable competitions, offers hours of replayability. The controls are tight, the level design encourages creative lines, and the respect system strikes a pleasing balance between challenge and reward.

While the graphics won’t compete with modern HD titles, they deliver a cohesive, gritty skateboarding world that captures the spirit of the late ’90s scene. The pro roster is varied, and the create-a-skater feature opens up even more personalization, ensuring that both newcomers and die-hard fans can find a style that suits them. Two-player split-screen adds that extra layer of competitive fun, perfect for couch co-op sessions.

Ultimately, Grind Session is a title that rewards patience and experimentation. Its lack of a sprawling narrative is more than compensated for by focused, addictive gameplay loops and a genuine sense of accomplishment when you clear a tough objective or dominate a best-trick challenge. For anyone looking to ride the rails, nail massive grinds, and carve out their legacy in a classic skate game, Grind Session remains an enjoyable and worthy pick-up.

Retro Replay Score

7.4/10