Supermoves has to be one of the most innovative sandboxes available. How many times have you run around PlayZone (other soft play locations are available) at full speed and performed countless somersaults without drowning in a ball pit?
A few games have tried parkour, notably the benchmark Mirror's Edge, Escape From Naraka, or even the upcoming K9-based Barkour. However, who nailed it? Though the game isn't perfect and has flaws, Makea Games has nailed it within the capacity of an infinitely playable playground for Cirque du Soleil wannabes.
That infinitely playable statement stems from Supermoves' built-in editor, user content, frequent challenges, and a jam-packed career mode. Ambitious? Perhaps, but in line with this being the ultimate freerunner experience where you don't have to leave your home or scrape your knees, it ticks enough boxes.
Supermoves Review: Look Ma, I Can Fly
Tutorials are sometimes a necessary evil, though they should never be a way to judge a game. We all know how to jump and are seldom interested in lore about some wizard and their grudge against an alchemist who stole their Tippex. None of that exists here, but the tutorial here was sketchy. It does teach you the moves, though you could skip it.
Supermoves is from either a first-person or third-person perspective, and I'm torn about which I prefer. The former is notoriously challenging for jumping, though it works great here and is satisfying. Then again, having an overview from over the shoulder is a good option when mindful of other players (there's scope for 40 simultaneously).
Playing with a mouse and keyboard isn't the best, but with the game choking on the Steam Deck, I had to play on my mid-range desktop without a controller. Besides directional controls, players can perform flips (supermoves), slide, grind like Tony Hawk Pro Skater, and wall run by diagonally throwing one's body at a surface. For the most part, it works.
Bumps And Bruises - I Need A Cold Compress
Being pushed around by other players isn't an issue like Fall Guys, but be prepared to rebound off an object and fall upright. The number of times I ran across a tube or completed a wall run, then clipped a corner last minute would throw my runner off course, then, unable to claw it back, would have to sit it out, a.k.a. elimination.
This is annoying as Supermoves is a competitive game about being the first over the finish line, and these situations are an instant loss. Switching to a controller improved the experience significantly, and encouraged a step towards a (digital) career in freerunning.
Courses are indoor and outdoor, though predominantly the latter. Supermoves will take you worldwide to complete plenty of challenges, typically placing you within the top four to unlock the next course and earn some gear to customise your character. From the humble ball pit to the championships, there's lots to experience, and it will keep you out of mischief for some time to come. Play with a controller and turn down some graphic settings to give you the (Mirror's) edge.
While the career mode will keep solo gamers occupied, as will the extensive game editor, Supermoves is best played with others online through several matchmaking options and game modes. There are six modes to choose from: lap-based courses, obtaining loot as fast as possible, bomb tag, and obstacle courses. There were few other online players at the time of writing, but there was plenty to do.
It's A Knockout
For a younger audience, Supermoves is Fall Guys meets Mirror's Edge meets Fortnite (obstacle course). For an older audience, think TJ Hooker meets Wipeout meets Gladiators. Phew - 0.05% of readers will get those last few references - either way, this is high-octane obstacle mayhem that is an absolute blast once you get a handle on it. Fans of Only Up! will love some of the challenges, too.
One minor aspect that was somewhat anti-climatic was the way the game handles events. After competing, you're shown your time and can either restart or return to the menu. When competing for a decent position, this proves to be a clunky way of having to return to the course menu to view your progress. It comes across as a navigation afterthought.
Fortunately, though, that's outweighed by the volume of fun to be had, which is so much better with others - even if it's someone spectating you in the same room to provide that olive branch of sanity. Trying inventive parkour courses and completing Fortnite-like daily challenges such as distance travelled to level up and unlock new gear are other ways to keep up that replay loop.
Supermoves Review Summary
It's unsurprising to learn that Supermoves is a lot of fun. The USP of going balls-out in a full-size ball bit is already a winner. Still, the magnitude of game modes, custom level design, and intuitive gameplay make recommending Supermoves a no-brainer if you like 'this type of thing' - online multiplayer titles with leaderboard incentives. If only you could burn off as many calories IRL, then this really would be a life changer.
