Grand Mountain Adventure 2: Ski and Snowboard Sim Review - Hit the Slopes?

Grand Mountain Adventure 2, developed by Toppluva, is the eagerly awaited sequel to their popular snowsports simulation game. Our App Army, comprised of avid extreme sports enthusiasts who enjoy the thrill without the real-world risk, recently put the game through its paces. Here's what they had to say about their experiences:

Oskana Ryan

At first, I found Grand Mountain Adventure 2 a bit challenging due to its controls. It took some time to adjust as I found myself veering off course, crashing into obstacles, and going around in circles. However, once I got the hang of it, the game became quite enjoyable. It offers a variety of challenges and plenty of opportunities for snowboarding and skiing down diverse slopes. Be cautious of other skiers, though; they're all over the place! With its appealing graphics and a bit more depth than your average downhill runner, this game has plenty to keep you engaged.

Jason Rosner

Grand Mountain Adventure 2 picks up right where its predecessor left off, delivering an open-world skiing and snowboarding experience that's easy to jump into, even for a winter sports novice like me. I've always been in awe of professional athletes performing jaw-dropping stunts in vibrant gear, racing down mountains and slopes. With GMA2, I can now live out these fantasies. The game has a laid-back vibe that encourages you to play at your own pace.

With endless challenges and activities scattered throughout the environment, you'll unlock new items as you explore. The wintry world is beautifully detailed, from the falling snow to the transition from day to night. The controls are incredibly intuitive; within minutes, I was executing impressive tricks and feeling the realistic weight of my character's movements through the snow. It's evident that the Grand Mountain Adventure series is crafted with passion and love, making it a must-have for your mobile gaming collection.

Robert Maines

Grand Mountain Adventure 2 leans more towards an arcade-style ski and snowboarding simulation rather than a serious one. Viewed from above, you guide your skier or snowboarder down various mountain courses. As you complete challenges, you earn passes that reveal the locations of lifts, allowing you to ascend higher up the mountain. The game boasts impressive visuals, and the touch controls are responsive, enabling you to quickly master zooming down slopes and executing jumps. The sound effects, particularly the sound of slicing through the snow, are satisfying. My only minor gripe is that the text can be hard to read at times, but that's a personal issue. I highly recommend this game.

Bruno Ramalho

As someone who enjoys skiing in real life, albeit infrequently, I was pleasantly surprised by how much you can do in Grand Mountain Adventure 2 without spending any money. The open-world (or should I say open-mountain?) setting allows you to ski, snowboard, and even paraglide freely. You can explore and participate in events and challenges, earning ski points to unlock more map features.

Unlocking all the lifts is essential to ascend further up the mountain and access more challenges until you reach the summit, where a balloon awaits to transport you to another mountain (this feature is available after purchasing the full game). Exploring the map to find glowing points or specific destinations is crucial, and you can set markers on the ground to follow red arrows to your chosen spot.

As you progress, you'll unlock a backpack for more equipment and a telescope to enjoy the stunning mountain views. The game's graphics are impressive, and the sound of skis gliding through the snow is convincingly realistic. The gameplay truly immerses you in the snowy environment. Some challenges resemble mini-games with varying perspectives, reminiscent of classic games like Ski or Die on the Amiga 500. This game is a no-brainer to download from the App Stores, especially since it's free to try and offers so much before you decide to purchase the full version. Highly recommended.

Swapnil Jadhav

The graphics in Grand Mountain Adventure 2 are stunning, but when it comes to controls, more detailed interactive tutorials are needed for casual gamers. For a simulation game like this, it can be challenging to attract casual players. Perhaps the developers could introduce a simplified control scheme tailored for casual gamers. On mobile platforms, the target audience is often casual gamers.

Brian Wigington

I played the first game in the series a while back and found it interesting but didn't fully dive in. With the sequel, I'm ready to invest more time. As a skiing enthusiast who hasn't hit the slopes in years, this game captures the essence of a Colorado ski resort perfectly. From the ski lifts to other skiers and the buildings, it feels authentic. You play as someone on a ski or snowboard trip at a vast mountain resort.

You have considerable freedom to ski on or slightly off the designated paths, but you must be mindful of structures, rocks, trees, and other skiers. The game's feel is fantastic, with numerous items and tricks to master and unlock. The graphics are highly detailed, and the sound effects, from the crunch of the snow to the sounds of collisions, are crisp and clear. The controls are effective once you get past the initial learning curve. I'm eager to spend more time with this game beyond the 30 minutes I managed this busy weekend. It truly feels like a virtual ski vacation.

Mark Abukoff

Although I'm not a huge skiing fan, Grand Mountain Adventure 2 offers a compelling simulation. The controls took some getting used to, but once mastered, they were quite effective. Navigating uphill was sometimes challenging, and I found myself wishing I could remove my skis and walk. However, this was a good way to familiarize myself with the controls. I enjoyed the ski runs, though initially, I collided with people, trees, animals, and fences. With practice, I improved. The scenery and graphics are delightful, with many small details to appreciate. I highly recommend trying the demo; chances are you'll want to purchase the full version.

Mike Lisagor

I never played the first Grand Mountain Adventure, though it was on my list. The first thing that struck me about GMA2 was its stunning graphics. The attention to detail, even down to the tracks left in the snow, is remarkable. I've put a few hours into the game and am gradually improving. To unlock new areas, you must complete goals, which can be a bit confusing at times, but the map is very helpful. Small conveniences like holding down the screen to speed up the chair lift are appreciated.

The controls are straightforward and evolve as you progress, allowing you to collect additional equipment once you find the backpack. The game has been challenging so far, but it motivates me to keep trying to improve. I'm still working on mastering flips and spins. It reminds me a bit of Alto's Odyssey, but in an open-world setting, which adds to the challenge. Overall, I'm thoroughly enjoying the game and plan to continue exploring to unlock more areas. Two thumbs up.

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