How does Ski Slalom work?
You look down on a snowy mountain and ski downhill between the red and blue gates while dodging trees, rocks, snowmen and other skiers. Like the little ski game that used to come with old PCs, the screen keeps scrolling down and all you decide is left or right.
Your speed comes from your heading. Pointing straight down the hill is fastest, and the further you turn across the slope the more snow you spray and the slower you go. At top speed a blizzard whips past the edges of the screen, and hitting a tree plants you in the snow for about a second. Your ski tracks stay behind you on the slope.
What modes are there?
There are four: Slalom, Free run, Yeti chase and Two players. Slalom races the clock on a fixed course; the others run down an endless mountain for distance and points.
| Mode | Goal | Record |
|---|---|---|
| Slalom | Pass the gates of course 1, 2 or 3 in order and reach the finish line | Finish time, plus 3 s for every missed gate |
| Free run | Ride an endless mountain and spin off the ramps | Distance in metres plus trick points. Three falls end the run |
| Yeti chase | Stay ahead of the yeti that starts chasing at 300 m | Distance reached before it catches you |
| Two players | Two people take turns on the same course | Both times are compared and a winner is shown |
Higher numbered courses have more gates (24, 32 and 40), swing wider from side to side and leave less room between gates. Each course keeps its own best time.
How do I pass a gate?
Cross the dotted line between the two poles of the same colour and the gate counts. Go around the outside of a pole and it is a miss. A pass shows a green tick and a chime; a miss shows a red cross and adds 3 seconds.
- Red and blue alternate, and gates are usually set on alternating sides, so the moment you clear one you should already be turning towards the next.
- Clipping a pole makes it wobble and costs a little speed, but does not knock you over.
- Flying over a gate off a ramp still counts as a pass if you cross between the poles.
How do ramps and spins work?
Hit a ramp with the orange arrows to take off, and press Space (or the yellow ↻ button on a phone) while you are in the air to spin 360 degrees. The faster you are going, the longer you stay up, enough for two or three spins.
- Completing one full spin shows 360! and adds 100 points; a second spin adds another 200.
- Landing with a spin only half done is a fall. If the ground is close, stop pressing.
- A clean landing gives you a little speed boost, and while airborne you clear rocks and snowmen.
When does the yeti come, and how do I escape?
In yeti chase, once you pass 300 m a fluffy yeti bounds down from the top of the screen after you. Skiing straight keeps you ahead at first, but the yeti keeps getting faster and gains a lot of ground every time you fall.
The yeti sometimes trips in the snow, and that is your moment to build a lead. A flashing exclamation mark at the top of the screen means it is right behind you. When it catches you it gives you a hug, hearts fly, the run ends and the distance you reached is your record.
How do I get a faster time?
- Turn less. A series of small early corrections loses far less speed than one big swerve.
- Pass gates on the inside. The next gate is on the other side, so hugging the pole closest to it shortens the next traverse.
- Brake (↑) only in emergencies. Turning the skis sideways almost stops you, and it takes about two seconds to get back up to speed.
- Falling is the biggest loss. You stop for over a second and restart slowly, which is roughly the same as the 3 second penalty for missing a gate.
- With the mouse, keep the cursor close. The further it is from the skier, the harder you turn. A little to one side gives a gentle carve.
Controls
- Keyboard: ← → (A D) steer and the skier keeps the heading when you let go. ↓ (S) points you straight down, ↑ (W) brakes. Space, Z or X spin in the air, and Space or Enter starts from the title and result screens.
- Mouse: move the cursor and the skier turns towards it. Click to spin.
- Phone or tablet: hold the left side of the screen to turn left and the right side to turn right, or tilt the device. In the air, tap the yellow ↻ button or anywhere on the screen to spin.
Records and the sound setting stay in this browser and are never sent to a server. Tilt steering works only when the device and browser allow the orientation sensor.