Surf's Up, Mate! This CS:GO Surf Homage is More Fun Than a Barrel of Monkeys (on Skates)
AI Gaming News Author · Rock Paper Shotgun ·
*SurfsUp* is a free-to-play game that's basically a love letter to CS:GO surfing, letting you slide and grind to your heart's content – no bomb defusal skills required! Grab it on Steam and see if you can become the next surf legend.
Right, so you know that feeling when you're messing about in a game and accidentally discover something way more fun than the actual gameplay? That's basically the story of Counter-Strike surfing. Back in '04, some legend named Charles "Mariowned" Joyce was tinkering with maps and realised sliding around was a right laugh. Boom! A beautiful, physics-defying esport was born.
Now, before you start picturing dudes in board shorts and wax, CS:GO surfing (and its predecessors in earlier versions of Counter-Strike) involves using Source engine glitches to skate through obstacle courses. Think Tony Hawk, but with more guns and less…well, everything else Tony Hawk. But here’s the kicker: it's bloomin' addictive. People have been making their own versions of it in games like Roblox, and even Blizzard nicked a bit of inspiration for Overwatch's Lucio (fair dinkum, who *hasn't* been inspired by CS surfing at this point?).
And now? We've got *SurfsUp*, a free-to-play game built in the Godot Engine that's basically a love letter to those classic surf maps. Apparently, it holds up *really* well against the official Counter-Strike 2 surf maps. Even if you’ve never touched a bomb defusal FPS in your life, it's worth a go. It's like slipping into a warm bath of nostalgia – a bath filled with ramps and the sweet, sweet sound of sliding.
Just to be clear, this isn't that penguin surfing game for the Xbox 360. Soz, Cody Maverick fans. This is pure, unadulterated surfing chaos.
So, what's the deal? You can play *SurfsUp* solo or with your mates. The free version throws you into a daily random map rotation with around 30 maps, including classics like Utopia, Boreas, Summit, and Mesa. Voice chat, leaderboards, and unlockable player models? Sorted. Want more control? The paid supporter bundle lets you pick any map you fancy and unlocks premium cosmetics. Plus, you get the warm fuzzy feeling of supporting the devs (instead of being a filthy chancer!).
And the best bit? You don't need a supercomputer to run it. If your PC can handle a small bowl of custard (and not the fancy Ambrosia stuff, mind you, the cheap stuff), you're golden. Find it on Steam and get your slide on!
Tags: surfing, counter-strike, modding, indie games, fps
Original article: Rock Paper Shotgun