Realistic and physics-driven snowmobile simulator Shredders released out of early access last week, with developer Hanki Games saying that work on it will continue even as it hits full release and comes to consoles. Sledders is an open-world sandbox where you can move through authentic “deep-snow backcountry” terrain, sled custom courses, and play with others in online competitive and co-op modes.
If opinions from the fans are what matters, well, Sledders definitely has something special: 96% positive reviews on Steam out of 2,960 total—enough to earn a coveted “overwhelmingly positive” overall rating.
Per the devs, it’s designed to appeal to those who want an in-depth deep powder snow-riding experience. To appeal to “ditch bangers, snow crossers, tricksters, trail riders, and all!”
Tooling around with it reveals some real skills to learn if you don’t already know how to do it: You have to shift your rider’s weight to move, counter-steer with the machine’s skis, and turn while controlling the throttle to make good progress, let alone beat your friends to the top of a mountain in an impromptu race, or even weave between trees competently.
Sledders also has official tie-ins, with real-world snowmobiles from Ski-Doo, Lynx, and Polaris. It clearly draws in that crowd, too—a trip through discussion threads and forums will be littered with inside lingo and jokes about famous skimobilers (that’s “sledders” to themselves).
Developer Hanki Games says that they’re “not done yet” with the game: “This is just the start. We’re excited to keep growing Sledders, adding more features, and making this the best snowmobiling game possible.”