How to play SKATE with a friend anywhere (Global SKATE 101)

Everybody's played SKATE in a parking lot. Someone sets a trick, you match it or take a letter, first to spell it out loses. Global SKATE is that exact game, just played by video, so your homie doesn't have to be standing next to you.

The basic loop

1. Challenge a friend. You send them a challenge link.
2. Set a trick. You land it on film first, with one official take filmed in the app.
3. They match it. Your friend gets time to answer from their own spot, across town or across the world.
4. Miss and it's a letter. Spell S.K.A.T.E. and you're out.
5. Run it back. Hit Skate again for a rematch.

Challenge links

A challenge link is single-use and expires after 7 days. So send it to the person you actually want to play, not a group chat of forty people. If it expires, just send a new one.

You pick the clock

When you set a trick, your opponent gets one of three windows to answer:

• 24 hours
• 72 hours (the default)
• 7 days

That's the whole point of playing by video. Rain day, work shift, school, whatever. The game waits.

One take, from the app

Every attempt is filmed in the app camera. One official take, nothing from your gallery, no retakes. That's what keeps it honest, the same as when your friends are watching you in person. We break the camera down in Filming your official take.

The trick list

Games use 25 flat-ground tricks, and you can do them Regular, Switch, Fakie or Nollie. Flat ground keeps it fair: everybody has some flat somewhere, so nobody wins just because they live next to a sick park.

Who makes the call

Your opponent calls your clip, landed or not. If you disagree, you can dispute it, and a person reviews it. Software never hands out letters. It's the same deal as real life, just with a real human as backup instead of an argument that lasts all session.

One redo on your last letter

On your final letter, you get one redo. Kind of like how your friends let you have one more try when you're on E. Use it wisely.

Sharing the result

When the game's done, there's a shareable result page. Post it, send it to the group chat, or keep it quiet if you lost on a kickflip. No judgment.

Who it's for

Global SKATE is in testing on iPhone (TestFlight) and Android (Google Play testing), and it's free. It's not a feed: no followers, no likes, no open DMs. Just games with people you actually know.

Worked example: one game with a friend in another city

You and Leo grew up skating the same curb, and now he lives in another city.

1. You send Leo a challenge link. He opens it the same week, so it hasn't expired.
2. You set a kickflip in Regular. You film one official take in the app and land it.
3. You leave the window on 72 hours. Leo films his attempt on a lunch break the next day and misses. That's a letter for Leo.
4. The game keeps going until Leo is on his final letter. He gets one redo, misses that too, and spells S.K.A.T.E.
5. One clip earlier, Leo called your take a miss. You thought you rolled away clean, so you disputed it, and a person reviewed it instead of you two arguing in chat.
6. You hit Skate again for the rematch.

Picking a window that fits

• 24 hours when you both skate every day and want a fast game.
• 72 hours for a normal week with school or work in it. It's the default for a reason.
• 7 days for a friend who's traveling, injured, or only skates on weekends.

Common mistakes

• Dropping the link in a big group chat. It's single-use. Send it to the one person you want to play.
• Setting a trick you land one time in ten. You have to land it on your one take first.
• Framing that hides the landing. Your opponent calls the clip, so give them a clear view.
• Arguing in chat. If you disagree with a call, dispute it and let a person review it.

FAQ

Can I upload a clip I filmed earlier?

No. Official attempts come from the app camera only, with nothing from your gallery.

What if my friend never opens the challenge?

Challenge links expire after 7 days. Send a new one.

Do ledges and ramps count?

Games use 25 flat-ground tricks, done Regular, Switch, Fakie or Nollie.

Who decides if a trick counts?

Your opponent calls it. If you disagree, a person reviews it. Software never hands out letters.

Quick recap

• Challenge a friend, set a trick, they answer on their own time
• Links are single-use and expire after 7 days
• 24h, 72h or 7-day windows per trick
• One official take from the app camera, no gallery uploads
• 25 flat-ground tricks in Regular, Switch, Fakie or Nollie
• Your opponent calls it, a person reviews disputes
• One redo on your final letter, then "Skate again"

Who's the first friend you'd challenge? Probably the one who moved away and still talks trash.

Next: Filming your official take (and why there are no retakes)

Join the testers at skatelabs.app/testers and play a Game of SKATE with your friends. Global SKATE is free and in testing on iPhone and Android.