Who made Skate or Die?

Skate or Die was published by Electronic Arts, Konami, released in 1988.

What kind of game is Skate or Die?

Skate or Die is a action, sport game for the NES / Famicom.

Can two people play Skate or Die?

Yes. Skate or Die supports multiplayer (Multiplayer). Player 1 uses the arrow keys, player 2 uses WASD, and two USB or Bluetooth gamepads can be connected instead.

How much data does Skate or Die load?

The Skate or Die ROM is 128 kB. It is fetched once when you press play and then cached by your browser, so returning to the game does not download it again.

Which emulators can run Skate or Die?

Skate or Die runs on NES / Famicom and Nestopia UE (Accurate). You can switch between them from the emulator list further down this page if one performs better on your device.

Skate or Die Game (1988) - NES

Name: Skate or Die
Availability: InStock
Author: Electronic Arts, Konami

Action / Button	Keyboard Key
D-Pad (Up / Down / Left / Right)	`Arrow Keys`
Button A	`Z` or `J`
Button B	`X` or `K`
Button X / Turbo A	`A` or `U`
Button Y / Turbo B	`S` or `I`
Select	`Shift`
Start	`Enter`

Gamepad Input	Retro Function	Keyboard Key
D-Pad / Analog	Character Movement / Steering	`▲` `▼` `◄` `►`
Button A (East)	Primary Action / Attack / Fire	`Z` / `K`
Button B (South)	Secondary / Jump / Cancel	`X` / `J`
Button X / Y	Special / Turbo / Extra Fire	`A` / `S`
Select	Insert Coin / Select Option	`Right Shift`
Start	Game Start / Pause Game	`Enter`

Gamepad Input

Retro Function

Keyboard Key

D-Pad / Analog

Character Movement / Steering

▲ ▼ ◄ ►

Button A (East)

Primary Action / Attack / Fire

Z / K

Button B (South)

Secondary / Jump / Cancel

X / J

Button X / Y

Special / Turbo / Extra Fire

A / S

Select

Insert Coin / Select Option

Right Shift

Start

Game Start / Pause Game

Enter

Emulator Core Engine	Technology	Multiplayer	Gamepad	Touch	Ads	Action / Switch
EmulatorJS (Default WebAssembly)	`WebAssembly / JS`	YES	YES	YES	NO	▶ ACTIVE
NES / Famicom (Recommended)	`WebAssembly / Libretro`	YES	YES	YES	NO	PLAY ⚡
Nestopia UE (Accurate)	`WebAssembly / Libretro`	YES	YES	YES	NO	PLAY ⚡

Emulator Core Engine

Technology

Multiplayer

Gamepad

Touch

Ads

Action / Switch

EmulatorJS (Default WebAssembly)

WebAssembly / JS

YES

▶ ACTIVE

NES / Famicom (Recommended)

WebAssembly / Libretro

YES

PLAY ⚡

Nestopia UE (Accurate)

WebAssembly / Libretro

YES

PLAY ⚡

Skate or Die is a pioneering action sports game released for the NES in 1988 by Electronic Arts and Konami. It brings the skateboarding culture of the 1980s into your living room, letting players compete in five distinct events: the freestyle halfpipe, high jump, downhill race, downhill jam, and pool jousting. You can practice events individually or compete against friends in a full tournament.

How to Play

Your objective depends on the event: rack up points by performing tricks in the halfpipe, survive the downhill courses by avoiding obstacles, or knock your opponent off their board in the pool joust. Use the following controls to navigate Rodney Receptacle’s skate shop and dominate the events:

Gamepad control:
	Player 1:	Player 2:
↑	↑	–
↓	↓	–
←	←	–
→	→	–
A	X	–
B	Z	–
SELECT	Shift	–
START	Enter	–

Tips

Pumping in the Halfpipe: Gaining speed in the High Jump and Freestyle events is essential. Alternate pressing left and right on the directional pad as your skater moves up and down the sides of the ramp to build momentum.
Downhill Jam: While fighting your opponent is fun, prioritizing your own path and avoiding hazards like chain-link fences and trash cans is the most reliable way to reach the finish line first.
Pool Joust: Patience is key. Wait for your opponent to approach and time your bopper swings right as they enter your range, rather than swinging wildly.