''SkiFree'' is a single-player

skiing Skiing is the use of skis to glide on snow. Variations of purpose include basic transport, a recreational activity, or a competitive winter sport. Many types of competitive skiing events are recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IO ...

computer game created by Chris Pirih and released with '' Microsoft Entertainment Pack 3'' for

Windows 3.0 Windows 3.0 is the third major release of Microsoft Windows, launched in 1990. It features a new graphical user interface (GUI) where applications are represented as clickable icons, as opposed to the list of file names seen in its predecesso ...

in October 1991. The player controls a skier on a mountain slope, avoiding obstacles while racing against time or performing stunts for points, depending on the game mode. ''SkiFree'' was well-received upon release, with critics focusing on its simplicity and graphics. The game was

ported In software engineering, porting is the process of adapting software for the purpose of achieving some form of execution in a computing environment that is different from the one that a given program (meant for such execution) was originally desi ...

Macintosh The Mac (known as Macintosh until 1999) is a family of personal computers designed and marketed by Apple Inc., Apple Inc. Macs are known for their ease of use and minimalist designs, and are popular among students, creative professionals, and ...

and, years later, to

Game Boy Color The (commonly abbreviated as GBC) is a handheld game console, manufactured by Nintendo, which was released in Japan on October 21, 1998 and to international markets that November. It is the successor to the Game Boy and is part of the Game ...

and

iOS iOS (formerly iPhone OS) is a mobile operating system created and developed by Apple Inc. exclusively for its hardware. It is the operating system that powers many of the company's mobile devices, including the iPhone; the term also includes ...

. Pirih also released a free, updated 32-bit Windows version after rediscovering his original

source code In computing, source code, or simply code, is any collection of code, with or without comments, written using a human-readable programming language, usually as plain text. The source code of a program is specially designed to facilitate the wo ...

. ''SkiFree'' remains popular among the gaming community and is often remembered for its

Abominable Snowman The Yeti ()"Yeti"
''

Surf'', a game included with

Microsoft Edge Microsoft Edge is a proprietary, cross-platform web browser created by Microsoft. It was first released in 2015 as part of Windows 10 and Xbox One and later ported to other platforms as a fork of Google's Chromium open-source project: Android ...

heavily inspired by ''SkiFree''. A winter skin where the player skis instead of surfs and must run from the ''SkiFree'' Abominable Snowman was added to the game in 2021.

Gameplay

''SkiFree'' is a casual single-player sports simulator wherein the player uses the keyboard or the mouse to control a

skier Skiing is the use of skis to glide on snow. Variations of purpose include basic transport, a recreational activity, or a competitive winter sport. Many types of competitive skiing events are recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IO ...

across a white background representing snow on a mountainside. The object of the game is to ski down an endless slope and avoid the obstacles (trees, stumps, dogs, etc.). The player can also opt to partake in three modes:

slalom To slalom is to zigzag between obstacles. It may refer to: Sports ;Alpine skiing and/or snowboarding * Slalom skiing, an alpine skiing and alpine snowboarding discipline * Giant slalom, an alpine skiing and alpine snowboarding discipline * Super-G ...

freestyle Freestyle may refer to: Brands * Reebok Freestyle, a women's athletic shoe * Ford Freestyle, an SUV automobile * Coca-Cola Freestyle, a vending machine * ICD Freestyle, a paintball marker * Abbott FreeStyle, a blood glucose monitor by Abbott La ...

, and tree slalom. In slalom, players must properly ski around flags in an attempt to complete the run with the shortest time possible. Tree slalom adds obstacles to the slalom run. In freestyle, players ski downhill and jump off ramps while racking up points by performing tricks. Deductions are imposed for colliding into obstacles or failing to land properly after a stunt. When the player passes the 2,000-meter mark, the Abominable Snowman appears and starts to chase the player, eating them when it catches them.

History

While ''SkiFree'' creator Chris Pirih was a student at the

University of Puget Sound The University of Puget Sound (UPS or Puget Sound) is a private university in Tacoma, Washington. The university draws approximately 2,600 students from 44 states and 16 countries. It offers 1,200 courses each year in more than 50 traditional an ...

, he wrote a

text-based game A text game or text-based game is an electronic game that uses a text-based user interface, that is, the user interface employs a set of encodable characters, such as ASCII, instead of bitmap or vector graphics. All text-based games have been ...

called ''Ski'' in Fortran for the

VAX/VMS OpenVMS, often referred to as just VMS, is a multi-user, multiprocessing and virtual memory-based operating system. It is designed to support time-sharing, batch processing, transaction processing and workstation A workstation is a special c ...

operating system An operating system (OS) is system software that manages computer hardware, software resources, and provides common services for computer programs. Time-sharing operating systems schedule tasks for efficient use of the system and may also in ...

, inspired by

Activision Activision Publishing, Inc. is an American video game publisher based in Santa Monica, California. It serves as the publishing business for its parent company, Activision Blizzard, and consists of several subsidiary studios. Activision is one o ...

Atari 2600 The Atari 2600, initially branded as the Atari Video Computer System (Atari VCS) from its release until November 1982, is a home video game console developed and produced by Atari, Inc. Released in September 1977, it popularized microprocessor- ...

game ''

Skiing Skiing is the use of skis to glide on snow. Variations of purpose include basic transport, a recreational activity, or a competitive winter sport. Many types of competitive skiing events are recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IO ...

''. Later, as a programmer for

Microsoft Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational technology corporation producing computer software, consumer electronics, personal computers, and related services headquartered at the Microsoft Redmond campus located in Redmond, Washing ...

he was writing programming utilities used in the development of software such as

Microsoft Word Microsoft Word is a word processing software developed by Microsoft. It was first released on October 25, 1983, under the name ''Multi-Tool Word'' for Xenix systems. Subsequent versions were later written for several other platforms includin ...

and

Microsoft Excel Microsoft Excel is a spreadsheet developed by Microsoft for Microsoft Windows, Windows, macOS, Android (operating system), Android and iOS. It features calculation or computation capabilities, graphing tools, pivot tables, and a macro (comp ...

. He had been focused on developing for the

OS/2 OS/2 (Operating System/2) is a series of computer operating systems, initially created by Microsoft and IBM under the leadership of IBM software designer Ed Iacobucci. As a result of a feud between the two companies over how to position OS/2 ...

operating system, but in 1991 decided to learn to write for the newly released

, and so created a new version of his skiing game in the programming language C, replacing the text-based environment with graphics. He called the game ''WinSki'', and added exploitable, fanciful elements to demonstrate the new operating system's functionality, such as staining the snow yellow after crashing into numerous dogs and certain tree stumps transforming into mushrooms when skied on backwards. VAX Ski gameplay

Although he developed it on his home computer for his own education and entertainment, ''WinSki'' attracted the attention of a program manager for the ''

Microsoft Entertainment Pack ''Microsoft Entertainment Pack'' , also known as ''Windows Entertainment Pack'' or simply ''WEP'' , is a collection of 16-bit casual computer games for Windows. There were four Entertainment Packs released between 1990 and 1992. These games w ...

'' (''MEP'') when he noticed Pirih playing it at work. At that time, the first ''MEP'' had become so successful that the ''MEP'' team was designing two more. In October 1991, Microsoft shipped ''MEP''s ''2'' and ''3'' for Windows 3.0, the latter pack containing Pirih's game renamed and marketed by Microsoft as ''SkiFree''. It was distributed on

Verbatim Verbatim means word for word. Verbatim may also refer to: * Verbatim (brand), a brand of storage media and flash memory * Verbatim (horse), an American racehorse * ''Verbatim'' (magazine), edited by Erin McKean * Verbatim theatre Documentary the ...

3.5-inch GameSampler floppy disks, bundled with packs of 10 other blank floppy disks in the early 1990s.

Ports and rereleases

Since its debut, ''SkiFree'' has seen several

ports A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as Ham ...

and rereleases. ''SkiFree'' was featured in the '' Best of Microsoft Entertainment Pack'' in 1994 and was available as a port for the

. It was also one of seven games included in the 2000

title ''Best of Microsoft Entertainment Pack''. On April 4, 2005, Pirih announced the creation and release of a 32-bit version of ''SkiFree'' on his website for

free Free may refer to: Concept * Freedom, having the ability to do something, without having to obey anyone/anything * Freethought, a position that beliefs should be formed only on the basis of logic, reason, and empiricism * Emancipate, to procur ...

, after rediscovering the game's

that year, which he had lost when he was developing a second version of the game in 1993, leading to its abandonment for other projects. In January 2013, mobile games developer GearSprout developed and released

ports of ''SkiFree'' and ''

Rodent's Revenge ''Rodent's Revenge'' is a puzzle video game created by Christopher Lee Fraley and distributed as part of '' Microsoft Entertainment Pack 2'' in 1991.About window of Rodent's Revenge, Christoper Lee Fraley, 1991 The player takes on the role of a ...

''. The company had already released ''SkeeFree'', a skiing game with identical assets. In a ''

Destructoid ''Destructoid'' is a website that was founded as a video game-focused blog in March 2006 by Yanier Gonzalez, a Cuban-American cartoonist and author. Enthusiast Gaming acquired the website in 2017, and sold it to Gamurs Group in 2022. History ' ...

'' interview with GearSprout co-founder Tommy Tornroos, he explained that the company contacted Microsoft about porting their titles, and Microsoft responded that they were "no longer claiming rights" to them. However, the ''SkiFree'' trademark was reserved by an unspecified entity, leading to the release of ''SkeeFree''. The ''SkiFree'' trademark later expired, and the name of the GearSprout game was updated as ''SkiFree'' when it was released alongside ''Rodent's Revenge''. ''SkiFree'' was included in ''The Windows 3.x Showcase'' and uploaded to the

Internet Archive The Internet Archive is an American digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It provides free public access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, software applications/games, music, ...

in February 2016, becoming the most popular item on the website within a week. In May 2020, Microsoft released '' Surf'', a surfing-themed game inspired by ''SkiFree'' into its Microsoft Edge browser, accessible by typing the special URL ''edge://surf'' on the address bar. It is also available when the browser is disconnected from the Internet, in a similar vein to the ''

Dinosaur Game The ''Dinosaur Game'' (also known as the ''Chrome Dino'') is a browser game developed by Google and built into the Google Chrome web browser. The player guides a pixelated Tyrannosaurus rex across a side-scrolling landscape, avoiding obstacl ...

'' on

Google Chrome Google Chrome is a cross-platform web browser developed by Google. It was first released in 2008 for Microsoft Windows, built with free software components from Apple WebKit and Mozilla Firefox. Versions were later released for Linux, macOS ...

. A 2021 update changed the game to depict a skier who is chased by the ''SkiFree'' Abominable Snowman instead of the game's usual kraken.

Reception

Upon release, ''SkiFree'' attained a

cult status A cult following refers to a group of fans who are highly dedicated to some person, idea, object, movement, or work, often an artist, in particular a performing artist, or an artwork in some medium. The lattermost is often called a cult classic. ...

in the PC community. In his 1992 review for ''MEP''s ''2'' and ''3'', Richard Mansfield of ''Game Player's PC Entertainment'' favorably rated them as "visually sophisticated and...entertaining" as the first ''Pack''. While ranking ''

Klotski Klotski (from pl, klocki, lit=wooden blocks) is a sliding block puzzle thought to have originated in the early 20th century. The name may refer to a specific layout of ten blocks, or in a more global sense to refer to a whole group of similar s ...

'' as the best of the packs and only noting ''SkiFree'' as a "simple skiing simulation", he recommended all of the sixteen games and praised each of them for taking advantage of effects that "show off the visual beauty that Windows can bring to a computer." In another 1992 review, Barry Simon of ''

PC Magazine ''PC Magazine'' (shortened as ''PCMag'') is an American computer magazine published by Ziff Davis. A print edition was published from 1982 to January 2009. Publication of online editions started in late 1994 and have continued to the present d ...

'' described the game's graphics as humorous and "not very extensive", and while he chose ''

Pipe Dream Pipe dream may refer to: Music * ''Pipe Dream'' (John Williamson album), 1997, or the titular song * ''Pipedream'' (Alan Hull album), 1973 * ''Pipe Dreams'' (Murray Head album), 1995 * "Pipe Dreams" (Nelly Furtado song), 2016 * ''Pipe Dream ...

'' of ''Entertainment Pack 2'' as the game to purchase as a standalone title, at a bargain of per title, he recommended both of the packs. ''

Computer Gaming World ''Computer Gaming World'' (CGW) was an American computer game magazine published between 1981 and 2006. One of the few magazines of the era to survive the video game crash of 1983, it was sold to Ziff Davis in 1993. It expanded greatly through ...

'' described the ''MEP'' franchise as providing short gaming experiences, and noted its lead in the "gaming lite" category. By September 1992, the first three ''MEP''s sold a total of over 500,000 copies. ''SkiFree'' continues to receive critical acclaim in retrospective reviews. Josh Augustine of ''

PC Gamer ''PC Gamer'' is a magazine and website founded in the United Kingdom in 1993 devoted to PC gaming and published monthly by Future plc. The magazine has several regional editions, with the UK and US editions becoming the best selling PC games ma ...

'' cited it as one of his favorite games of his childhood. Lisa Foiles of '' The Escapist'' ranked it No. 1 on its list of Top 5 Ski / Snowboard Games, calling it an "undeniable classic." ''Computer Power User'' described the game as a "

killer app In marketing terminology, a killer application (commonly shortened to killer app) is any computer program or software that is so necessary or desirable that it proves the core value of some larger technology, such as computer hardware, a video game ...

", noting that ''SkiFree'' was not particularly groundbreaking, but as one of the ''MEP 3'' titles, it "stood apart from ''

Minesweeper A minesweeper is a small warship designed to remove or detonate naval mines. Using various mechanisms intended to counter the threat posed by naval mines, minesweepers keep waterways clear for safe shipping. History The earliest known usage of ...

'' and the various card and board-game translations that dominated the software bundles." Brittany Vincent of ''PC Gamer'' characterized it as an

endless runner Endless runner or infinite runner is a subgenre of platform game in which the player character runs for an infinite amount of time while avoiding obstacles. The player's objective is to reach a high score by surviving for as long as possible. The ...

, rationalizing that ''SkiFree'' had no ending and that the course would loop to the top of the map when players reached the bottom. In another ''PC Gamer'' article highlighting the history of trees in video gaming, Matt Elliott characterized the game's trees as "mean, twisted little saplings" that threaten to ruin the player's course. Games journalist Alfie Bown described the way other popular Windows games required concentration or mental energy, playing into the operating system's reputation for usefulness and productivity. He contrasted it with the "totally anachronistic" ''SkiFree'', a more casual "subversive alternative." Retrospective reviews for ''SkiFree'' frequently focus on the obscure nature of the Abominable Snow Monster. Benj Edwards of ''PC Magazine'' rated ''SkiFree'' as the best of ''MEP 3'' because of the humorous inclusion of the Abominable Snow Monster. James Kozanitis of ''Hardcore Gamer'' rated it No. 2 on their Top 5 Yetis in Video Games list. Alec Meer of ''

Rock, Paper, Shotgun ''Rock Paper Shotgun'' (also rendered ''Rock, Paper, Shotgun''; short ''RPS'') is a UK-based website for reporting on video games, primarily for PC. Originally launched on 13 July 2007 as an independent site, ''Rock Paper Shotgun'' was acquir ...

'' opined that the Monster changed the tone of the game from being a sports game to being "the world's most dangerous sport", where the only ending condition is the Monster's devouring the skier. Vincent noted fan theories that attempt to explain the Monster's background, as well as theories on how to supposedly outrun it (apart from pressing the key to accelerate beyond the normal limits).

Notes

References

External links

"The Most Officialest SkiFree Home Page!"
– Author Chris Pirih's website * (DOS BOX / Windows 3.1 online Emulation ) {{DEFAULTSORT:Skifree 1991 video games Microsoft games Skiing video games Casual games Endless runner games Freeware games Game Boy Color games IOS games Classic Mac OS games Microsoft Entertainment Pack Single-player video games Video games developed in the United States Windows games Yeti in fiction