Ski or Die

Ski or Die is a winter sports video game released in 1990 by Electronic Arts (EA). Rather than a traditional ski simulation, the game features five outrageous mini-games based around extreme winter sports.

Known for its quirky humor, colorful pixel art, and competitive multiplayer, the game stood out for its variety and entertainment value. Some versions even featured a digital shopkeeper voiced by comedian Rodney Dangerfield, adding a layer of offbeat charm.

History and Development of Ski or Die

Developed and published by Electronic Arts, Ski or Die was released across multiple platforms including MS-DOS, Amiga, Commodore 64, and NES. The NES version was developed by Konami and published under the Ultra Games and Palcom Software labels.

A spiritual successor to EA’s skateboarding title Skate or Die!, this game retained the arcade-style format, emphasizing tricks, high scores, and multiplayer competition. Its inclusion of winter sports offered players a fresh seasonal twist on extreme sports gameplay.

Ski or Die Gameplay Overview

Ski or Die includes five mini-games, each with its own controls and objectives. You can play them individually or compete in a full tournament:

Downhill Blitz

Race downhill dodging obstacles, leaping over chasms, and hitting moguls. Bonus points are earned for finishing under the time limit and performing tricks in mid-air.

Innertube Trash

Race opponents on inflatable tubes while throwing punches, collecting power-ups, and even popping their tubes with knives and forks.

Acro Aerials

Ski off a ramp and perform stunts in mid-air. Score big with stylish tricks like flips, splits, and spins. Precision landing is key.

Snowball Blast

A first-person snowball fight. Aim carefully and fend off waves of enemies—ranging from teens to penguins—using rapid throws and strategic targeting.

Snowboard Half-Pipe

Ride the half-pipe and perform trick combinations like grabs and spins. The more variety and clean landings, the better your score.

Closest Modern Games Like Ski or Die

While Ski or Die hasn’t received a direct sequel, its influence is seen in modern winter sports games:

SSX Tricky / SSX 3 (EA Sports Big) – High-flying snowboarding with arcade-style trick systems and personality-rich characters.

Steep (Ubisoft) – A more realistic open-world winter sports game featuring skiing, snowboarding, and wingsuiting.

Alto’s Adventure/Odyssey – Casual mobile games with endless-runner skiing and snowboarding focused on fluid movement and relaxing visuals.

Ski Stunt Simulator – A physics-based PC game focused on realistic skiing tricks, similar in spirit to Acro Aerials.

Ski or Die Walkthrough and Strategy Guide

Because of its mini-game structure, here are specific strategies per event:

Downhill Blitz

Use precise steering to avoid trees and barriers.
Hit moguls and ramps for airtime.
Execute tricks mid-air with Shift + direction keys.
Beat the 2-minute target time for bonus points.

Innertube Trash

Steer aggressively and aim for pickups.
Use fork or knife items to puncture your opponent’s tube.
Attack from behind for a better chance of contact.
Control your speed to avoid overshooting turns.

Acro Aerials

Alternate Left/Right keys before the ramp to build speed.
Perform tricks with Shift + Arrow keys during jumps.
Experiment with combos like flips and splits.
Land cleanly or lose all points for that attempt.

Snowball Blast

Use Arrow keys to aim quickly and accurately.
Target enemies closest to you first.
Save power throws for clusters of enemies.
Stay alert—some characters give higher points.

Snowboard Half-Pipe

Maintain rhythm by pressing left/right at the right times.
Use up or spacebar at the peak for jumps.
Mix up tricks to maximize points.
Watch your landings—falling cancels scores.

Ski or Die is a 1990 winter sports game by Electronic Arts for the Amiga, NES, MS-DOS and Commodore 64. It consisted of 5 minigames which could be played individually or in a set sequentially. Up to 6 players could compete against each other via hotseat in 4 of the minigames, and semi-hotseat in 1 of them(up to two players at a time).

The sports and activities depicted in the minigames are halfpipe-snowboarding, inflatable sled racing, aerial skiing, downhill skiing and snowball fights.

The DOS port featured Roland MT-32, Adlib and beeper music and sound effects and ran at 15 FPS