Skateboarding is one of Lost Judgment’s most eye-catching additions. Much like many of the game’s new additions, however, gaining access to it isn’t as simple as playing the game until prompted with a tutorial. In previous titles from the studio, the majority of activities are already situated as icons on the map or are introduced through the main story. Skateboarding requires jumping through a few more hoops, though.
Several hours into the story, Yagami is tasked with retrieving a rare figure from a nearby pawnshop by Tsukumo. This triggers the unmissable “Skateboard Detective vs. The Reseller” side case. Because there’s only so much time before the figure is sold to someone else, Tsukumo gives Yagami an extra skateboard he had lying around. After completing the side case, Tsukumo lets you keep the skateboard. After this, you’re able to hold A on Xbox or X on PlayStation to cruise around Kamurocho or Ijincho on a board.
What about that park and those tricks you’ve seen in promotional material, though? As covered in our “how to get a girlfriend” guide, Yagami will unlock something called school stories through story progression. This series of optional miniature narratives acts as the connecting thread for most of Lost Judgment’s new activities.
After becoming the outside advisor for the mystery research club, the dance club becomes the first detour. Each subsequent school story is unlocked depending on story progression and Yagami’s leadership stats which include up to five levels for teamwork, appeal, focus, and guts. The required stats for unlocking the next activity are always able to be leveled by completing other school story activities. In other words, you don’t need to do stuff unrelated to the school stories to level Yagami’s leadership.
The skaters school story is one of the earliest unlocks, so players shouldn’t have to wait long. The skaters school story only offers an indoor skatepark at first. After completing the first few indoor challenges, the racecourses are unlocked. From this point on, players can find the skaters hanging around at East Hamakita Park at the top of the stair-set.
Interacting with Chiyoda brings up a menu for selecting park challenges, races, and a store to exchange points earned within the challenges and races for items such as alternative skateboards with different stats and gear.
