Browser-Based Ski Game Includes 6,000+ Real Resorts

The world of browser ski games that import real-life resorts continues to expand with a new addition, Bonvo.

Included are more than 6,000 resorts with plenty of hotspots that North American skiers will recognize, like Palisades Tahoe, Killington, and Whistler Blackcomb. 

The game itself is pretty simple. You take control of a skier (or snowboarder), pick a run, and head downhill. While there are some racing features, the most fun approach, I found, was the self-explanatory “freeride” option. In it, you ski around, ride the lifts, and otherwise behave how you might in, you know, real life (aside from skiing 120 miles per hour, of course).

Peppered throughout the resorts are jumps and cliffs and, with some airtime, I found myself hucking backflips and spins. Get too excited, and you can crash. I overshot landings, hit trees, and collided with lift towers, all bobbles that caused my little skier to ragdoll around before standing up and dusting himself off. 

It’s a basic take on skiing—this isn’t SSX On Tour—but still captures some of the thrill of ripping through the trees or down an open bowl. If you’ve played We Ski on Wii, Bonvo will feel familiar.

The resort recreations are faithful to an extent. To assess them, I ventured to the mountain I know best, Crystal, and took a ride up Chair 6. Powder Bowl looks more or less like Powder Bowl, but uncannily smooth. The general contours were there, but specific chutes and rock features were missing. I found the same to be true of Whistler’s Peak Chair. Still, I did find that I could accomplish a lifelong dream of jumping off the enormous cliff below the lift’s upper terminal. 

Bonvo is similar in many ways to Lejup, another browser-based ski game with real ski resorts. But Lejup’s cool in that you change the time of year and stop by summer ski areas, like Timberline Lodge, with the snowpack reflecting the warmer weather. 

Both options are a great way to kill some time and get the ski juices flowing. Although with snow already flying and resorts in Colorado working to kick off the season as soon as they can, you may not need help on that front.

Related: New Free Ski Game Recreates Over 25 Real-World Resorts