When Ski Lifts Go Wrong

When Ski Lifts Go Wrong is a low-poly physics-based construction simulation game in which the player must construct chairlifts, gondolas, jumps and bridges to get non-playable character skiers through a snowy mountain setting.[4]

The goal is to achieve success in attempts to build strong structures within a budget.[5] Each stage begins with a landscape over a paper background, where the materials can be placed and a cable is attached to these structures.[6] The game visualises the amount of stress on each attached structure using colours so that the player knows which aspects of their construction they should improve on.[7]

Each level is completed when the player creates a working structure to carry a set number of controllable non-player character riders to the other side of the map.[8][9] In over 100 levels, riders have to be carried across safely and the map has to remain intact.[10] There are other factors in each level, such as a star rating which counts the number of stars the riders collect during the level, and a price limit which the player should stay under. A level editor is available, where players can create their own maps to play on.[11]

When Ski Lift Go Wrong was released in early access under the name Carried Away on 4 October 2017.[1][12] A downloadable content pack, titled Carried Away: Winter Sports, was released on 9 February 2018, which features new modes and enables the player to compete in different sports.[13] When Ski Lift Go Wrong was fully released on 23 January 2019 for Windows, macOS and Nintendo Switch.[3]

When Ski Lift Go Wrong has been described as a game that is "easy to pick up, but hard to master."[7] The game has been compared to Happy Wheels and Bridge Constructor.