The player controls a custom-designed character to use as their skateboarding fictional town of San Vanelona, a conjunction (in both name and appearance) of the cities: San Francisco, Vancouver and Barcelona. Similar to the HUD of the Grand Theft Auto series, skating challenges are marked on a mini-map, along with stores and subway stations that allow the player to traverse the city quickly. Skate. is focused on the player gaining sponsors and notability through photography and video of their skating skills, eventually leading up to the X Games. There are several "filming" challenges that allow the player to choose anyplace within a zone to create a line of tricks to meet the filming goals; the player can also place a session marker to return to a spot quickly after finishing a line. Several "own the spot" locations throughout the city allow the player to try to claim that spot by beating a certain score requirement, thus "owning" the spot from other skaters. Additionally, there are jam sessions and "death races" against other AI-controlled characters. Completing challenges will generally unlock new clothing and equipment items, characters, and additional challenges to compete in. Players are able to create and edit short video clips (15 to 25 seconds) at any time, selecting desired camera angles and video effects, and upload them to EA's "skate.reel" website to share with others.
Dissimilar to the Tony Hawk skateboarding series where most tricks are initiated by button presses, the player initiates tricks in skate. using the thumbsticks, pulling and pushing in various directions and combinations with other parts of the controller to launch ollies, nollies, grabs, manuals, and flip tricks. Mid-air spins, and other unique stunts are also performed in the same manner. Grinds require the player to land on an appropriate surface, with the landing type determining the type of grind that is performed. A line of tricks is generated by continuing to perform tricks without letting a multiplier meter run out. The player's avatar or equipment does not improve in attributes over the course of the game; all possible tricks are available to the player, with one goal to successfully complete each trick listed in a trick book.
Skate. allows players to freestyle or compete against other players online in jam sessions, races, S-K-A-T-E (similar to H-O-R-S-E), and Own the Spot challenges, using selected sections of the overall San Vanelona map.
