SkateBIRD Reviews
I’m not going to say “buyer beware” in regards to the Switch version of Skatebird. By all means, if you have younger gamers or Switch is your primary gaming device, then playing Skatebird on Switch will probably be just fine for you. However, if you have the option, go with the PC version of the game, especially considering that the game is coming to Xbox Game Pass next month. Even though many of its tropes are a bit played out within the genre, Skatebird is a game that knows it’s silly, and embraces it in a way that makes it fun to play (on PC).
A decent skateboarding game with an entertaining theme and quirk. The physics and visuals imperfections hold it back for sure, but there's still enough there to have a good few hours of fun.
Skatebird's rough skating mechanics are offset by its charming internet-age humor.
While SkateBIRD has plenty of frustrations, there's enough fun here to make it worth your time. Just don't expect Pro Skater levels of polish and you'll probably be fine
If you love cute birds and skateboarding, this one is for you! Grab your friends and your tiny deck and pull off some sick combos in the one and only SkateBIRD - a game about trying your best, no matter how big or small you might be.
SkateBIRD is ultimately, incredibly charming, but incredibly flawed. It's fun, when it doesn't punish you for its own shortcomings, and the that doesn't mean it's a faultless experience
SkateBIRD offers a similar experience to other skating games out there. Even if it doesn’t compete technically with the likes of EA’s Skate or challenges the skill needed for Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, I still found it fun to play. SkateBIRD won’t replace your preferred skating game, but I think it’s a good, relaxing experience to try out. Plus, you get to play with birds, and what isn’t there to love about that?
SkateBIRD is a serene and meditative experience but relies a little too heavily on nostalgia with its design while removing any real challenge. Controls hindered the opportunity to get more out of this experience, and I found my bird spent more time rolling on the ground than around on the skateboard. The mission, dialogue, and overall narrative were fun to uncover but isn’t there enough to sustain your interest after completion, essentially clipping the wings of replayability.
It isn’t that SkateBIRD is bad, there is just nothing there to make any part of it more than ok. It feels as if Glass Bottom Games spent all their energy high fiving each other over the idea of putting tiny birds on tiny boards and making real world environments into skate parks. There just wasn’t anything left in their tank to make the rest of the game as interesting.
SkateBIRD offers cute birds and chill vibes in a neat package, but inconsistent and, at times, frustrating mechanics, as well as a lack of polish, makes it difficult to really enjoy the strong audiovisual elements it brings to the table.
SkateBIRD is a fun, if flawed, experience. Charming, with a light-hearted story and a good sense of humor, there’s plenty to enjoy, even with the overly floaty feeling that hampers the controls. While it’s likely not the best skater you’ll ever play, it’s probably one of the more unique ones. I don’t think I’d really recommend it to hardcore fans of skater games, but for people looking for a casual experience you can pick up anytime and not feel too invested in, it might be worth a look.
SkateBird is a very cute, zen like skateboarding game that takes the concept of the Tony Hawk games and adds a tad bit of small bird charm to it.
SkateBIRD could have improved its physics and fixed problems that have been present since its first release. Still, the content additions that have been made and its natural charisma make it worth a few hours of gameplay.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
SkateBIRD was designed with a lot of love and it shows in its concept and writing. At its launch, it was impossible to love it even if you tried. Nevertheless, the game is proof that a life-saving patch can completely change the game.
Review in French | Read full review
Skatebird takes a great premise and even manages to package the idea into a visually pleasing package. The problem, however, is that the final execution, like a poorly calculated maneuver on a skateboard, misses the goal. Controls and movement should be the main pillars of gameplay in a skateboarding game, but the title fails precisely in these aspects, making the experience difficult and tedious. Skateboarders and bird lovers alike probably have better alternatives on the Nintendo Switch.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
SkateBIRD might sound like one of those joke titles that is played for around five minutes before being forgotten about, but what is actually here is a well thought out skating game that’s full of charm and humour. While the skate mechanics are a little rough around the edges, once I got over trying to execute each move perfectly and relaxed into the game’s casual nature, my time with it was rather fun. All things considered, if you’re after a wholesome, silly skating game, SkateBIRD does fit the bill, albeit in a rough "seagull-fighting-you-for-a-chip" kind of way.
Skatebird is a cute and original arcade skating game supported by great music, but the skating itself is crude, the objectives are boring, and the camera is a regular hassle.
A chirpy spin on the skateboarding sim genre, undermined by poor level design and frustrating gameplay.
There a lot of elements of SkateBIRD that are great. The birds are fun, as is customizing them and finding more things with which to dress them up. Their little adventure is also fun, the soundtrack is excellent, and the levels are fun miniaturized takes on the normal skatepark fare. It’s just that there is so much dragging these charming elements down, the most noticeable of which is the actual skating and the physics involved with it. SkateBIRD might be fun to experience for its premise and cuteness, but those looking for a good technical skate game experience will likely find their expectations crashing and burning frequently, much like most of my sessions with it.
In an odd way, then, Glass Bottom Games has captured the truth of the situation; contrary to its mission of cuteness, it has made a game that feels hollow-boned, caged by unflattering mechanics.