SkateBIRD Reviews
I simply can’t recommend SkateBIRD. If you want a good skateboarding game, this certainly doesn’t provide that. If you want something kinda janky to laugh at, it’s not good for that either. However, if you’re curious how a skateboarding game could arguably feel worse than the first Tony Hawk Pro Skater, you can check this out for $20 on Steam. All its content will probably take about 10 hours to get through, though I can’t imagine there’s very many people that will actually make it through all of it.
I’m glad that I played SkateBIRD, and it hurts that I’ve had to give it this score. I firmly believe that as games are an art form, game developers should be trying things, even if they don’t ultimately succeed. SkateBIRD is a brilliant idea and it takes a big, heaving swing at it. Sadly, though, it’s a strikeout. However, with that being said, if the developers get another innings, I would play a SkateBIRD 2 without a moment's hesitation, and I would fully expect that the developers would deliver having had this experience.
I can't get past just how anti-fun the controls, mission design and world design are. Aesthetically it's perfect, I love it, but it seems most of the effort has gone into nailing the cute gifs and not the slick heelflips.
SkateBIRD’s attempt to create a Tony Hawk-esque style skateboarding game with birds, is largely underwhelming and struggles to impress. With unresponsive controls and a camera that seems to flip all over the place, SkateBIRD fails to provide any reasons to be worth picking up.
Skatebird had potential, and I hate to drag it down, but I simply did not have an enjoyable experience with it.
Despite its amusing concept and charming vibes, Skatebird can't get far when it actually gets on the board.
SkateBIRD is a hard sell, because this is not a very cheap title and it is not very fun. This is a rather failed attempt at being a unique title within the skateboarding genre of video games, as it fails in its controls, camera, and its extreme requirements to unlock things. It does do some things right, though, and I do have to commend it for being a funny experience despite its flaws. The music is great, the birds look amazing, and most of the parks are well designed, and this could be a worthy pickup at a discounted price. However, these poor birds have had their wings clipped, and they will not be flying off the shelf any time soon.
SkateBIRD is a fun and simple skateboarding game that instead of following the tenets of its counterparts with licensed content, rather goes for a free and comedy-filled approach to its settings, and it works very well thanks to a sharp gameplay that feels just right. Not all is perfect, however, and its camera issues can get frustrating, while its main mechanic for performing more complex moves is mostly unnecessary, but SkateBIRD does a good job at delivering a no-frills and enjoyable experience that fans of skateboarding will undoubtedly enjoy.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Although it has an innovative premise and is visually very cute, the overall experience of SkateBIRD is frustrating. The controls and camera are confusing, and the physics doesn't work as it should. It's a game with a very original concept and could be a lot of fun, but it lacked polish.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
A whimsical bird-focused take on skateboarding seemed delightful, but in execution, frustration dominated my playtime, whether it was struggling to find missions or battling with the loose controls. Charm is the saving grace that led to me having short-lived enjoyment. Overall, SkateBird is way more reminiscent of the janky but sometimes enjoyable games that came out in the wake of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater's success than the original product itself.
Skatebird would have benefited from a little more time in the nest. The game's technical problems make it hard to appreciate the positive aspects of its world. There's definitely room in the market for a more casual skateboarding game, but it needs to have the fundamentals worked out first, and Skatebird isn't there yet - though it has promise if future updates smooth out the experience considerably.
SkateBIRD is a creative addition to a genre lacking in variety, and its fun concept has clearly been realised with a lot of love. However, despite its potential, the best parts of the concept are underused, with neither the miniature skaters nor the addition of wings bringing much to excite. While the core gameplay is functional, the play feel is not fluid and the level design and laborious structure are always working against the fun. To top it off, the rudimentary graphics are needlessly hazy. More of a turkey than a pretty boy, then, unfortunately.
Players looking for a new skateboarding game may get some enjoyment out of this, but keep in mind you most certainly will find issues with the movement. If you’re willing to put up with some frustrations, there’s something here for you, but if you’re easily bothered, maybe wait for a sale.
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.
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.
A chirpy spin on the skateboarding sim genre, undermined by poor level design and frustrating gameplay.
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.
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 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 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