SkateBIRD

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"SkateBIRD" is a DRM-free game where you play as a tiny bird with a passion for skateboarding. Your goal is to bring joy to your "Big Friend" by fixing their dull life with the power of bird skating. Explore bird-sized skate parks, discover hidden mixtapes and clothing, and help other birds while skating to a chill, original soundtrack. The game encourages a lighthearted and positive attitude, with the motto "skate birds try their best."

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

83%

Audience ScoreBased on 930 reviews

story60 positive mentions

grinding32 negative mentions

Charming and cute visuals with a fun premise of skateboarding birds.
Great character customization options and a delightful soundtrack.
Offers a casual and relaxing gameplay experience, perfect for bird lovers.

Controls and physics are often clunky and unresponsive, leading to frustrating gameplay.
Camera issues can make navigation difficult and hinder the overall experience.
Missions can feel tedious and the game lacks the depth and polish of traditional skateboarding games.

story
286 mentions
21 % positive mentions
73 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
The story of "Skatebird" is described as cute and humorous, featuring whimsical dialogue and quirky bird characters on a quest to help their owner, referred to as "big friend." While many players appreciate the lighthearted narrative and the charm of the missions, some find the gameplay mechanics frustrating, with linear mission structures and time constraints detracting from the overall experience. Overall, the narrative is seen as a delightful aspect of the game, though it may not be enough to compensate for its gameplay shortcomings.
- “Skatebird is a masterpiece of skateboarding games; the story is funny and cool. This game is one big indie skateboarding game masterpiece.”
- “The story was silly and cool in the right way that made things fun and made me want to finish each mission to see the next joke and story bit.”
- “I would honestly get this game for the story alone because of how much I enjoyed it.”
- “Not quite... its controls (on keyboards) are kinda bad, the (few) levels are frustrating (they do not have the flow of old or new skate games), the story didn't appeal to me (I think I unlocked the 1st and almost 2nd level and proceeded to unlock the other levels with console commands... tl;dr: I don't know the story of the game, and played in Spanish because I didn't see cursing every 2 or 3 phrases like in English), some missions are frustrating or simply things I'm not interested to do... in general, I play this game as a casual skate game and because I like birds, disliking in the process a bunch of things about it (and I really mean a bunch of things)... that's it.”
- “The missions themselves also just feel like marking things off a checklist rather than the zany fun of Tony Hawk games.”
- “When I saw the story was about a guy who doesn't have time to skateboard anymore unlike his pet birds, I expected a narrative about growing up and dealing with your friends changing, but the birds just use their random powers to hack a computer and give him a bunch of money and now he is happy and that's it.”
music
212 mentions
51 % positive mentions
46 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising the original soundtrack and its catchy tunes, particularly in the ska and punk genres, while others find it bland or unappealing. Many players appreciate the option to unlock additional tracks and customize their listening experience, but some criticize the inclusion of certain licensed songs and political themes in the lyrics. Overall, the soundtrack is seen as a highlight for those who enjoy its style, contributing positively to the game's quirky atmosphere.
- “The soundtrack is fun to skate around to and adds to the novelty of the game.”
- “The music is amazing and I love all of the soundtracks; it honestly made me feel like I was back to playing those old Tony Hawk Pro Skater games just grinding away and getting a huge combo!”
- “This game has birbs, skateboards, and a wild soundtrack.”
- “The music is also very bland, which is a shame.”
- “Oh and just mute the in-game soundtrack, the old Tony Hawk game soundtracks are available on YouTube so just listen to that instead.”
- “Turn off the catchy music and you'll see how lazy the sound design is.”
gameplay
154 mentions
22 % positive mentions
73 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The gameplay of this skating game has received mixed reviews, with many players noting its focus on mastering tricks and maneuvers, but criticizing the clunky controls and floaty mechanics that can make it frustrating. While some appreciate the customization options and the cute aesthetic, others feel it lacks the depth and polish of classic skateboarding games like Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, leading to a gameplay experience that often feels unrefined and less enjoyable. Overall, while there are fun elements, the execution of core mechanics and level design leaves much to be desired, making it a challenging experience for both newcomers and seasoned players.
- “That said, it's still very much a skating game with a gameplay focus on mastering different tricks and maneuvers.”
- “While there are some improvements I would make to the gameplay, the reality is I got to customize a cool bird, do a couple of actually pretty sick moves (usually by accident), bail a lot, and it made me happier having played it in the end.”
- “The style is genuinely cute, and the gameplay is fun and relaxing which a lot of us need these days.”
- “Unfortunately, the controls and gameplay don't come close to actual THPS, and since this released pretty close to Pro Skater 1+2, that's extra salt in the wound.”
- “The map design is questionable, with random trip hazards around the map. Some edges look grindable but aren't, and there are just random unused areas that should be blocked off because they serve no purpose in gameplay.”
- “I'm a long-time player of Tony Hawk and other skateboarding games, and while I really love the concept and overall aesthetic, the gameplay is total trash.”
humor
80 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised for its charm and clever dialogue, featuring whimsical bird puns and funny character interactions that enhance the overall experience. While many players find the comedic elements delightful and engaging, some feel that the humor can occasionally feel forced or political, which may detract from the fun for certain audiences. Overall, the game's lighthearted tone and amusing narrative contribute significantly to its appeal, making it a recommended choice for those looking for a humorous gaming experience.
- “The dialogue is hilarious and I had a great time playing it on my stream.”
- “Adorable birbs, hilarious and candid dialogue, the birb characters are all just so great.”
- “They give you missions via humorous and whimsical text-based dialogue as the only voice acting here are bird chirps.”
graphics
58 mentions
48 % positive mentions
38 % neutral mentions
14 % negative mentions
The graphics of "Skatebird" are described as charming and aesthetically pleasing, with notable effort put into modeling the birds and creating a cute art style. However, many reviewers feel the visuals are outdated for a 2021 release, and while the overall design is appreciated, the game suffers from clunky gameplay and poor optimization. Despite its appealing aesthetics and soundtrack, some players believe that the graphics alone do not compensate for the gameplay flaws.
- “The graphics and physical movements of the bird are quite impressive, especially given this is on the Steam Deck and not my gaming laptop. Judging from past reviews, the developer has worked so hard on this game.”
- “Graphics are great! I personally love the design and character of this game.”
- “The game is definitely not breaking any new ground graphics-wise, but it looks nice, and I am pretty proud of what eventually became my classy birb.”
- “The visuals look outdated and the gameplay is clunky.”
- “Visuals: skatebird sadly doesn't look like a game released in 2021, which includes the birds.”
- “Game still manages to run poorly even with the basic graphics, so I can't even use max settings.”
grinding
32 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The grinding mechanics in the game are often criticized for being imprecise and frustrating, requiring multiple attempts to successfully navigate rails and cables. Players report that the trial-and-error nature of certain sidequests can lead to tedium, especially when compounded by awkward controls and a lack of intuitive movement. While the novelty of the game's premise is enjoyable, the overall execution of grinding can detract from the experience, making completion feel more tedious than rewarding.
- “Several of the side quests demand a trial-and-error approach that can grow tedious and frustrating more often than not - if you want every achievement you're probably looking at over a dozen hours for full completion.”
- “This is compounded by the somewhat ungainly movement and controls, especially the grinding mechanic - without intense precision it's difficult to jump onto the wire or cable you want to grind without multiple attempts.”
- “The game doesn't exactly feel the smoothest to play, getting to where you need to go for certain missions is very tedious or unintuitive with how the game controls, and the game feels like it's trying really hard to be funny with its dialogue but it just falls flat.”
emotional
24 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by its wholesome and casual vibe, evoking feelings of nostalgia and joy, particularly for fans of classic skateboarding games. Players appreciate the touching storyline, humorous dialogue, and engaging soundtrack, with some expressing strong emotional reactions, including tears of frustration and joy. Overall, it is celebrated as a fun and heartwarming experience, especially for bird lovers.
- “This game genuinely made me cry; the first hour of this game had me in tears because it wouldn't run correctly on my laptop.”
- “Definately a very fun and wholesome game that is perfect for bird lovers.”
- “A lovely wholesome game.”
stability
10 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The game suffers from significant stability issues, with numerous glitches and buggy animations reported within the first hour of play. While it has a charming concept, these technical problems, including erratic camera movements and odd controls, detract from the overall experience, leading to a lack of recommendation at this time.
- “It has been in development for at least 3 years and the game itself is pretty simple, yet I've encountered a lot of glitches within the first hour.”
- “Which basically ruins all of the effort in doing a line (which is what makes skating games fun). The animations on a lot of tricks are very buggy and/or just terribly animated.”
- “The game has a fun charm and cool concept but can't recommend right now with its buggy camera movements.”
replayability
8 mentions
25 % positive mentions
38 % neutral mentions
38 % negative mentions
The game offers some charm and decent replay value, but it lacks the depth and level design of classic Tony Hawk titles, allowing players to complete it in just a few hours. While it serves as a fun homage to the franchise, its replayability is limited, and some reviewers feel the price tag does not reflect its content. There is potential for a sequel to enhance replayability through improved mechanics.
- “I do not believe this game is worth the $25 price tag, but I do believe if the developers wanted to, they could make a sequel based more on momentum to gain speed, have a gliding mechanic, and have the top speed be like 5x faster, making it a great, almost infinitely replayable game.”
- “It had a ton of charm to it, and I definitely knew the game was going to be of the goofy kind watching the trailers and playing the beta, so I didn't expect tight controls and extreme replayability like Tony Hawk, more so a parody/love letter to that franchise.”
- “It doesn't have the replayability or level design of the old school Tony Hawk games, but it has the music, the gameplay, and the spirit.”
- “I didn't expect tight controls and extreme replayability like Tony Hawk, more so a parody/love letter to that franchise.”
- “You can 100% this game in a few hours, and there's some decent replay value.”
optimization
8 mentions
25 % positive mentions
25 % neutral mentions
50 % negative mentions
The game is generally well-optimized for PC, performing adequately even on lower-end laptops. However, players have reported significant issues with clunky controls, camera stuttering, and clipping meshes, which detract from the overall experience.
- “The game is really well optimized and fun to play on PC, even on my laptop that doesn't run many modern games too well.”
- “The optimization is impressive, especially the graphic settings.”
- “I seriously cannot get over the clunky controls, clipping meshes, and stuttering camera.”
- “The camera and controls killed it for me; I was fighting to just play the game normally without the camera stuttering and getting caught on stuff.”
- “Next is optimization, especially graphic settings.”
character development
4 mentions
50 % positive mentions
50 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Character development is highlighted by the extensive and impressive character design, with users noting that the birds possess distinct and vibrant personalities, contributing to their overall charm.
- “The character designer is great and the birds have huge personalities.”
- “The character designer is great and the birds have huge personalities.”