SkateBIRD

About

"Skatebird" is a single-player kids' sports game with a good plot and fantastic mechanics, where you play as a small bird skateboarding through imaginative, bird-sized parks. With simple controls and a chill low-fi soundtrack, you'll grind on straws, kickflip over office supplies, and make bird friends to help fix your Big Friend's life. The game is filled with humor and wholesome moments, providing a fun and engaging experience.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

82%

Audience ScoreBased on 450 reviews

story27 positive mentions

grinding13 negative mentions

Charming and cute aesthetic with a variety of customizable bird characters.
Fun and engaging soundtrack that enhances the overall experience.
Offers a unique twist on skateboarding mechanics with the ability to double jump and perform tricks.

Controls and physics can feel clunky and unresponsive, leading to frustrating gameplay.
Camera angles are often problematic, making navigation difficult in tight spaces.
Some missions have overly short time limits, which can be discouraging for new players.

story
138 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
75%
6%
The story of "Skatebird" is generally described as charming and whimsical, featuring a lighthearted narrative about birds helping their owner reconnect with skateboarding. While some players appreciate the humor and character interactions, others find the missions repetitive and uninspired, often feeling disconnected from the overall gameplay experience. Overall, the story is seen as a cute backdrop that enhances the game's aesthetic, but it may not be enough to compensate for the frustrating gameplay mechanics.
- “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.”
- “The story so far is cute and the dialogue between birds is fun.”
- “The story didn't appeal to me; I think I unlocked the first and almost second level and proceeded to unlock the other levels with console commands. TL;DR: I don't know the story of the game.”
- “The missions themselves 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.”
music
116 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
53%
45%
3%
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its catchy and diverse soundtrack that includes original tracks and a variety of ska and punk influences. While some players enjoy the nostalgic feel reminiscent of classic Tony Hawk games, others find certain tracks bland or generic, suggesting that players may prefer to mute the in-game music in favor of their own playlists. Overall, the soundtrack is seen as a highlight, contributing positively to the game's charm and 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!”
- “Mix in the unhinged birb dialogue and the rad indie bands rocking out in the soundtrack and you have a truly lovely package in front of you.”
- “The music is also very bland, which is a shame.”
- “However, there are some slight problems with the music; some of the tracks do sound really good, but some lyrics can be quite political, which may not sit well with everyone.”
- “Turn off the catchy music and you'll see how lazy the sound design is.”
gameplay
77 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
73%
5%
The gameplay of "Skatebird" has received mixed reviews, with many players noting its charming aesthetics and customization options but criticizing its mechanics as clunky and unpolished. While some appreciate the accessibility features and the fun of petting the bird companion, others find the controls floaty and the level design frustrating, often comparing it unfavorably to classic skateboarding games like Tony Hawk's Pro Skater. Overall, the game offers a lighthearted experience but lacks the depth and fluidity expected from a skateboarding title.
- “Accessibility win, balance mechanics can be turned off and controls rebound, so that makes things much easier.”
- “The style is genuinely cute, and the gameplay is fun and relaxing which a lot of us need these days.”
- “Customization, good music, easy to pick up but nuanced skating mechanics/controls, a story mode with a solid mix of a good message but good humor - what more could you ask for for $20?”
- “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 mechanics feel like it wants to take both bird and skating elements semi-seriously, but then falls flat on both fronts.”
- “The map design is questionable, with random trip hazards around the map, some edges looking grindable but aren't, and areas that serve no purpose in gameplay.”
humor
35 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is widely praised for its whimsical and charming nature, featuring hilarious dialogue and amusing bird characters that enhance the overall experience. Players appreciate the lighthearted puns and funny missions, although some feel that the humor can occasionally be forced or politically charged. Overall, the game's comedic elements contribute significantly to its appeal, making it a fun and entertaining choice for players looking for a lighthearted gaming experience.
- “The dialogue is hilarious.”
- “Adorable birbs, hilarious and candid dialogue, the birb characters are all just so great.”
- “This game is incredibly charming and the humor is on point.”
graphics
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
53%
37%
10%
The graphics of Skatebird are described as charming and aesthetically pleasing, with a cute art style and impressive animations, particularly for a game on the Steam Deck. However, many reviewers note that the visuals feel outdated for a 2021 release, and while the overall design is appealing, the game's optimization and graphical fidelity leave much to be desired. Despite these shortcomings, the visuals contribute positively to the game's quirky atmosphere and complement its soundtrack.
- “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 visual aesthetic pairs really well with the music for the most part, showcasing some attention to detail.”
- “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.”
- “To top it off, the rudimentary graphics are needlessly hazy.”
grinding
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding mechanics in the game to be a mixed bag, with many describing the process as tedious and unintuitive, often leading to frustrating failures due to the game's floaty controls and inconsistent responsiveness. While some enjoy the nostalgic feel reminiscent of classic skateboarding games, the overall experience can be marred by the need for precision and the inability to skip repetitive dialogue during missions. Despite these issues, players suggest that taking a more relaxed approach can enhance enjoyment.
- “If you want to 100% the game, it requires a lot of grinding, but that's not really a good thing, as it's more tedious than it should be.”
- “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.”
- “Grinding and stalling can be a pain - if you are directing yourself forward, that input will immediately register on the balance meter, causing you to bail accidentally, which feels awful in a game where you fall over a lot due to its floatiness.”
emotional
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its wholesome storyline, engaging soundtrack, and humorous dialogue, which collectively evoke feelings of nostalgia and joy. Players express a deep connection to the game, with some even experiencing tears of frustration and happiness, showcasing its ability to resonate on a personal level. Overall, it is celebrated as a touching and fun experience, particularly for bird lovers and fans of classic skateboarding games.
- “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.”
- “Cute, wholesome skatebirding experience.”
- “A lovely wholesome game.”
stability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game exhibits significant stability issues, with users reporting frequent glitches, buggy animations, and problematic camera controls that detract from the overall experience. Despite its charming concept, these technical shortcomings hinder gameplay, making it difficult to recommend 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.”
- “The game has a fun charm and cool concept but can't recommend right now with its buggy camera movements.”
- “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.”
optimization
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
60%
Overall, the game's optimization is mixed; while it runs well on lower-end PCs and offers solid technical performance, players have reported issues with clunky controls, camera stuttering, and clipping meshes that detract from the 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.”
- “[Indie vibe of craft and creativity, solid technical performance, soundtrack sets a good mood.]”
- “As an avid bird fan and ex-owner of budgies and tiels, even with my bias for birds, 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.”
replayability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
75%
The game offers some charm and decent replay value, but it lacks the level design and replayability of classic Tony Hawk titles, allowing players to complete it in just a few hours. While it serves as a fun parody of the franchise, many feel it doesn't justify its $25 price tag, though there is potential for a sequel that could enhance its replayability significantly.
- “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.”
- “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, and it would be a great, almost infinitely replayable game.”
- “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.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The character development in the game is praised for its extensive design, showcasing a variety of cute birds that possess distinct and vibrant personalities, enhancing the overall player experience.
- “The character designer is great, and the birds have huge personalities.”
- “The character designer is extensive, showcasing a variety of cute birds.”