Metacritic (PC) (63)
Metacritic (Switch) (57)
Metacritic (Xbox One) (65)
OpenCritic (61)
WellPlayed (8/10):
Comicbook.com (4/5):
The Indie Game Website (8/10):
Xbox Tavern (7.8/10, video):
COGconnected (75/100, video):
Worth Playing (7.5/10):
God is a Geek (7.5/10):
CGMagazine (7.5/5):
Windows Central (3.5/5):
Checkpoint Gaming (7/10):
FingerGuns (7/10):
Video Chums (7/10):
Bazimag (6.5/10, review in Farsi):
PC Invasion (6/10):
Digital Trends (3/5):
Destructoid (6/10, video):
XboxEra (6/10, video):
TheGamer (3/5):
The Loadout (6/10):
Noisy Pixel (6/10, video):
IGN (5/10, video):
Nintendo World Report (5/10):
Nintendo Life (5/10):
The Game Crater (5/10):
Shacknews (5/10):
Metro GameCentral (5/10):
Cultured Vultures (4/10):
Sirus Gaming (4/10):
Metacritic (Switch) (57)
Metacritic (Xbox One) (65)
OpenCritic (61)
WellPlayed (8/10):
There's something great about being able to turn on a game for one or two hours at a time and just smile and jam out. SkateBIRD gives you the chance to channel your inner Tony Hawk in the most adorable and fun five-to-seven hour arcade style experience that I've played in a while. It's a simple game about a birb trying to help out their Big Friend by skating their little heart out, what isn't there to like?
Comicbook.com (4/5):
Skatebird is the kind of game that the world can never have enough of -- complex but accessible gameplay, unique gimmicks, and a clear sense of style. While there are a few kinks that need to be ironed out or settings that can be modified, they're largely outweighed by the unabashedly silly and enjoyable experience of playing the game. Skatebird is the perfect low-stakes, high-reward game to dive into right now, and hopefully other players will soon agree.
The Indie Game Website (8/10):
My expectations going in were relatively high. I've played a lot of games that are fun on paper, and in practice they are just that. But SkateBIRD turned out to be so much more. Skating around as a bird on a little fingerboard is as fun as it sounds, and the music is pitch-perfect with a message that is on point. The real magic of the game, however, comes from its feathered characters. Coming together like a patchwork blanket, their companionship feels like pieces of a comforting whole, as they help their friend through a tough time as a little avian community. SkateBIRD is a beautiful and heartwarming game, and it's something that will stay with me for years to come.
Xbox Tavern (7.8/10, video):
Through the fun story and throwback gameplay of arcade skateboarding, SkateBIRD delivers a refreshing game. Despite some frustrating moments with the movement and controlling of skating, enjoyment can still be found.
COGconnected (75/100, video):
Admittedly, my expectations for this game were somewhat low. So long as there were birds on boards, what else could I ask for? And yet, SkateBIRD manages to capture a little of that pure boarding mana, scuffs and all. The controls may skew wide and weird at times, but isn't it only appropriate? How else would it feel to make a tiny bird steer a skateboard around its owner's room? I don't love the initially limited music selection, but I do appreciate going on the hunt for more tracks. Beyond the controls, the customization, and the music, there's a solid core of skating here. You can easily fall into a calming loop of practice and progress. While it's not perfect, SkateBIRD's cute premise and its reliable mechanics make for a pretty fun ride.
Worth Playing (7.5/10):
In the end, Skatebird is a charming but flawed game. The cute characters and strong environments are coupled with a camera system that acts haywire anytime you're near an object. The forgiving respawn system becomes brutal when you return to a spot where you're near an object that is difficult to navigate around. The sometimes-dodgy collision detection can make some quests go on longer than they should. It's still a game worth checking out, but here's hoping that some patches can elevate it into something special.
God is a Geek (7.5/10):
Whether you enjoy skateboarding games or not, there's something about SkateBIRD that you can't help but love. The soundtrack may not feature Lagwagon, Goldfinger, or Anthrax, but it's catchy all the same. The visuals aren't amazing, but it's so much fun to play. The way missions are spread out across the various skateparks is a breath of fresh air, and the gameplay is easy to get used to from the moment you get on your board. Customisation spans to boards and the way your bird dresses, giving you plenty of reasons to collect everything around you. What I'm trying to say is SkateBIRD is a simple yet satisfying skateboarding game with tons of replayability. In fact, some might say it's a hoot.
CGMagazine (7.5/5):
SkateBIRD offers a similar skating game to some classics, but with a twist that can make it fun for people who don't particularly follow the sport and its athletes. Plus, it's just cute to see a bird with a Mohawk on a skateboard.
Windows Central (3.5/5):
If you've ever desired to roleplay as a variety of avian creatures with a tendency to pull off sick tricks on four-wheeled boards, then SkateBIRD is basically your only option. This cute indie game successfully delivers a goofy skateboarding experience most of the time, but annoying and plain inconsistent movement as well as some boring level design prevent SkateBIRD from being great.
Checkpoint Gaming (7/10):
SkateBIRD is an adorable action sports game with a lot of charm and funky beats. Setting aside minor control and camera issues, the unique perspective of being a teeny bird helps bring a refreshing look to the skate game genre. From dirty cereal bowls to server cables, travelling across 5 different levels to help your human come home was enjoyable and engaging. Meeting several interesting and pun-filled birds who help you on your journey just added to the quirk and charm. Glass Bottom Games has done a commendable job making this accessible for all gamers, allowing for a unique player experience.
FingerGuns (7/10):
Is it on the level of a Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1+2? Or a Skate 3? Alas, no, but SkateBIRD successfully stands out from the crowd with a unique premise, lashings of charm and solid mechanics. It's not perfect by any means, and can often be a pretty frustrating experience, but with a plethora of menu options with which to simplify and improve that experience, it's a game that should appeal to anyone who likes their games on four wheels and a deck.
Video Chums (7/10):
SkateBIRD is a silly little indie game that does quite an impressive job of adapting familiar skateboarding gameplay to a bird-sized world. Completing its missions and finding its collectibles may be rewarding but you'd wish there was much more to it than that.
Bazimag (6.5/10, review in Farsi):
The birds and the way you can customize them to your heart's content is really cute and the design of the skating grounds which make normal everyday objects feel so huge is a really great idea that is executed well but sadly because of bad camera design and kind of sluggish controls, the core skating gameplay is not as fun as it should be.
PC Invasion (6/10):
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.
Digital Trends (3/5):
I don't believe Skatebird was made to be the best skating game ever, mainly because it's so far from earning any such achievement. Instead, Skatebird's here to be a distraction — something fun and goofy to take your mind off things. It's admittedly hard to think about paying rent or other heavy subjects when you're playing a silly little game about a silly little bird on a silly little skateboard.
If you end up buying Skatebird, don't expect it to reinvent the genre. It doesn't. But this game could have been about birds that dive underwater and explore (working title: Skubird), and as long as it brought the same charm and sense of humor, I would have enjoyed it all the same.
Destructoid (6/10, video):
It's just overall not that well executed. The physics and gameplay are not where they should be. The levels are just okay. The goals are rarely entertaining. But you're here for the birds, right? There are definitely skateboarding birds, I can guarantee they are in SkateBIRD. I'm not even being sarcastic, the birds are absolutely great. Just try to focus on that and nothing else.
XboxEra (6/10, video):
If you can see past some clunky controls and occasional awkward camera angles, there is a great little indie here. Most casual players will see everything on offer in approximately 8-12 hours. There is enough variance and content on offer between the five main areas to keep players engaged and interested. It's a fantastic achievement for a solo developer with some hands-on deck to help Megan with the audio, bird design and porting procedures. Players on Xbox have no excuse not to try it out since it's a day one launch on Game Pass. On the whole, though for a reasonable price, it's a unique take on the skateboarding genre that fans should try.
TheGamer (3/5):
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).
The Loadout (6/10):
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.
Noisy Pixel (6/10, video):
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.
IGN (5/10, video):
Skatebird is a cute and original arcade skating game supported by great music, but the skating itself is crude by modern standards, the objectives are generally uninspired, and the camera is a regular hassle. It has a lot of charm, but overall it's not really worth raven about.
Nintendo World Report (5/10):
SkateBird was a game I anticipated since I first heard about it. 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.
Nintendo Life (5/10):
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.
The Game Crater (5/10):
While SkateBIRD is a perfectly fine, and at times, fun casual skateboarding game, it is lacking the depth needed to make it perfect. Its unpolished gameplay in conjunction with its lacklustre campaign make it a hard game to recommend, especially when considering its high price point.
Shacknews (5/10):
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.
Metro GameCentral (5/10):
SkateBIRD can be entertaining if you want to see a pigeon flapping through a skatepark in a top hat, but the unpolished gameplay and poor level design lessens its charms. While it pokes gentle fun at its Tony Hawk inspirations the joke never really lands when the game's greatest achievement is simply to make you want to play Pro Skater instead.
Cultured Vultures (4/10):
Skatebird wears its heart on its feathered sleeves, and for that it deserves respect. I sincerely am looking forward to what games the developers make next, because I want to play the game that lives up to these ideas in a satisfying way. Skatebird isn't it.
Sirus Gaming (4/10):
Skatebird had potential, and I hate to drag it down, but I simply did not have an enjoyable experience with it. That's not to say there aren't bright spots here and there, such as the cute story, inviting feeling, and some fun bird customization. Not to mention the easy to pick up and play nature of Skatebird, which is great for kids and Nintendo Switch owners. However, once the novelty of being a skateboarding bird fades away, there's really not much left to the game except some frustrating mechanics, disjointed map design, and an at best mediocre Tony Hawk clone.
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