Skatebird is a skating game developed and published by Glass Bottom Games. The game is bursting with charm and has an adorable cast of avian skaters, but its many glitches, fickle camera, and inconsistent difficulty make it hard to enjoy.
In case the name didn't give it away, Skatebird is a skating game starring a bird. The player creates their own bird using a number of character creation options, ranging from clothes, skateboards, and even the type of bird. The bird never sees their owner, as they are always busy at work, so they hatch a plan to escape from their bedroom and seek them out, in order to revive their love of skateboarding. The world of Skatebird is packed with cute birds who chatter in amusing dialogue. In terms of setting, Skatebird is a great game to explore and engage with its feathery residents.
Those expecting a range of moves on the same level as the Tony Hawk's Pro Skater games will be disappointed. The skating in Skatebird is a lot more basic, with only a few tricks available for the bird to perform. One gimmick the gameplay has is a double jump for the bird, though it doesn't add a great deal to the experience. The level and mission design is reminiscent of the Tony Hawk's Pro Skater games, with each of the skate parks being broken down into individual tasks given out by quest givers on the map, such as collecting items or racking up a high score within a limited time window. The levels themselves consist of shrunken down areas that match the size of the small feathery protagonist, turning household items and locations into obstacles, in a manner reminiscent of the Katamari Damacy or Micro Machines games, further adding to the charm of the game.
The biggest issue with Skatebird at launch is the glitches. There are constant clipping and movement issues, to the point where it's difficult to gradually move the bird at slow speeds. It's easy to get caught in the spaces between ledges and walls, with the bird flapping helplessly as it gazes out helplessly at the void. The bird feels unresponsive when turning, making it hard to gauge the amount of movement needed when performing tricks. The game also has trouble recognizing when the bird passes through a collectible, which is especially frustrating when it ruins a mission. The camera is also a nuisance in Skatebird. It has trouble following the action at times, even when the player is moving slowly. The issue often involves the camera being unable to stay in a secure position behind the bird when the player is turning, leading to the field of view moving all over the place.
Skatebird could have been a more casual and relaxed skating game, but there are some big difficulty spikes as progression occurs. The time constraints on some of the missions are extremely tight, even when using the accessibility options that slow down the pace of the game. A true casual mode that removed the timer (or greatly expanded the remaining time) would help to make the game less frustrating, especially as missions can be soured by glitches and the camera.
One positive of Skatebird is its soundtrack. A licensed soundtrack is a hallmark of the skating genre, but Skatebird is an indie game that's found a great alternative. The game makes the best of what it has access to, which includes a mix of low-fi tracks with bird noises in the background, and pop-punk tracks that wouldn't feel out of place in a major extreme sports game. The Skatebird soundtrack has some great tracks that help elevate the experience and match the tone that the game is trying to create.
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 available now for Amazon Luna, Nintendo Switch, PC, and Xbox One. Screen Rant was provided with a digital code for the Nintendo Switch version of the game for the purposes of this review.
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