The brilliantly conceivedSkateBIRDwas finally released in Fall 2021 to a good reception across its multiple platforms. There has been a lack of great games in the skateboarding genre in the last decade – it’s hard to believe thatSkate 3came out more than 11 years ago. SkateBIRD brings life back to this dormant genre with its own unique aesthetic and twists.
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It’s ultimately a game about trying your best, not about min-maxing every moment. There’s no particular focus on fine-tuned controls or in-depth mechanics like, say, in theTony Hawk Pro Skaterseries. What it does have, though, is lots of original spins on the skating genre that set it apart from the rest.
8"Screm" Like A Bird…
SkateBIRDfeatures lots of intentionally misspelled words referencing internet meme culture. One of these intentional misspellings is a way to get points without actually doing a trick: the Screm. Bypressing the left bumper, players get a quick 100 points and hear their bird skater make a little high-pitched scream.
It’s actually part of a mission in the first area of the game, too. Players are instructed to leave a respawn point, jump off the edge of a table, respawn themselves at their marker, and then “Screm 10 Times At The Floor.”
7…Which Strings Together Combos Without Manuals or Reverts
SkateBIRDisn’t about stringing together ridiculous combos and doing wild tricks to increase a special meter — it’s about trying one’s best. Although Manuals aren’t needed to tick up the combo multiplier, and Reverts aren’t a mechanic, the Screm button can be used torack up impressive combosinstead.
When the combo multiplier is about to run out of time and allocate a total score to the player, players canpress the Screm button to give themselves a few more seconds.It makes Combo-based challenges a lot easier, and it’s a pretty simple way to extend time and overall score.
6Ollie Twice (Double Jump)
Because players take control of a bird instead of a human, they are given a number of special abilities that only birds can pull off. One of these is the Air Ollie, which essentially serves as a double jump.
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Press the Ollie button to get into the air, then press it again at the apex of the jumpto get even higher and re-direct oneself in mid-air. If it’s done near a wall it will count as a wall jump, which can be followed with an Air Olliefor the elusiveTriple Jump.
5Get Yeeted Into The Sky, Safely
In the second level in the game, the rooftop area above Big Friend’s office, players meet a seagull who promises to catch them if they fall off the edge of the roof and into the clouds. A mischievous bird will teach the player one neat trick regarding the air vents around the rooftop.
When holding a Grab button as the player lands on an air vent, the bird will be launched off of their skateboardand sent hurtling into the sky, usuallyfar beyond the boundsof the course. No need to worry, though, as the seagull will always be there to reset the player’s position.
SkateBIRDhas its own original soundtrack with music provided by a variety of bands, with genres ranging from punk to classic jazz and everything in between. On the PC version ofSkateBIRD,though, players aren’t restricted to this playlist and can in fact load their own songs into the game.
Bygoing to the game’s installation location on their PC’s storage,players can simply drop their own MP3s to play during their next session into the music folder.
3Create-A-Birb
TheTony Hawk’s Pro Skaterseriespopularized and debuted the Create-a-Skater mechanic that has been so integral to skating games ever since.SkateBIRDhas its own version of this: Create-a-Birb. Birbs are, of course, a humorous intentional misspelling version of Bird.
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Throughout each level in the gameplayers can unlock a huge number of additional customizationsto use in Create-a-Birb. This menu can also be accessed at any time during gameplay (except during missions) as opposed toTHPSwhich forced players to exit the game first.
2Meet Referential Characters, Like A Splinter Cell Bird…
SkateBIRDis nothing without its irreverent humor and unexpected references. In the second level of the game, players quickly meetSam King,a bird heavily inspiredby Sam Fisher of theSplinter Cellseries of stealth games.
Sam King plans to break through the skylight of the rooftop with a blowtorch to get to Big Friend. His name is likely another bird reference — Sam King, Sam Fisher, combine the last names to get Kingfisher…geddit?
1…And Even Play As A Tiny Hawk
One of the funniest references in the game has to be in the Create-a-Birb screen where players are given the option to play as a Tiny Hawk. This is of courseareference to Tony Hawk,whose name is avian enough already. InSkateBIRD,the Tiny Hawk birb looks just like a miniature falcon.
There are plenty of customizations inSkateBIRDfor players to choose from, but this direct reference to the main inspiration for the game (and one of the most legendary skaters alive) is one of the most distinct.
SkateBIRDis available on Nintendo Switch and on PC.
