Nintendo Switch Critic Reviews

Black Bird’s strong visual and sound direction are a callback to developer Onion Games’ previous incarnation as LOVEdeLIC, but the game itself is a hardcore shoot-'em-up. Its great design demands the player learn patterns in order to chase high scores, an approach that is enjoyable for both seasoned players and those new to the genre.

Black Bird is one of the most interesting games I've played in a long time with loads of surprises all over the place.

Black Bird is stunning. It’s rare to see a project so finely tuned, so perfectly balanced, confidently paced and smartly constructed, let alone from a team whose previous work was an iOS puzzler. This is fantastic stuff. So, like I said earlier… I think I need to go download Million Onion Hotel now.

"Onion Games has done it again.” For fans of the developer, that’s pretty much all I'd have to say to convince them it’s worth it.

Black Bird is difficult, weird, and an utterly brilliant shmup you need to check out right now.

Black Bird's content is a bit on the slim side for its price, but like all quality shoot-em-ups, there's significant depth and replay value, meaning you'll be chasing that high score for hours.

Black Bird is small, but if the worst thing you can say about a game is that you want more of it, then that's quite the compliment. [Issue #37 – January/February 2019, p. 25]

What I’ve played of Black Bird I’ve enjoyed; it’s just somewhat disappointing and primarily a high score chase with some hard-to-obtain bonuses. I wish there was more to it, or at the very least that it was a little more forgiving. The style of Black Bird is masterful as the mixture of the peculiar soundtrack, dour pixel art, and elegantly simple gameplay makes for a fun yet fleeting experience. It’s just over too soon for everyone except shoot-’em-up savants.

Black Bird is a unique little shooter that only gets better as you play it more and uncover its secrets. Its vintage-style art direction is charmingly melancholy, and its strange soundtrack only adds an extra layer of quirkiness to proceedings. It’s very much a score challenge game, though, meaning players expecting a wealth of things to see and do may be left feeling underwhelmed by its meagre four stages - especially when you consider the rather high price tag. This is very much a case of quality over quantity, and as long as you’re up for repeat playthroughs, you’re in for a wonderfully bizarre treat.

Black Bird is a wonderful, sad, strange, funny, cute and bizarre shooter that can’t quite make its gameplay match the quality of everything else.