One of the most successful iPhone games in the phone’s short history is Angry Bird, which consistently ranks at the top of the App Store’s download ratings. The game, whilst not complex in its concept, is strangely hard to stop playing once you have started; priced at only $0.99, it is easy to see why it is so popular.
As mentioned above, the concept of the game is simple. The player controls several birds. The birds are particularly angry at a group of pigs, who stole their eggs. As the player, it is your job to fire the birds, by means of an on-screen slingshot, across the screen at the pigs. The pigs have cleverly protected themselves by hiding under walls, wood and at points (somewhat illogically) glass.
The way to complete each level is either by hitting the pigs with a bird or having the bird knock something onto a pig so that it is killed. The levels of Angry Bird get progressively harder, which means that the pigs are better protected or the path a bird may need to take to reach the pigs is more complex. Part of the appeal of the game is controlling the speed and arc that the birds fly in since feels somewhat cathartic in nature [We have a complete Angry Birds Walkthrough guide to get 3 stars on each levels].
As the game progresses, more of your bird-brethren are able to join in the missions. At first, you will only have the option of firing one bird in a line or arc. However, in subsequent levels, you will get access to birds that can fly at high speed, birds that can drop bombs and ones that can explode on demand; these are not simple songbirds.
There are a few ways of playing the game, and different ways suit different people. However, as a suggestion: the player is able to zoom in and zoom out by tapping the screen, in standard iPhone fashion. When starting the level, do not blindly fire birds at the obvious locations hoping to hit an individual pig. Instead, zoom in on the zone where your enemies are located and study them. There is often a way of killing more than one pig at once (for example by knocking a pile of rocks over). This will increase your score and, in later levels is sometimes the only way of completing the mission, because there are not enough birds given to you to hit an individual pig with each one. After you have zoomed in to study the map, however, you should zoom out again before commencing your attack because it is much easier to properly aim when viewing the map as a whole.
There are also sometimes helpful items placed around the map, such as explosive devices that can help you kill multiple enemies at once. However, be careful not to over-rely on them as they are sometimes there unnecessarily and by continually trying to explode them, you may be missing an easier way of completing the level.
If you are unable to complete a level, the creators give the player the option of purchasing (for a very small fee) an add-on called The Mighty Eagle. When used, it will complete the level. However, some view this as cheating as there is a way to complete every single level without using them; it is a game of logic, so if you are unable to complete a level, take a step back, study the map and think. In the same vein, there is some contention amongst players as to what constitutes a completed game of Angry Bird. The player, when finishing each level, will be awarded between one and three stars. The fewer birds used and the cleverer the way the level was completed, the more stars will be awarded. You can complete the game whilst receiving only one star for each level; however, some players consider it is only complete if the player repeats each level until three stars are awarded. Whether you have the time or patience to do this is another matter though.
There is no mystery over why Angry Bird is so popular. To call it addictive is perhaps an overstatement. However, it is certainly hard to stop playing once you have started, and the price alone means it is more than worth purchasing.