App Review No. 8 Angry Birds

Strong Points:
Innovative gameplay
Lots of levels
Great sound effects and soundtrack
A good variety of birds and pigs
Great physics
Addictive

Weak Points:
Some levels can be very frustrating
Powers make game less about skill and more about having the right power
Bonus eggs can be very difficult to find and collect

In-depth Review:

Release Dates:

World Wide: December 11, 2009

Controls:

Slide finger to aim bird and release
Tap to activate ability

For the first game in the six part Angry Birds Week special we start with the one that started it all. When Angry Birds smashed into the App Store you can be sure that it was only the birds that were angry (sorry). The idea of Angry Birds is a simple one but none the worst for it. The story of the game is that the Bad Piggies steal the Angry Birds eggs! Oh no! To get their eggs back the Birds decide to build a slingshot and fire themselves at the Bad Piggies. Well what would you do? But the Bad Piggies have plans, and defences, of their own so the Birds have to first break down the Pigs fortifications to get to them.

To make it easier, each colour of Bird has a different power:

Red: normal bird, leader of the group yet no power.

Yellow: fast bird, speeds up when the screen is touched, great against wood.

Blue: multiplier bird, splits into three when the screen is touched, great against ice.

Black: bomb bird, explodes when the screen is touched, great against stone.

White: egg bird, drops a bomb egg when the screen is touched, great against stone.

Green: boomerang bird, goes the other way when screen is touched. 

Orange: inflatable bird, inflates when the screen is touched.
Big Brother: strong bird, extra strength shot.
Mighty Eagle: premium bird, used to get highscores but costs an extra 69p.

There are 8 level packs: Poached Eggs; Mighty Hoax; Danger Above; The Big Setup; Ham 'em High; Mine and Dine; Birdday Party and Bad Piggies. There are also two more bonus packs: Redd's mighty feathers where you face off against waves of Pigs and also Surf and Turf which is just an extra level pack.

Golden Egg levels are a great feature which are unlocked as you collect golden eggs. These golden eggs are scattered around the levels and require a bird to hit them to unlock it.

Overall this is a great and simple game that started one of the greatest app franchises ever. You need to play it.

Rating: 92%

Goodbye for now, Harry

Update: 15 new classic levels have been hatched and are now ready to play. Also, there is another new power, manual targeting for Red. Thank you Rovio, I really need help aiming something that I've been aiming for years.

Update: another 30 levels hatched and this time the Pigs are scientists! Also, the Bomb Bird is now the Shockwave Bird (not as catchy). Finally, if you hit any of the three potions in certain levels interesting things will occur.

Update: happy 4th Birdday everyone! You can celebrate by popping another 15 levels worth of pigs.

Update: Angry Birds has gotten some more levels. Another 15 levels to be exact. And for which level pack? Well let's just say it's shocking!

Update:
15 brand new levels based on previous different episodes
The Super Seeds are now the Power Potion

Update:
Product(RED) update
Angry Bird's 5th Birdday - celebrate with 30 levels inspired by Angry Birds fan art

Update: 15 new levels added to Flock Favorites and the powerups Birdquake, Slingscope and Power Potion have been improved along with some added savings in the store

Update: some bugfixes for smoother slinging!

Update: 15 new levels in the Bird Day episode for the Angry Birds' 6th birthday!