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Angry Birds Star Wars II hits the App Store
Lost in all the noise about the iOS 7 launch was the fact that some pretty big games were released today, including Infinity Blade III and the latest in Rovio's beloved Angry Birds series: Angry Birds Star Wars II. In the sequel to the original Angry Birds Star Wars, this time around gamers play through levels inspired by the Star Wars prequels Episodes 1-3. However, unlike the first Angry Birds Star Wars, this time players have the option of being a baddy: The Force is strong with this one. Get ready for Angry Birds Star Wars II – the epic follow-up to the #1 smash hit game! Based on the Star Wars movie prequels, use the Force for good against the greedy Pork Federation or choose a much darker path. That's right; for the first time ever you can "Join the Pork Side" and play as the fearsome Darth Maul, Emperor Palpatine and many other favorites! Besides being able to play the big bads listed above, players will actually be able to play more than 30 Star Wars characters including Yoda, pod-racing Anakin, Mace Windu and Jango Fett. Additionally, this time around you can swap which characters are in the slingshot out at any time, so you have a choice in the order you launch them in. Angry Birds Star Wars II is a universal app for US$0.99.
Angry Birds Space gets new Cosmic Crystals update
After all these years, the birds are still angry. You can hear the cries of their swine enemies as structures fall around them in all eras, be it in the future or a galaxy far, far away. That's right guys, the Angry Birds franchise is back with a new update for Angry Birds Space. So what exact shape will your pig-destroying adventures take this round? Why just the sparkling wonder of Cosmic Crystals. Here are the details. Continue the space adventure in the Cosmic Crystals update with 35 sparkling new levels! Those Space Birds find themselves in a strange part of the galaxy with exploding crystal planets and a crazy mutant Space Pig! NEW LEVELS! 35 brand new levels, including a Space Eagle level and a big boss fight with a fearsome mutant Space Pig! NEW BREAKABLE PLANETS! Welcome to Cosmic Crystals with fragile planets that shatter and explode on impact! NEW RICHES TO DISCOVER! Sparkling mineral-rich planets filled with precious jewels and greedy Space Pigs! Angry Birds Space is available for download in the App Store for just US$0.99. Updates, as always, are free. Head over to iTunes to pick it up and kiss your productivity goodbye.
Angry Birds Star Wars adds 30 Moon of Endor levels
Rovio today has released an update to the wildly popular Angry Birds Star Wars game. The update adds a new locale -- the Forest Moon of Endor, as seen in Return of the Jedi. The saga continues on the Moon of Endor with 30 furry new levels! Help the Rebel Birds disable the Death Star's deflector shield before it's too late. Take on Stormtroopers, Speeder Bikes and two-legged AT-ST walkers in the dense forests of Endor. And look out for those loveable fur balls -- the Ewoks! Users can fight the Empire's evil forces on Endor with the help of Ewoks, by bouncing birds off Ewok drums, and, ultimately, by disabling the Death Star's deflector shield. The update also includes ToonsTV, the home of the Angry Birds cartoon series. What's especially nice about this update is the Endor levels are free instead of being a new in-app purchase. Angry Birds Star Wars is US$0.99 for iPhone and $2.99 for iPad.
Rovio teases 'Angry Birds Go' racing game in new trailer
Rovio has released a short live-action teaser trailer for the next game in its never-ending Angry Birds series. However, unlike other Angry Birds games, Angry Birds Go appears to be a go kart racing game. Though the teaser doesn't reveal much about the upcoming game, it does take the piss out of other popular gaming formats such as "runner" games like Temple Run. The teaser also reveals that Rovio is working with energy drink maker Red Bull on Angry Birds Go. Red Bull has backed several racing-style games already in the App Store. There's no release date yet for the new Angry Birds Go game, but check out the teaser trailer below to get your fix in the latest of a series that just won't die.
Daily iPad App: Cannon Crasha offers nostalgic medieval combat
Your goal in Cannon Crasha is simple: Destroy the castle on the right side of the screen while protecting the castle on the left side of the screen. There's a relatively disposable story that is designed to push you on, destroying castles and leaving rubble in your wake, but in the end it's Crasha's fantastic medieval combat and old-school aesthetic that will keep you playing. Equal parts Angry Birds and a lesser known classic, Crush The Castle, Cannon Crasha gives you one weapon to start with: a massive cannon. With each successfully aimed shot, your opponent's castle takes damage until it eventually crumbles. Of course, your computer-controlled adversary returns fire as well, and if you're not careful you could end up on the losing end. The battles start off simple, but after a while you are introduced to various cannon upgrades, additional bonus attacks like soldiers and airborne bombers, and defensive tools like customizable barriers. Your gold level controls this micro economy, with your monetary level rising each time you strike your enemy's stronghold. Cannon Crasha's old-school 16-bit design style works great on the iPad, and everything from your castle to the background environments feel both retro and extremely crisp. The same goes for the sound effects, which are basic but fit in well with the nostalgic vibe. The only real complaint I have is that at times there is almost too much stuff going on to be able to pay attention to. With bombs going off, planes and dragons filling the sky, and ground units attacking both sides it can be rather easy to forget to launch your cannon as soon as it's ready to fire. When precious seconds count, missing a well-timed cannonball can cost you a round, but managing every aspect of the battle can be very distracting. Still, this doesn't take away from the fact that Cannon Crasha is a great addition to any iPad game library and a must-have for fans of games like Angry Birds. Just be warned: You may need to grow and additional hand to keep up.
'Rovio Account' lets Angry Birds fans sync games across devices
We've all been there. You get a new device, download Angry Birds, and are outraged to discover that there is no record of your completed levels. Dismayed, you have no other choice but to start over at level 1. Sure, it's a quintessential first-world problem, but Rovio today announced a long-awaited solution to said problem. The answer is Rovio Account, a new service which lets users sync level progress across devices. Rovio Account lets you store your game progress and continue playing on another device. Some of you may have noticed a new feature in your Rovio games called Rovio Account. Our fans have been asking for a way to play their game on different phones or tablets without losing their progress when changing the device. This is exactly what Rovio Account lets you do! As it stands now, Rovio Account is only available for the original Angry Birds and The Croods, but the company notes that it will be rolling out the feature to other Angry Birds titles in the future.
Rovio Account now globally available for iOS and Android devices
What does the global rollout of Rovio Account mean for completists like us? It means that whenever we download Angry Birds to a new Android or iOS device, we can just pull down our current progress -- sparing us the chore of having to re-complete Poached Eggs, Mighty Hoax and Danger Above from scratch. So far, the option is only available on the original Angry Birds and The Croods, but the game maker has promised that the rest of its titles will be included in the near future.
Angry Birds Star Wars coming to most game consoles on October 29th (video)
Angry Birds Star Wars has invaded virtually every major mobile and desktop platform; as of October 29th, it will have a footprint on nearly every modern game console, too. The sci-fi bird flinging title will ship to the US that day for the 3DS, Wii, Wii U, PS3, PS Vita and Xbox 360, with international customers getting their turn on November 1st. Regardless of the platform, there's a few rewards for patient gamers -- the console editions will carry a raft of competitive and cooperative multiplayer modes, as well as 20 exclusive levels. We're slightly surprised that there aren't PS4 and Xbox One ports just to complete the picture, but the launch is still good news for those who'd rather play ABSW on the big screen than give its sequel a try.
Angry Birds Star Wars 2 to launch September 19th
Rovio has announced that Angry Birds Star Wars 2 will hit the App Store on September 19th. The game is a follow-up to the massively popular Angry Birds Star Wars released earlier this year (and currently the Free App of the Week). Here's what Rovio had to say about the sequel: Rovio and Lucasfilm have teamed up again to bring you even more adventures from the Angry Birds Star Wars universe! Experience the legendary story of the Star Wars prequel movies with dozens of your favorite characters with all-new powers! For the first time ever, you can even choose to "Join the Pork Side" and play as one of the villainous pigs! Fling your favorite characters, including a young pod-racing Anakin, Mace Windu, General Grievous, Darth Maul and yes... even Jar Jar Binks! Unlock more than 30 characters in game, or scan your favorite Angry Birds Star Wars II toys directly into the game using Hasbro's amazing new TELEPODS technology! Can't wait? Check out the trailer below.
Rovio teases new Angry Birds Star Wars game
Rovio today put up a new blogpost teasing, what appears to be, a new Angry Birds Star Wars game. Attention, Angry Birds fans! Stay tuned on Monday, July 15th, for big news about a brand-new game! We're talking the biggest character line-up ever, awesome new powers and maybe even a few surprises! So why does the photo above seem to indicate a new Star Wars-themed game may be just around the corner? Well, take a look at one of the movie posters for Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace.
Daily Update for July 3, 2013
It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get all the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world. You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the inline player (requires Flash) or the non-Flash link below. To subscribe to the podcast for daily listening through iTunes, click here. No Flash? Click here to listen. Subscribe via RSS
Rovio updates original Angry Birds with 15 new levels
There's a reason why Angry Birds is the top paid iPhone app of all time. Not only is the original incarnation of everyone's favorite bird-slingin' game exceedingly fun and incredibly addictive, but also Rovio gives users their money's worth by periodically offering great new updates for free. Bear in mind that the original version of Angry Birds was released in December 2009 and Rovio is still gracing the app with new levels nearly four years later. Talk about US$0.99 going a long way. With the most recent Angry Birds update, which was released today, Rovio has implemented some new gameplay into the mix. The boring ole' red bird now has some new powers and there are also moving pigs for players to target and test their skills against. All in all, the update introduces 15 new levels. What's New in Version 3.2.0 The #1 app of all time gets a fun new update! You may be an expert pig popper, but how will you cope with a moving target? One bird stands between the egg and the advancing pig army in the all-new Red's Mighty Feathers episode. The fearless Red Bird faces wave after wave of Bad Piggies in their crazy contraptions. But wait! He now has some magic feathers from the Mighty Eagle himself – giving Red incredible new powers as he darts toward those pesky pigs at incredible speed! Fun new gameplay – the Egg Defender mode gives Red special powers to attack the advancing pigs! 15 new levels – the latest Red's Mighty Feathers episode brings fresh new challenges! 73 crazy pig contraptions – wave after wave of Bad Piggies edging closer in their wacky machines! You can check out the update over here.
Angry Birds Trilogy slingshots to Nintendo's Wii U and Wii consoles on August 13th
As if its flock of angry fowl weren't already near-ubiquitous, Rovio's today announced an August 13th release date for the Wii and Wii U versions of Angry Birds Trilogy. The Finnish company had previously committed to the two Nintendo ports earlier this year, prompted by the success of the title on the 3DS, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Rovio's not just pushing out a repackaged redo, either -- this collection bundles the original Angry Birds game with Seasons and Rio, while also adding some new levels. And given the finger-flicking origins of the franchise, gamers will be able to make use of the Wii U's GamePad for that famed asymmetric play (read: GamePad-only) and touch controls. If you haven't already exhausted your lust for flipping Rovio's birds, then the dog days of summer should see you and that Wii U making nice. Of course, by then you could also be flinging zombie-like Pikmin with reckless abandon. What's a Wii U owner to do?
Daily iPhone App: Icebreaker: A Viking Voyage is a tasty cold cut from Rovio Stars
Icebreaker: A Viking Voyage is the very first title from the Rovio Stars program, a publishing initiative from the makers of Angry Birds. The company has a whole lot of infrastructure and expertise, but not a lot of good new ideas flowing, so it's decided to publish other developers' titles, and if Icebreaker is any indication, they're going to make some good choices. Icebreaker is a really excellent puzzle game that has clearly been polished to a Rovio-level shine, and it's a perfect start for the publisher partnerships. Just like Angry Birds, Icebreaker is a casual, physics-based puzzle game, where you can cut various items in the environment by dragging your finger across them. Cut the Rope obviously used the idea of cutting in this way previously, but Icebreaker adds the ability to cut ice chunks, which then slide over each other in physics-based ways. Each level has a number of Vikings that you need to get sliding aboard a ship, and then your little hero on the ship can break up the ice (as long as it's cut small enough), free the Vikings and set sail in triumph. Icebreaker's super cute -- the little Vikings have some hilarious chatter, and sliding them around in the physics engine is tons of fun. The puzzles are clever, too: A few levels in, you'll be using the ice to create bridges, and going after optional coins to collect and treasure chests that also slide around. Despite being US$0.99 to download (or $2.99 for an HD version on the iPad), the game does have ads included in the pause screen, and there are powerups you can purchase via IAP, so Rovio isn't letting any opportunity to make money pass them by. Still, the game is great, and this is likely the start of a whole new industry for a company that's so far been propelled by what's essentially just one property. If all of the Rovio Stars title are of this quality, we'll look forward to playing all of them.
Rovio Stars says publishing was a 'logical step' for Angry Birds maker to take
The good folks at 148Apps have an interview up with Kalle Kaivola, Senior VP of Product and Publishing at Rovio, about the company's new Rovio Stars program, a publishing initiative putting out third-party titles under the Rovio banner. Kaivola says publishing was "was a pretty logical step" -- the company has extensive experience, of course, putting things out on the App Store, and sees creative titles being pitched all the time. And in a more practical sense, the company of course has a stable of successful games on the App Store already, set to be used as a platform for launching other titles as needed. Rovio Stars has already announced a few titles, two games called Icebreaker and Tiny Thief, which are set to hit the App Store soon. Kaivola says that the games Rovio Stars chooses to publish will fit the Angry Birds mold, so we won't see "FPS or survival horror titles" coming from them in the future. The Rovio Stars mark, in other words, is meant to serve as "the stamp of quality that tells the gamer that the game they are about to buy has the same level of polish, engaging gameplay and quality fun as Rovio's titles," says Kaivola.
Rovio teases Angry Birds Go! racing game
Are you ready for another Angry Birds title? Rovio thinks you are, and it's teasing "Angry Birds, but not as you know it." And we believe it: from the short teaser animation and associated imagery, it appears that this particular game will involve racing of some sort. We haven't been given any details on when to expect it, but Rovio promises more updates over the summer, suggesting either a late summer or early fall launch. Head here to check out the teaser.
A new thing to get hooked on: Angry Birds fishing gear
We always love talking about Rovio's Angry Birds franchise here at TUAW, because it was one of the first blockbuster hit games in the App Store. The franchise has grown into a worldwide phenomenon, and products ranging from Angry Birds bed sheets to soft drinks are being snapped up in stores. The latest tie-in comes from Finnish fishing gear manufacturer Rapala, with their line of Angry Birds lures and fishing rods for the budding fisherman in your family. The lures are quite cool, ranging from the "Rattlin' Red Bird" and "DT Fat Bomb Bird" to the "Skitter Pop Bad Pig." These aren't just wacky names given to standard lures -- they're actually designed to look and act like their Angry Birds counterparts, while making those fishies want to go nuts for the fish hooks. Rapala has also developed beginner fishing poles and float sets for the younger anglers in your family. Who knows? This may be just the product to get your kid out of the house away from the iPad and into the great outdoors this summer. The Angry Birds line is currently for sale in Finland and Denmark, and will hopefully make it to the rest of the world soon.
Angry Birds soda release makes for huge sales jump
Yes indeed: Angry Birds soda. A Nordic beverage company named Olvi got the rights from Rovio to make some Angry Birds-branded sugar water, and apparently it's a huge hit for them, raising the company's sales by 85 percent. Exports were especially huge, going from 3 percent of Olvi's market to a whole 20 percent, with exports focusing primarily on Spain, Norway and the UK. There's no indication that any of this drink has made it over to the United States for sale just yet, so if you have a chance to try some, you'll have to let us know how it tastes. Hopefully "eggy" isn't a word included in the description. This is far from the last we'll hear about Angry Birds merch, especially with that movie set to arrive in the next few years. You can bet that even bigger companies are looking at sales figures like this, and then lining up to make a deal with Rovio as fast as they can.
MMObility: What needs to happen to make the mobile market shine
I've recently written about what the MMO future might look like, but in case you haven't read that piece yet, I can sum it up for you. Essentially I see the new generation being so used to gaming and communicating on portable yet powerful devices that the sit-down keyboard and mouse setup might very well be doomed. Even major PC manufacturers and sellers are noticing the trend. Take a visit to your local Gamestop or equivalent game shop and you will notice that the chains have started to sell tablets as well. All of this tablet gaming might wound the current style of MMOs. I suspect that within the next decade or two it will all come full circle back to massive three-dimensional worlds on tech that becomes even more powerful and common, so we have to look at what the mobile market can do currently to keep MMOs in the lineup.
Rovio teams up with Sony for the Angry Birds movie, coming July 2016
Rovio has announced, via tweet and then by news release, that it has lined up a deal and a date with Sony Pictures to distribute the upcoming Angry Birds movie. Rovio's been working on putting the frustrated fowl into a motion picture for a while, but this announcement makes it more or less a done deal -- all that needs to happen is that it gets made. Rovio says the movie will be out in theaters on July 1, 2016. The film will be in 3D (and animated, of course). It'll be produced by Despicable Me producer John Cohen, along with David Maisel. There's no director or writer yet announced, but this isn't exactly rocket science: Odds are that there will be green pigs stealing the birds' eggs, and the birds will have to team up together in a heartwarming way to get revenge. In fact, Rovio, if you need a hand, I could punch out a treatment for you. Just let me know.
