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Angry Birds Stella debuts in September, is familiar, pinker
The first screen of the Angry Birds Stella spin-off series doesn't reinvent the wheel, but simply gives it a touch-up. Clearly Rovio's looking to attract a certain audience with "feisty" new heroine Stella and her "fierce" friends when the first game hits in September. On the other hand, it's not like it's overflowing with tiny dogs in handbags. "The Stella story will engage and entertain everyone," said Rovio. "It's about courage, fun and daring to be you, with a spirit of female heroism and friendship. Each character is unique and powerful in their own way but together they cause even more mischief, take adventures to new heights and prove that true friends are there for each other through every battle." IRovio also adds the game will prove a challenge for even the "most hardened" Angry Birds players. There's no news yet on other Stella entries, but a new 13-episode cartoon series is confirmed for ToonsTV and other services in November. Also expect books, the Skylanders-like Telepods accessories, and miniature Stellas in handbags by the end of the year.
Angry Birds Go! kart racer now in the App Store
There's a new dimension to the Angry Birds gaming ecosystem today, a wild kart racer title for iOS called Angry Birds Go! (free, with in-app purchases). The famous birds and pigs are now involved in a 3D downhill race in karts that range from soapbox racers to flying supercars... provided you're willing to spend a few dollars on upgrades (anywhere from US$1.99 to $49.99) or play until you're able to upgrade on sheer talent. Tired of racing as the birds? You can switch sides and be a pig, getting your revenge on for all the times you've been blown up by the flock. There are multiple racetracks, including off-road races and stunt roads, and, as in the original classic game, each character has special powers that can be invoked. Angry Birds Go! also adds Hasbro Telepods to the gaming fun. To switch characters in a race, you just place a Telepod figure on your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch (5G) camera. Guess what? Telepods are sold separately in sets ranging from $5 to $30. All in all, Angry Birds Go! looks like a lot of fun, and also looks like a potential way to spend an astonishing amount of money on upgrades and add-ons. Check out the fun in the trailer below. Oh, and by the way -- the soundtrack is available in the iTunes Store as well...
Angry Birds Go! is MarioKart with birds, arrives for free on iOS and Android December 11th
Angry Birds Go! (their emphasis, not ours) is the next big entry in the Angry Birds franchise, first teased back in June by the Finnish bird-flinging game company. The game takes the "universe" of Angry Birds and applies it to downhill cart racing; it'll even accept new karts in the form of telepods, the Skylanders-esque system first introduced in Angry Birds Star Wars 2. As the teaser shows, players employ power-ups to take their birds, pigs, and other Angry Birds characters past opponents on a variety of downhill courses. Beyond it being an entirely new genre for the Birds, the game looks dramatically prettier than other Angry Birds series entries. We'll get to see just how those fancy new graphics play out when the game arrives worldwide on December 11th for both iOS and Android devices (and we expect BB10 and WP8 too). Head below the break for the debut gameplay trailer.
Hands-on with Angry Birds Star Wars 2 and Hasbro's Telepods (video)
Rovio recently announced a sequel to its Angry Birds Star Wars game, and the Finnish company was on hand to demo its latest title here at Comic-Con. Coming to Android and iOS on September 19th (and to consoles a month later), the app features more than 30 playable characters and -- most notably -- works with Hasbro-designed "Telepods." If you've heard of Skylanders -- not to mention Hasbro's zAPPed line of add-ons for iPad games -- the concept will be quite familiar: the Angry Birds Star Wars 2 Telepods give players access to additional characters and superpowers. To get started with the Telepod figures, we simply had to place them (attached to their plastic stand) over the demo iPad's camera. The tablet recognized the characters in just a second or two, and then we were able to play with new birds and their associated abilities (hint: more explosions). Rovio's VP of marketing Philip Hickey says the Telepod collaboration with Hasbro allowed the company to make even Jar Jar Binks' character interesting -- and we have to admit, that's quite an accomplishment. The Telepods will be available in stores for about $20 shortly before game launches in September. The live-action telepods may be the upcoming title's most novel feature, but that doesn't mean the game doesn't have several software-based goodies as well. You can choose to play on the dark side ("on the pork side," as it were), and there are new two-player cooperative and two-to-four-player multiplayer modes. Be sure to check out our video hands-on after the break to see the sci-fi birds in action.
