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Rovio releasing a game based on The Croods movie
Rovio has announced another game, and it's yet another surprising title from the Finish developer of Angry Birds. Rovio's first non-Angry Birds game was Amazing Alex (which was a rebranding of another developer's game), its second was the spinoff Bad Piggies, and now they're making: The Croods, a licensed title from the upcoming Dreamworks film. As you can see from the official gameplay trailer, it looks like a Farmville-style townbuilding title, though of course everything is styled after the movie (with some fun Rovio touches in the nonsensical language and a really elegant hand-drawn style). It looks like players will be able to catch pets, grow crops, and develop their own little Croods homestead, similar to a lot of other freemium management games. Rovio continues to make really interesting choices in its game development -- the company has definitely exploited the Angry Birds brand as far as it could go and then some, and Amazing Alex, while definitely not a failure, wasn't nearly as big a success as the birds and the pigs. Rovio's teamed up with a movie studio before (Twentieth Century Fox) in making Angry Birds Rio, so it's not uncommon for them to be talking to a movie studio like Dreamworks. It's worth noting, too, that while most of Rovio's big titles have been physics puzzlers, The Croods looks to be very different. We'll keep an eye out for the game on the App Store. It certainly seems like a strange next choice for Rovio to make, but given the vast success of Angry Birds, I think the company can afford to experiment a little more. Update: A previous version of this post stated Dreamworks had made the movie Rio, but that movie was produced by Twentieth Century Fox instead. The error's been fixed.
Angry Birds Toons series crash lands weekend of March 16, 17
Sure, it's a bit later than expected, but Rovio is preparing to finally unveil its Angry Birds cartoon series. Angry Birds Toons is set to premiere next month – "March 16/17" is listed in the trailer above. So what time is equidistant between March 16 and March 17? 12:01am? It'll debut sometime that weekend, the Angry Birds Twitter account says.An Angry Birds movie is also in production, with a planned release of 2016. Currently the film project has two producers attached to oversee development: executive producer David Maisel, whose work includes Iron Man, and producer John Cohen, who is best known for his work on Despicable Me.
Angry Birds Rio free for a limited time on iPhone and iPad
If there's one thing that could draw a bit of attention away from yesterday's surprise launch of Temple Run 2, it's a can't-miss deal on an Angry Birds game. In this case, it's news that both the iPhone/iPod touch and iPad versions of Angry Birds Rio -- the mash-up of Rovio's hit fowl-flinging title and Fox's 2011 CG-animated flick Rio -- are now free as the App Store's App of the Week promotion. They're normally US$0.99 and $2.99, respectively. Angry Birds Rio deviates from the core series a bit by seeing you saving animals from cages, rather than bringing architecture down on top of evil pigs. It also boasts a power-up system to make things a little more interesting via abilities such as laser targeting and super-sized birds. The free offer's only for a week, so get the game while it's hot -- or end up angry.
Angry Birds Space adds another 30 free levels
Rovio Entertainment has released version 1.4 of Angry Birds Space to the App Store. The free update is sure to make Angry Bird fans happy. Users now have another 30 levels to sling their way through as the birds find themselves in a new galaxy called "Splash" with all-new water-based planets, underseas life and pigs in boats. But it's not just new levels players can look forward to. Because the worlds are water-based, new physics are involved as you launch your birds to defeat the evil piggies. The update also adds an underwater boss and plenty of new power-ups, including Flock of Birds, a Space Egg that creates a black hole and the Pig Puffer, which expands the pigs. Angry Birds Space is US$0.99 for the iPhone and $2.99 for the iPad.
Angry Birds can't be mad at 30M downloads over Christmas week
Over 30 million people downloaded a version of Angry Birds from December 22nd through the 29th. Rovio reports eight million Angry Birds downloads went through on Christmas day alone.Rovio's most recent game, Angry Birds Star Wars, has graced the top spot on the App store since its launch in November, and was ported to Facebook just before the new year arrived. In our corner of the industry, the bird's trajectory may be more important than the ball's.
Angry Birds Star Wars force pushes its way onto Facebook
Angry Birds Star Wars is on Facebook, bringing everyone one step closer to the dark side. The Facebook version allows players to compare scores and compete against their friends, and will have five new levels each week to keep the flinging fresh.Angry Birds Star Wars has three power-ups just for the Facebook version, the Blaster Droid, Saber Sling and Thermal Detonator. It also includes the Clone Bird ability, which duplicates a bird of the player's choice. Keep in mind that Angry Birds Star Wars on mobile is fun, satisfying and clever, for the most part, and that surprised us just as much as it did you.
Apple announces the App Store's Best of 2012
Apple has posted its top picks for the entire year of 2012 in the App Store, and you can browse through all of the choices right now. On the iPhone, Action Movie FX has picked up the App of the Year award, and Ubisoft's Rayman Jungle Run has earned game of the year, with music app Figure and social word game Letterpress picking up the runner up slots. Over on the iPad, FiftyThree's Paper has won app of the year, and the spooky The Room has earned game of the year, with Action Movie FX's iPad version and Tiger Style's great Waking Mars as runner-ups there. There are also a ton of great apps listed in other various categories, and Apple has also listed the top downloaded (Angry Birds Space has nailed both top spots in paid) and top grossing apps in each category. Obviously, with any list like this, there are some favorites missing (and if you want to see TUAW's choices, follow along with our own Best of 2012 coverage). But it's definitely been a great and busy year on the App Store, and Apple's collection is chock full of very well-done apps and games for sure.
Angry Birds movie tags Despicable Me, Iron Man producers, out in 2016
The Angry Birds movie is happening. Despicable Me producer John Cohen has signed on to produce, and Iron Man executive producer David Maisel is taking the same role in Rovio's feature film. The Angry Birds movie is set to hit theaters in summer 2016, and it's fully funded and produced by Rovio outside of the standard studio system."John's an exceptionally talented producer, and we're delighted to have him join the flock," says Mikael Hed, Rovio CEO. "With John's hands-on producer background and David's expertise in establishing and running his own successful studio, these two are the dream team for making a movie outside the studio system. Both professionals have the ideal skills and vision to achieve incredible things."Rovio held meetings with Hollywood advisers in 2010 and was rumored to have sought funding to the tune of $1.2 billion in 2011 to expand its entertainment offerings. As this film takes off, keep one thing in mind: Cohen is the guy who thought 2007's Alvin and the Chipmunks was a good idea.
Angry Birds turns 3: still exists, is popular
Here at TUAW central, the third anniversary of Angry Birds caught our attention. These delightful scamps -- bird and pig -- have now been with us for the average lifespan of the mosquitofish. Admittedly, the now-elderly pigs are increasingly taking fiber supplements in addition to seeking counseling for high stress working conditions and ornithophobia. If your need for all things Angry and Birds cannot be sated by an ever-growing range of spinoffs (latest titles include Angry Bird Accountancy and Angry Bird Oral Hygiene, while fighting off the inevitable onslaught from competitors Angry Daleks, Borg Birds and Mildly Dyspeptic Angelfish), rejoice. Developer Rovio has announced John Cohen, of Despicable Me fame, will produce an Ancient Birds Angry Birds movie. David Maisel of Iron Man will produce. The dramatic tension between pigs and birds? Well, we're just waiting for the Academy Award on this one.
Daily Update for November 29, 2012
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
Angry Birds Star Wars lands on the planet Hoth
A free update for Angry Birds Star Wars adds the iconic planet Hoth to the game. Pigs – even giant mechanical ones – aren't exactly suited for the slippery ice tundras of the frozen planet. If only the Empire were capable of such slapstick, maybe the Rebels wouldn't hate them so much!
Rovio wants a billion daily active users
Angry Birds maker Rovio's head Peter Vesterbacka stood up on stage in Helsinki last week, and told the assembled crowd that his company wants to eventually have a full 1 billion daily active users. Daily active users, or DAUs, is a measure used in tabulating mobile app success, and it's often a good indicator of just how engaged people are with a given app. Most smaller apps might claim a few hundred daily active users, and a very popular app might claim a few million. But Vesterbacka says Rovio wants a billion. At that point, you're not talking about an app any more, you're talking about a brand that's competing with some of the most storied and historic brands in the world. "We want to be the first entertainment brand with 1 billion fans [using the game] every day, watching animations, using our services," said Vesterbacka. "People think of the one company people use daily, which is Coca-Cola, and that's just a soft drink. So it should be straightforward for us to get to 1 billion fans every day in the next two to three years." Straightforward? Sure, whatever. Vesterbacka also said that China has overtaken the US in terms of most Angry Birds fans playing every day. And while Rovio has been testing the waters with releases outside of the Angry Birds brand lately, Vesterbacka says that's not necessary: "We want to make Angry Birds as big as it can be and very much a part of pop culture. We don't need to do anything else." As popular as this game continues to be, that may in fact be true.
Daily Update for November 23, 2012
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
Angry Birds Star Wars now available for iOS and OS X
Rovio launched its much-anticipated Star Wars version of Angry Birds for the iPhone, iPad and Mac. The sci-fi themed edition will let you grab a lightsaber and use the force against those troublesome pigtroopers. The iPhone and iPod touch edition will set you back US$0.99, while the iPad version will sell for $2.99 from the iOS App store. Mac owners can also grab a desktop version of the app for $4.99 from the Mac App Store.
Angry Birds Star Wars adds sci-fi flavor to bird flinging, available today, we go hands-on
Finland's biggest game studio is heading back into the coop, pulling out its Angry Birds franchise for yet another go on a whole mess of platforms -- this time, even Windows 8 and its mobile counterpart get some attention. Moreover, Rovio's teamed with the folks at LucasArts (now part of the Disney family) to craft an entirely thematic experience: enter Angry Birds Star Wars. But fret not -- just because Angry Birds Star Wars seems like a shameless tie-in doesn't mean it's a bad game (it is, however, a shameless tie-in, no matter which way you cut it). In fact, it's quite good, melding pieces of Angry Birds Space -- arguably the best and most creative entry in the Angry Birds franchise -- with new gameplay elements. Rather than birds which explode or other such modifiers, post-fling, Angry Birds Star Wars equips each of several themed birds with one weapon apiece. An Obi-Wan Kenobi-themed bird uses The Force to push enemies or blocks, while a Han Solo-themed bird fires three blasts from a space pistol, just to name a few. That Angry Birds Space component is little more than gravity effects, but it helps to mix up the often redundant level design -- if you've played more than one Angry Birds game, you've seen most of what's on offer here. That isn't necessarily a bad thing, per se, but be forewarned if you're expecting the kind of innovation we saw from Rovio's last Angry Birds spinoff, Bad Piggies. Angry Birds Star Wars launches today on iOS ($0.99 / iPhone, $2.99 / iPad), Android (Free SD version, HD is $2.99), Amazon Kindle Fire, Mac ($4.99), PC, Windows Phone ($0.99), and Windows 8 ($4.99). Go after the break to check out the cinematic and gameplay trailers, along with the PR.
Angry Birds invade McDonalds in China
McDonalds is partnering with Rovio for a bit of corporate synergy – in China. Playing Angry Birds inside Chinese McDonalds restaurants will unlock special in-game power-ups and "hidden game modes" available exclusively in the fast-food establishment. In addition, patrons will have the opportunity to vote on the location to be home to a real Angry Birds slingshot across the Golden Arches sign.If you've read this far, you definitely want to hear the Angry Birds sing the McDonalds "I'm Lovin' It" song. You'll find that in the video above.
More on Angry Birds Star Wars, and location-based McD's promo in China
Rovio revealed a little while ago that a Star Wars-related Angry Birds release would be out for iOS on November 8, but since then the company has been posting various teaser videos combining the old Star Wars movies with the frustrated fowl. Leia is unimpressed with a Stormtrooper pig, the Death Star looks a little more branded and the Millenium Falcon is, well, just watch it and enjoy. I have to say I wasn't all that excited to see that Rovio was borrowing the Star Wars universe for its games. But considering all of the good will that George Lucas' setting has lost anyway, as long as the game is done with as much easygoing charm as these teasers, it might be alright. In other big Angry Birds tie-in news, Rovio has teamed up with McDonald's in China to provide some exclusive location-based content. A version of the game, only playable when near a participating restaurant in China, will feature the pigs protecting McDonald's food from the hungry birds, along with special powerups and levels. There is a TV ad floating around that combines the two brands. Rovio is obviously partnering up with some of the biggest brands in the world in an effort to push its already popular game even more towards the mainstream.
Bad Piggies gets a ... cookbook
As if our recent exploration of the Angry Birds universe didn't convey the franchise's might, here's another sign. A Bad Piggies cookbook is available. Actually, the hardcover, real-life version of Angry Birds: Bad Piggies' Egg Recipes was out for the holiday season last year, long before the Bad Piggies game was ever announced. But now that the game itself is out, Rovio has decided to take the book digital, and so you can now buy the cookbook on the iPad as an interactive app. For a limited time, the book is debuting at a price of just 99 cents, so grab it quick if you like. Rovio has reached out its Angry Birds claws into yet another merchandising realm -- where to next?
This is a Bad Piggies interactive cookbook on iPad
Rovio has revealed and released an interactive Bad Piggies cookbook app, now available on iPad at 99 cents for a limited time. Titled Bad Piggies Best Egg Recipes, the app's regular price is $4.99. That's a significant leap from the promotional offer. However, compared to the $14.99 RRP of last year's physical version from which the app is adapted, it's a significant drop.So, just in case you needed Angry Birds to invade some other part of your formerly Angry Birds-less culture, now there's an interactive cookbook. Although outside of sharing photos of your dishes on social media and setting an in-app egg timer, the interactivity is limited to pressing on the occasional illustration and seeing a brief animation. That's the same shtick early 90s CD-ROM games used, but at least it's better than just making a book digital.The app contains 41 egg recipes, graded in difficulty, with simple step-by-step instructions. You may scoff, but when you consider how many people have downloaded the Angry Birds and Bad Piggies games, the potential success of this app really is no yolk. [You're in for a real beating over this line. - Ed.]
Rovio and CERN teaming up on education: hopefully the Angry Birds help us this time [update]
The last time CERN and an angry bird met, it didn't end so well: the Large Hadron Collider overheated after a feathered creature reportedly dropped its breakfast on outdoor machinery. Things should go much more smoothly this time around, with CERN and Rovio partnering on an educational initiative that will be unveiled in full at the Frankfurt Book Fair on October 12th. Although the two are shy on just what's entailed beyond the presence of some Angry Birds material at the event, the union will mark the start of Rovio's learning brand and likely represent more in the long run than another Angry Birds Space tie-in. We're mostly wondering if subatomic physics research will explain why we still can't three-star some levels in a physics-based game. Update: Rovio and CERN announced "Angry Birds Playground" this morning, which the company describes as, "a learning program for 3- to 8-year-olds based on the Finnish National Curriculum for kindergarten." In so many words, CERN and Rovio are partnering on an educational initiative aimed at young children which employs the iconic Angry Birds characters. It's unclear whether the initiative will spawn games or books or ... what exactly, but there you have it.
