The very first Angry Birds game was launched in December 2009. Since then, it has garnered over 100 million downloads on the Google Play Store and currently holds nearly 3 million 5-star reviews. This app is known to be one of the most entertaining games of the moment.
We have seen many other iterations of Angry Birds, but they were really just themed titles. Additional versions include Angry Birds Seasons, Space, Star Wars, Star Wars 2, Epic, Transformer, GO, Friends, and even VR. But what about the real successor to Angry Birds? It’s clearly called Angry Birds 2 and I took some time to look at it.
Is Angry Birds 2 a worthy successor to what might be the most popular mobile game out there? At least we know that it will probably be popular, as it has been downloaded over 50 million times since its inception. However, it definitely has its pros and cons, so let’s get into the details.
Gameplay:
You’ve played Angry Birds before, right? If you answered “no,” you really need to get out from under the rock you live under, as even the aging original Angry Birds counts as one of the best games today. Those annoying green pigs are back, taking all their eggs for themselves. Your goal is to collect these unborn birds by throwing birds at strangely colored structures and pigs. Just catch them before you run out of birds.
Your score will be based on performance (birds used and structure destruction), which will determine the number of stars you receive (the limit is 3). It is also possible to unlock it.
As with the previous iteration, each bird has its own specific features and abilities, which can be triggered by tapping the screen when the bird is in mid-air. The red bird punches something in front of it, the little blue bird splits into three, the white one throws an egg bomb, the yellow one can fly faster, and the new gray character can fly straight and crush his opponents.
There are 240 stages to play, so you won’t run out of fun, especially since there is now the addition of the arena, in which you can play for as long as your birds last. Users can then compare high scores with their friends and see who is the real king of the pole.
Angry Birds Vs. Angry Birds 2
You’ve probably figured out some of the differences in the new Angry Birds iteration just by looking at some of the trailers. There are a lot of them, though, so I thought it would be important to address them so you know what you’re getting into.
Choosing the order of the different birds
At the start of every level, you will have the choice between all the available birds. The game will display them in the bottom left corner. This new chapter of Angry Birds also gives more freedom in the order in which you will want to throw the different birds.
Each World has its own levels
Instead of playing a single scenario, Angry Birds 2 has multiple levels in each “World”. There are usually 2-4 areas per stage, all with different structures and pigs. So it is imperative that you choose your birds wisely and form a good strategy. The other areas of the stage do not want to run out of birds.
The Red bird has FINALLY a special capacity
The main protagonist now emits red waves (or shockwaves?) that blow up anything in front of him.
The new Grey bird
Some say it’s silver, others say it’s gray, but whichever color you prefer, one thing is certain: this bird is awesome. Just send it flying in any direction and tap the screen whenever you want… I won’t spoil its magic.
The Business Model 2 too
I thought that this change was a bit more important, so I gave its own section to the review. Rovio changed things up a lot here. Rather than asking for a one-time payment or making the game free (with ads), the developer decided to make money by leveraging the game’s currency addiction system.
They also started doing something similar with the original Angry Birds, which allows you to buy the Mighty Eagle spell for real money. Things are obviously a little different this time around, though. Let’s get into the details of how this works.
The new game Angry Birds 2 uses vegetables, which are very important. Gems can become necessary, depending on the level of difficulty or how long you play. It is very easy to run out of lives if you don’t complete your levels successfully, for example. This often starts when the levels become more difficult. Getting more lives immediately or repeating the lost game is expensive. Alternatively, you can wait 30 minutes to continue playing.
There are ways to get free gems, but you shouldn’t rely on them too much, because the free flow slows down after a while. You can free yourself by reaching your goals, watching ads and facing daily challenges. Otherwise, you want to pay real money for them.