Angry Birds (video game)
Physics-based puzzle game launching birds at pigs.
Angry Birds is a 2009 puzzle video game developed by Rovio Entertainment and published by Chillingo. It utilizes touchscreen interaction, where players use a slingshot to launch limbless birds at green pigs stationed in various structures, with the goal of defeating all pigs on the playing field. The game was conceived as Rovio neared bankruptcy, inspired by sketches of stylized wingless birds by designer Jaakko Iisalo and gameplay based on Crush the Castle. Originally released for mobile devices on December 11, 2009, it received critical acclaim, became a commercial success with over 50 million downloads by 2010, and spawned a media franchise including television series, films, and amusement parks.
- Developer
- Rovio Entertainment
- Publisher
- Chillingo
- Release Date
- December 11, 2009
- Platform
- Mobile devices (iOS initially)
- Genre
- Puzzle video game
- Known For
- Touchscreen slingshot gameplay, limbless birds vs. green pigs
Lore & Background
Angry Birds was developed by Rovio Entertainment, which had created 51 games prior as a work-for-hire studio. By 2009, the company had funds for only one game; development began that March with a team of 10 people. Designer Jaakko Iisalo's concept of angry-eyebrowed birds attacking color-coded structures was chosen, though initially without clear gameplay. A prototype left test players confused, so a slingshot mechanism was implemented after experimenting with other ideas. Programmer Tuomo Lehtinen created physics for slinging balls, later replaced with birds, into blocks. Chillingo contributed final polishing, including visible trajectory lines, pinch to zoom, pigs' grunts, and birds somersaulting upon landing. The pigs were inspired by the 2009 swine flu pandemic according to some, though Iisalo claims they came from his childhood drawings.
Reader's Guide
Angry Birds is considered one of the best video games of all time and was a landmark in mobile gaming, demonstrating the potential of touchscreen controls and physics-based puzzles. Its success led to a vast media franchise, including the first spinoff Bad Piggies in 2012 and a sequel Angry Birds 2 in 2015. The game was discontinued in early 2019, but a remake titled Rovio Classics: Angry Birds was released on March 31, 2022, later renamed Red's First Flight on iOS on February 23, 2023, and delisted on Android the same day. Its legacy includes influencing countless mobile games and establishing Rovio as a major developer. The game's updates added episodes like 'Poached Eggs', 'Mighty Hoax', 'Danger Above', 'The Big Setup', 'Ham 'Em High', 'Mine and Dine', 'Birdday Party', 'Surf and Turf', and 'Bad Piggies', along with features like golden eggs and the Mighty Eagle in-app purchase.
Did You Know?
- Rovio had developed over 50 games before Angry Birds.
- The game was originally released for mobile devices on December 11, 2009.
- The pigs may have been inspired by the 2009 swine flu pandemic, though designer Jaakko Iisalo claims they came from his childhood drawings.
- A remake titled Rovio Classics: Angry Birds was released on March 31, 2022.
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