Given task of naming my favorite game of 2011, I have to look no further than my smartphone’s app store. Yes, I’m talking about Rovio’s Angry Birds Rio, the popular spin-off sequel to the original $0.99 blockbuster Angry Birds. Simple to play, hard to put down, and beaming with character, Angry Birds Rio reminds us that a game does not need intricate HD graphics or complex mechanics or even a hefty price tag to be enjoyable and extremely fun. Mobile gaming is currently taking the world by storm, and Angry Bird Rio stands as a perfect testament to everything that makes mobile gaming so appealing to people of all ages.
Like its predecessor, Angry Birds Rio revolves around a simple concept. The game tasks you with using an on-screen slingshot to launch a variety of colorful, animated birds – each with its own special abilities – across the sky to topple towers that are made out of blocks. As hard as it is be to believe, Angry Birds Rio packs a lot more character than the original game, thanks to its skillful use of the vibrant characters and exotic locales from DreamWorks’s CGI-animated movie Rio, which released on the big screen earlier this year. Instead of killing smelly green pigs (which was the primary goal of the original game), in Angry Birds Rio you utilize your awesome bird-launching skills to rescue the aviary protagonists of the movie.
The graphics are colorful and detailed, vividly depicting lush, green rainforests, breezy beaches, and dark, chilling airplane hangars. A major improvement over the original game, the backgrounds in Angry Birds Rio are rendered three-dimensionally, adding a newly found sense of depth to a visual style that was already beaming with style. The eye-catching graphics, coupled with simple, yet catchy tunes make this game a wonderful experience for your senses.
But perhaps the game’s most appealing attribute is its pick-up-and-play nature. Angry Birds Rio makes the perfect companion when you are riding the subway to work, waiting in line at the grocery, or simply when you need to treat yourself to a little R&R. With a simple slingshot concept that requires a single finger to execute, short levels, and a high-score achievement system, Angry Birds Rio is not only the perfect portable game but also an incredibly addicting pastime. So — all you game lovers out there, if you have not already done so, download this game now and go have fun with the birds! 