To celebrate the second birthday of Angry Birds, which was first released on the iPhone on December 10th, 2009, Rovio has released version 2.0 of its popular game, adding new menus and graphics and a series of new birthday-themed levels. Since its release in 2009, Angry Birds has become a worldwide phenomenon, spurring the creation of spin-offs and sequels on a variety of gaming platforms and eventually finding its way to Apple’s iPad with properly scaled “HD” versions. Rovio recently announced the franchise has reached over half a billion downloads, with 300 million minutes played daily across all platforms and 400 billion birds “shot” by players.
Whilst today’s update isn’t exactly the highly anticipated “Angry Birds 2”, it is version 2.0 of the original game, and as usual with software updates Rovio has made sure to include bonuses and treats to dedicated players that have enjoyed the app over the past two years. For one, all episodes are now unlocked, meaning you can pick up Angry Birds from any world inside the game and start playing through all levels (which, obviously, aren’t unlocked). Alongside the slightly reworked interface and menu graphics, Rovio has designed 15 new “birthday cake” levels, and introduced a new orange bird that can be “expanded” to destroy level elements upon touch. Last, new achievements will allow Angry Birds fans to show their dedication to the series on Game Center thanks to this birthday update.
To celebrate the “birdday”, Rovio has also announced a series of initiatives across the globe, including a special presentation by Rovio’s Peter Vesterbacka at the Apple Store in Ginza, Japan. Angry Birds 2.0 for iPhone is available now on the App Store at $0.99, and you can find the just-updated HD version for iPad here. Check out more screenshots below.
