Angry Birds, The Upcoming PSP Game That Might Be a Movie

From iPhone to PlayStation Portable to the big screen, Angry Birds...well wait a second, just what the heck is Angry Birds?


I'd never heard of it until publisher Chillingo's press release hit my mailbox yesterday morning, and then I only gave it half a glance. The only angry birds I'm familiar with like to dive bomb my skull from perches on power lines as I'm jogging by. They chitter and menace, launch into the air, then hover behind me, cleverly interposed between my body and the sun.


But no, these Angry Birds look more like someone's geometry doodles, all different shapes and sizes, daubed in different primary colors, but united by at least one imperative: They're mad as hell, and you know how the rest goes.


If you're one of the 6.5 million (yep, 6.5 million) who've downloaded the game from Apple's iPhone/iPad store, you already know about these apoplectic avians and their crusade against packs of egg-purloining green pigs.





The game works like this: You launch pudgy feathered birds from giant catapults at squads of green pigs hunkered in destructible structures that look like houses, castles, trains, and more. Each bird has unique special abilities, such as splitting into three just before impact, or kicking in thrusters mid-arc to do more damage. Everything's linked by basic object physics, providing the impetus for the gameplay--where to strike for maximum effect.


And this fall it's slated to hit the PlayStation Store as a PlayStation 'mini', basically a smaller-sized, less expensive downloadable PSP or PSP Go game. The 'mini' version will actually be the 'maxi' version, including four worlds with over 120 levels, a new world (called "the big set up"), an unlockable golden egg world, and a new "big brother bird capable of massive destruction."


"Angry Birds' addictive gameplay, amusing antics and phenomenal record-breaking popularity will bring an unparalleled experience as a minis title," said Chillingo head of publishing Johnny Coghlan in a press statement. "The game's mass consumer appeal will surely entertain fans of all ages for hours."


Hours? How about days? Weeks? Years even? Because according to Variety, Chillingo's founders have been "making the rounds of the studios and tenpercenteries over the last several weeks weighing which ancillary offers to move forward with first." Meaning: TV shows, movies, toys, comics, and who knows what else.


In any event, a friendly word of advice: If you ever encounter an angry bird while out for a run, never ever fling a handful of gravel at it.


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