Flappy Bird screenshot from Amazon
In 2013, a phenomenon hit the Internet, and it was just about the only thing that people were talking about. People just couldn’t get enough of an independent game called Flappy Bird. Developed by Dong Nguyen and published through .GEAR Studios in Vietnam, the side scrolling game proved to be popular almost instantly. It also proved to be excruciatingly punishing to play, but that was really part of the appeal.
How to Play
The gameplay is very simple. You are in control of a bird that needs to fly through a maze of pipes. These pipes change on each play through, so you can’t simply memorize their locations and heights. You control the bird by tapping on the screen, but this is a bit more difficult than you might imagine at first. The character is not always as responsive as you might like, and it is very easy to make mistakes that cost your poor bird its digital life. Also, you need to make sure that you are continually tapping the screen, otherwise the bird will lost altitude and fall.
The Controversies
While Flappy Bird was a success, it did have some legitimate criticisms, and the difficulty was not among them. When you look at the game, you can see that it uses resources that are very similar – if not the same – as Super Mario Bros. In fact, it borrowed more than just some of the looks. Even the sounds are nearly identical.
Additionally, many feel that the game is simply a clone of a game released in 2011 called Piou Piou vs. Cactus, which has the same gameplay and a bird trying to fly through a field of cacti. Nguyen claims he did not know about the other game.
Regardless of these controversies, there are some things that you can’t deny. The game really is highly addictive, and it is extremely difficult. Additionally, it was a major success, and through the ads on the game was able to provide the developer with a substantial sum. In the wake of that success, it bred a number of clones that play the same.
Should You Try It?
The game doesn’t cost you a thing, and it is certainly something worth trying, even if you just want to see what all the hype was about. Don’t expect it to become your favorite game, and do expect quite a bit of frustration as you try to navigate those pipes.
Resources: Flappy Bird, .GEAR
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