As The Angry Birds Movie prepares to fly into theaters, it’s tempting to think that the Angry Birds ship has long been running out of steam and is now in serious danger of sinking. This rather safe tie-in, a wacky pinball-like game starring the movie characters, will hardly discourage this kind of opinion.
Yes, it is very much a pinball game, with the characters serving as the balls hurtling around an array of obstacle-strewn environments. As such, you will now have a very good idea of what you’re getting right from the start. Each level sets a specific objective, such as collecting or destroying a particular number of items – with a new, mildly interesting power-up occasionally thrown in.
So far, so… dull. In fact, despite the tried-and-tested gameplay, we reckon that it’s long term Angry Birds fans who stand to reap the most returns from Angry Birds Action! This is largely due to the generous number of little bonuses, many of which can be unlocked in clever fashion when gamers pair up their devices with other Angry Birds products, like the movie and Lego sets.
These extras, almost cruelly tucked away in a lot of instances, show a kind of creativity that is lacking in the core gameplay of the free-to-download Angry Birds Action! – and that’s a shame. At this autumn stage, the Angry Birds franchise needs better than a well-executed, but ultimately thoughtless, cash-in.
