The original Angry Birds game is back. Sure, there are other, newer entries in the Angry Birds franchise out there — and even a couple of movies — but this one’s for those who have a special place in their hearts for the game that started it all. In a letter to fans published last year, Rovio explained that it had to take its older titles out of circulation, because they used outdated game engines and design. “Today’s mobile technology and games landscape has evolved to a place where supporting them was untenable,” the company wrote. The developer also couldn’t leave them up without updating them, because they’ll soon be incompatible with the latest mobile operating systems.
Apparently, there was a “big outcry” for Rovio to bring back the older games, especially the original, so it decided to work on bringing the classic experiences back. The company said at the time that it has to figure out “what is possible and for which games,” so it’s unclear if other older titles will also get remakes. Rovio rebuilt the original Angry Birds from the ground up using Unity, which allowed the company to recreate the feel of the classic for newer devices. That’s a much more involved process than simply touching up older graphics or updating game mechanics.
The new version of the game called Rovio Classics: Angry Birds, is now available from the Apple App Store and from Google Play. It will set you back 99 cents to download, but it doesn’t have in-app purchases and even makes the Mighty Eagle (an old in-app purchase) available at no extra cost.