This isn't the first time for Angry Birds to make the leap toward augmented reality, but it is the first Angry Birds AR title to come to iPhones and all other Apple devices that supports ARKit.
Angry Birds AR: Isle of Pigs, coming in late spring, is the latest offshoot from Rovio's wildly popular physics-based mobile classic in which birds brawl with pigs. This time, players will fight off swines right in their living room — or kitchen, bedroom, or any place they point their camera to.
Compatible Devices
The iPhone or iPad will act as a slingshot, which is used to topple the pigs with the highly irritated birds. Angry Birds AR: Isle of Pigs is now available for preorder on the App Store, and is compatible with iOS devices that have ARKit baked in, starting with the iPhone 6s and later models, and also the fifth-generation iPad or later, plus any iPad Pro. It'll be a free app when it launches later this spring, but Rovio will be offering a bunch of microtransactions for enhanced experiences.
Angry Birds AR: Isle of Pigs shares a lot of similarities with the Oculus and Vive VR titles of the same name, for sure. However, early impressions say the new game plays more like First Person Slingshot, a Magic Leap title Rovio showed off last year. Gamers have the freedom of walking around their current space to plan their attack properly, and they can lean in close to make sure they fling their hits precisely.
Angry Birds: Isle of Pigs
Angry Birds: AR Isle of Pigs likely won't be the next Pokémon GO, Niantic's incredibly popular title on iOS and Android, but early previews reveal a game that looks more polished than it has any right to be.
Angry Birds, initially an acclaimed mobile game, has become sort of the butt of jokes in recent years due to its pervasive spread into wider pop culture discussion, having spawned a feature film in the process, even, along with a ton of merchandise. Angry Birds AR: Isle of Pigs may or may not push the Angry Birds brand further, but it at least showcases Rovio's attempt to innovate the title to greater heights.
