If you ever though the guys and gals at Rovio would eventually run out of steam with what has become their Angry Birds franchise, you are sadly mistaken, because a long time ago (end of last week) in a galaxy far far away (Finland – it’s where Rovio Entertainment HQ is based) they announced the upcoming Angry Birds Star Wars II release. With a massively expanded roster of pig and bird related characters and a focus this time in episodes one to three, it could be a cool return for the mobile gaming gurus.
Set for release on the 19th September 2013 on the iPod Touch, iPhone, iPad, Android mobile and tablets, and Windows 8 phone it doesn’t seem to matter what smartphone you’ve got, you should be able to start firing those Angry Birds again with force powers in tow. It’ll be another 69p game on Apple devices, while it’s 89p on Android and Windows 8. However, it will also be available on Google Play for Android as a free advertisement supported version.
With more than thirty playable characters from the Star Wars universe and a massive series of levels following the storyline of The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith, Star Wars II will be the biggest Angry Birds game to-date. However, the really big news is that the latest incarnation will be the first in the series to allow you to play as both the angry birds and devious pigs.
With disturbing cries of “Join the Pork Side” the game has done what no other has ever let you do before, namely take a band of corrupt green piggies dressed as characters from the Star Wars series and send them in to victimise a flock of birds that are similarly garbed in an attempt to steel their eggs. While the conservationist and force loving inner selves rebel instantly against the very idea, the mischievous gamer side if us probably can’t wait to send those ugly pigs in to battle.
In conjunction with the announcement, Rovio has put together the introductory video below featuring the Emporker himself calling all to his arms. Incredibly, they’ve also managed to get Ian McDiarmid, who played Darth Sidius and his less mottled alter ego, Senator Palpadine, in the movies to voice the character.
New playable characters will include all the Darths, with Maul coming equipped with his legendary dual lightsabre, as well as Storm Troopers and the infamous Boba Fet. You’ll also progress through the many stages of Anakin Skywalker’s development as he goes from force infused excitable kid on Tatooine, to rebellious teen and eventual Dark Side joining, black-suited, malevolent Vader self.
Qui-Gon Jinn will also be in the mix along with the Young Obi Wan Kinobi, Mace Windu and the legendary Yoda. The game continues to feature the catapult concept that started it all with the release of Angry Birds in December 2011, whether you decide to fight Pork or for good. It looks set to be a great sequel to Angry Birds Star Wars, which was only released ten months ago at the time of writing, and a cool new continuation of the overall franchise. With the recent news that there will be further Star Wars movie released you’ve got to imagine that this won’t be the last we’ve seen of the bird and pig crossover.
