Angry Birds is one of my favorite examples of a game that can teach us. As difficult as some of the levels are, the time it takes to restart each level is minimal. This keeps the gamer from getting frustrated and quitting and allows them to quickly get back into the game and learn from their previous mistake. Failure is something we have written about before, and that is because we see it not just as character building, but one of the best ways to learn.
But it's definitely not easy, and it's full of secrets you might not be aware of. We decided to throw together this Angry Birds walkthrough guide, which covers everything from basic tips to secret goodies, to help you get the most out of Angry Birds.
The Basics
Angry Birds depicts the life-long struggle of bird-versus-pig, and its your job to catapult these kamikaze birds into the pig's towers, knocking down their houses and defeating the green swines inside.
High score
Simply killing all the birds will unlock the next level, but if you want to get the maximum three stars on each stage, you'll need to aim for some high scores.
The key to getting a high score in Angry Birds is a mixture of deadly efficiency (unused birds net you an automatic 10,000 points each) and unrelenting damage (smashed objects give off small, but quickly accumulated points).
You'll often need to use both strategies at once, though: simply using a very small number of birds might not get all three stars if you didn't make much damage.
Get physical
The iPhone packs a powerful processor that's more than capable of pumping out a pretty convincing simulation of physics. That means that offsetting balance and attacking weak points is always a more effective strategy than blindly firing at the main reinforced walls.
Plus, some materials are sturdier than others. It's no use fruitlessly bashing away at a stone wall (especially because it takes about three direct hits to finally smash one) when you could focus on the easily destructible wooden platform that's holding it up.
Assorted tips
Pinch and zoom to see the entire battlefield on one screen, so you can quickly see how far away your catapult is from the pig's base.
Every bird leaves a trail of dust behind, meaning you can replicate (or slightly deviate from) previous throws without the tedious guesswork.
You don't always have to attack from left to right: if you aim the bird high enough you can attack from above. Perfect for levels with fortified walls, but exposed roofs.
Wait until your previous bird disappears. If you hit your last bird's dazed body, your attack will be significantly dampened.
The Birds
Red
Unlocked: From beginning
Plain old projectile birds. Won't do anything when tapped, and isn't very tough either.
Blue
Unlocked: World 1, Level 10
Achievement: Split it! (10 points)
Scattershot birds dissipate into three small projectiles when the screen is tapped.
Think of these little guys like a shotgun. You can make a scattershot early to hit a good range of targets, but ideally you want to release these fellows close to the target so all three birds will smash into a small area at once. That's how you inflict the most damage.
Yellow
Unlocked: World 1, Level 16
Achievement: Speed is the Essence (10 points)
Kamikaze birds rocket at super speeds when the screen is tapped.
Despite their greatly increased velocity, they still won't do much damage to materials like stone and glass. They rip through wood like it's wet paper, though, allowing you to quickly attack enemies buried deep within a structure.
Black
Unlocked: World 2, Level 5
Achievement: Boom Boom! (10 points)
These are caustic birds that explode to create shockwaves and destroy close blocks and birds. They blow up in their own time, but if you tap you can explode them instantly.
Remember, these guys are so heavy that they'll destroy even a large chunk of stone in just one hit.
White
Unlocked: World 2, Level 14
Achievement: Mother of all Bombs (10 points)
Egg-dropping maternal birds. Tap the screen to launch an explosive egg from your backside, before firing your now deflated friend into the stratosphere. Get as low to the target as possible for maximum splash damage.
Don't forget: these enemies can still be used as classic red-styled birds if you don't tap. Useful if you just need a boring old projectile.
Boomerang
Unlocked: World 6, Level 5
Achievement: Return to Sender (10 points)
Boomerang birds turn around and fly backwards at roughly double the speed when the screen is tapped. Learning their trajectory is just a matter of patience and experience. In the right hands, though, these exotic toucans can be deadly accurate, and very powerful.
You can fire them backwards, and then quickly tap the screen to make a fast-flying bird. You'll be hard pressed to make efficient hits in this way, but it's a useful trick to keep under your belt.
Big Brother
Unlocked: World 9, Level 1
Achievement: Seeing Red (10 points)
At the time of writing, the Big Brother bird is the game’s final poultry-type, offering up enormous power. This pot bellied evolution of the classic red starter rips through wood and glass like butter, and can take out concrete without too much bother either.
He has the destructive power of the black bomb bird, just without the explosive finale. His giant size makes it tough to squeeze into tight corners, but he can wipe out entire structures just by wiping out the bottom foundations.
There’s little strategy found here: just let him loose and watch materials smash and pigs pop!
Orange
Unlocked: World 18, Level 1
Achievement: None
angry-birds-hamoween-orange-bird
This new bird was actually introduced in Angry Birds Seasons, but has since made his way to the original game. He looks like a scrawny little chap when he's sat in the catapult, but one tap of the screen unleashes his true power.
He puffs up like a self-inflating dinghy, forcibly pushing aside blocks and pigs alike. He's a little like the bomb bird but smaller (perfect for entering tight spaces) and his power is more destructive than explosive.
Look for tight openings and fire the Orange Bird right in. When he puffs up you'll dislodge the foundations, making anything above tumble to the ground.
The game will also show you the line that represents the flight from your previous bird, so you can make adjustments to angles, speeds, etc. very quickly. That kind of instant feedback is key to making an immersive experience, but also in helping your recover from the frustration of a bad shot as well. It also helps improve hand to eye (finger to eye?) coordination by allowing you to trace out a good shot, or quickly identify where you could improve.
White bird – White birds mean double trouble. Not only can they do damage when they drop their "egg bombs," they can wreck even more when they bounce and ram into structures protecting the crafty green pigs.
