Angry Birds Star Wars is the best game in the series, and here is why

We've been playing Angry Birds Star Wars for a while now, just like a great number of you, guys, we suppose. Actually, let's make it clear that we've been playing the game quite a lot since the moment it was made available for download: on the bus, during our lunch break, and then later in the couch at home.

Quite honestly, we didn't think we'd stick with Rovio's latest creation for more than a few minutes, yet contrary to our expectations, we still find it hard to let go of it. In fact, we believe that this could easily be the best Angry Birds game ever made, and allow us to elaborate on what makes us say that.

Theme and visuals

For starters, Angry Birds Star Wars is a lot more than your garden variety bird-tosser. It is a successful mash-up of two highly acclaimed franchises, both of which have achieved iconic status in popular culture. And the blend between the two is well executed indeed.

As far as visuals go, things have not changed much on a fundamental level – graphics are still drawn in two dimensions and have a pronounced cartoonish feel. Yet Rovio does not really need to change the formula that won the hearts of millions of Angry Birds fans worldwide. The game is very pleasant to look at, especially since it is choke-full of Star Wars references. The looks of all birds are now based on characters from the movie: Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Chewbacca, and everyone's favorite droids C-3PO and R2-D2. In a similar fashion, the pigs depict a number of bad guys from the saga, including the ultimate villain – Darth Vaider. The backgrounds in the levels have not been overlooked either as they are now inspired by a number of Star Wars scenes.

Gameplay

In the beginning, the game feels a lot like Angry Birds – as usual, the goal is to toss the little wingless fella at the green guys and score points by smashing them to smithereens. However, what quickly spices up things quite a bit is that your birds level up and learn new tricks as the game progresses. For example, the red bird gets its own lightsaber, the yellow bird can shoot with its blaster, and the black bird is now a master of “The Force”. R2-D2 can electrocute nearby pigs, while C-3PO can shatter itself into pieces flying in all directions. Using these skills in the best way possible is the key to scoring those elusive three stars in every single one of the game's 80+ levels.

Thankfully, that isn't as easy to achieve as it may seem. Angry Birds Star Wars gets quite challenging once you reach the higher levels. Yeah, you might be able to beat them, but getting three stars could seem impossible in some stages, unless you put all your puzzle-solving skills into it. Or if nothing seems to do the trick, just call in an air strike by summoning the Mighty Falcon, although you can do that only a limited number of times. It is also worth noting that both levels on the ground and in space are available, with their own specific physics, which adds even more variety to the game.

Conclusion

Right when you though that Rovio's franchise was past its prime, Angry Birds Star Wars comes along and instantly gets us hooked once again. It is fun, silly, challenging, and made with great attention to detail. Add to all that the fusion with the Star Wars Universe and the result is possibly the most engaging game to roll out of the developer's workshop. Just go ahead and download it, if you haven't done so already – chances are you won't be disappointed. Now excuse us, we have stars to collect.

Download:

• Angry Birds Star Wars for iOS ($0.99)
• Angry Birds Star Wars for Android (Free), HD Version ($2.99)
• Angry Birds Star Wars for Windows Phone ($0.99)