Angry Birds Facebook Game: Power-Ups and Angry Birds Friends Today

The Angry Birds Facebook game brought Rovio’s hit slingshot game to Facebook in February 2012, with power-ups and friend leaderboards. A few months later it was renamed Angry Birds Friends. This article explains how the power-ups work and where you can play Angry Birds Friends and other Angry Birds games today.

Quick answer: The Angry Birds Facebook game launched in beta in February 2012 and was officially named Angry Birds Friends in May 2012. It added four power-ups (Super Seeds, King Sling, Sling Scope and Birdquake), the Mighty Eagle and weekly tournaments against friends. Angry Birds Friends was later released on mobile, and Rovio still lists it among its games, along with Angry Birds 2 and the classic remakes.

The Angry Birds Facebook game

After smashing records as one of the most popular iPhone apps, Angry Birds spread everywhere: you could play Angry Birds online in your web browser, and in February 2012 you could play it free on Facebook with your friends, with special features. Here is Rovio’s launch trailer:

Angry Birds Facebook game power-ups

What made the Facebook version special? Power-ups that supercharge your birds for a stronger shot.

Click the lightning bolt button at the top of the screen to use up to 2 power-ups per level. The four power-ups were:

1. Super Seeds: makes the bird bigger, so it causes more damage.
2. King Sling: increases the launch speed of all your birds.
3. Sling Scope: shows the bird’s trajectory for accurate aiming.
4. Birdquake: shakes the ground to knock off pigs and collapse unstable structures.

You also compete with your friends: score the highest among them on a level and you win the gold crown. And if you call in the Mighty Eagle, you can be sure of clearing almost any level.

Free to play, with paid extras

Like other Facebook games such as FarmVille and CityVille, it asked for permission to access your basic info, share high scores and post achievements to engage your friends. It had rewards and freebies, plus options to pay for more power-ups. I was sure this would become a big business for Angry Birds.

From Angry Birds Facebook to Angry Birds Friends

In May 2012 Rovio announced that the Facebook game was officially named Angry Birds Friends and had left beta, adding a tournament mode, new weekly levels and more ways to earn power-ups. Angry Birds Friends was later released for iPhone, iPad and Android too.

Where to play Angry Birds today

• Angry Birds Friends: the weekly tournament game that grew from the Facebook version. See the game list on Rovio’s website for where to play it now.
• Angry Birds 2: Rovio’s main slingshot sequel on Android and iOS.
• Rovio Classics: Angry Birds: a remake of the original mobile game.
• Puzzle spin-offs: games such as Angry Birds Dream Blast if you prefer match puzzles.

Download Angry Birds games only from official app stores or Rovio’s site, and be wary of websites offering “free power-ups” or hacked versions.

FAQ

Is the Angry Birds Facebook game still available?

The Facebook game became Angry Birds Friends in 2012. Rovio still lists Angry Birds Friends among its games; check Rovio’s site or your app store for the current version.

What are the power-ups in Angry Birds Friends?

The original four are Super Seeds, King Sling, Sling Scope and Birdquake. You can use up to 2 per level.

What does the Mighty Eagle do?

The Mighty Eagle swoops in to destroy the pigs, helping you clear a level you are stuck on.

Is Angry Birds Friends free?

Yes, it is free to play, with optional in-game purchases for extra power-ups.