Angry Birds Rio: Trailers, Gameplay and What Happened to the Game

Angry Birds Rio was a 2011 spin-off of Rovio’s hit game, made with 20th Century Fox to promote the animated film Rio. This article shares the original trailers, explains how the game worked, and covers what happened to it and which Angry Birds games you can play today.

Quick answer: Angry Birds Rio was released on March 22, 2011 as a tie-in with the film Rio from Blue Sky Studios and 20th Century Fox. Rovio removed it from Google Play and the App Store in February 2020, along with the Star Wars Angry Birds games, so it can no longer be downloaded. Today you can play Rovio’s current games such as Angry Birds 2 and Angry Birds Friends.

Angry Birds Rio trailers

Rovio and 20th Century Fox announced the game in early 2011, ahead of the film’s April release. Here is the first trailer:

In the story, the original Angry Birds are kidnapped and taken to Rio de Janeiro. They escape their captors and set out to rescue their friends Blu and Jewel, the two rare macaws who star in the film. The game kept the physics-based slingshot play of the original with new twists based on the movie.

The second trailer shows more of the gameplay:

How Angry Birds Rio played

• Launch chapters: it launched with two chapters, Smugglers’ Den and Jungle Escape, with 30 levels each.
• Regular updates: new episodes were added over time, including episodes tied to the sequel Rio 2 in 2013 and 2014.
• Many platforms: it was released for iPhone, Android, Mac, Windows and several other phone platforms of the time.

What happened to Angry Birds Rio?

On February 3, 2020, Rovio discontinued Angry Birds Rio together with Angry Birds Star Wars and Angry Birds Star Wars II. The games were removed from Google Play and the App Store, and in-game purchases and ads were switched off. A Rovio staff member later said these licensed games were unlikely to return because of third-party licensing.

If the game is still installed on an old phone, it may keep working offline, but it cannot be downloaded again or updated. Angry Birds Rio levels were also included in Angry Birds Trilogy for some game consoles, which may still be found second-hand.

Angry Birds games to play today

• Angry Birds 2: Rovio’s main slingshot game, free to play on Android and iPhone.
• Angry Birds Friends: weekly tournaments against friends. See our guide to Angry Birds Friends and power-ups.
• Other spin-offs: check the official Angry Birds website for Rovio’s current list of games.

For more Angry Birds history, read about Angry Birds Space and embedding Angry Birds on a website.

About the Rio film

Rio was an animated film from Blue Sky Studios, the makers of Ice Age, and 20th Century Fox. It was released in April 2011 and followed Blu, a rare macaw from Minnesota, on an adventure in Rio de Janeiro. A sequel, Rio 2, followed in 2014.

FAQ

Can I still download Angry Birds Rio?

No. Rovio removed it from Google Play and the App Store in February 2020.

When was Angry Birds Rio released?

It was released on March 22, 2011, a few weeks before the film Rio.

Why was Angry Birds Rio removed?

Rovio did not give a detailed public reason, but it was a licensed game, and a Rovio staff member later said licensing made a return unlikely.

What is the best Angry Birds game to play now?

Angry Birds 2 is Rovio’s main current game and is free to play on Android and iPhone.