So I finally got around to finishing Angry Birds Seasons on my iPod Touch this week after getting the updated Christmas version a few weeks ago. So how does it stack up to the original? Is there really any reason to go out and buy this app? Keep reading to find out.
If you've played Angry Birds you know the story. Pigs steal eggs. Birds destroy lives and habitats of said pigs. Birds get eggs back. That continues again in the Seasons edition. There really isn't that much new here, but the developers must've realized that you don't mess with the app that's been atop the paid app list on iTunes for quite some time now.
There aren't any new gameplay mechanics involved in this game. Sure there's more ice in the more recently released Christmas version and pigs dressed up as pumpkins and ghosts in the Halloween levels, but that's all aesthetic for the most part. Sure some birds are more equipped to fire through the ice, but that element was present in the original. There's nothing new here, just different mechanics placed in different quantities.
The Halloween world is the more full and robust of the two. There are far more levels, similar to the number of a full world in the original app, with many varying in terms of difficulty and the strategy used with your given birds. These mainly consist of the wood normally seen in Angry Birds levels, leaving as little strategy as possible. It's just straight up Angry Birds classic thrown right at you.
The Christmas one consists of only 25 levels laid out in terms of an Advent Calendar. You can play them in any order you want so if you're stuck on one, you can always come back to it later. There are no consequences as there are no additional worlds or levels to unlock so you're golden. The goal is to just throw some presents into the icy locales of Angry Birds and release it around Christmas, which is what the developers did so well. People were clamoring for more Angry Birds, and this was just a holiday themed bone. Nothing special or groundbreaking, just appeasing.
Therefore, if you're looking for another fix for your Angry Birds obsession, by all means go out and buy the Seasons app. They don't mess with the formula in the least and just give the fans additional Angry Birds levels to go sick on. However, if you're just looking to get into this portable gaming fad, go buy the original. There are far more levels and depth including introductions to the story and different types of birds.
There is also apparently a Valentine's Day update on the way as a free update so there may be a little more bang for your buck in the future. We'll likely have thoughts on that and whether the Angry Birds will finally calm down and find the love they so desperately desire.
