Angry Birds Friends on Facebook: Let the games begin (and never end)

Some might find it silly to even review an Angry Birds game at this point. "We get it, the games are fun," you might mutter under your breath. But in that same breath, you and I both know that you have a bomb bird resting in its slingshot, just waiting to blow up in some poor pig's face, in the browser tab next to this very page. And if you didn't, well, you're about to--Angry Birds Friends on Facebook is just as sublime, if not better, than those found everywhere else.

And it's not thanks to some game-changing level designs a la Angry Birds Space. What makes this version of Rovio's crowned jewel so compelling is all infrastructure. The Finnish studio has essentially taken the Blitz model found in PopCap's Facebook games, applied it to Angry Birds and sprinkled some of its own style on top now that the game is "officially" live. (If you remember, Rovio actually launched the game in February.)

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Of course, that means weekly tournaments are now a part of the core Angry Birds experience on Facebook. Instead of simply competing for the high score on each level, something that could easily be taken away from you at any moment, players can now shoot for trophies. These accolades are rewarded to players that score first, second and third place in the new levels introduced to Angry Birds Friends each week, and they're yours forever.

No, you read that clear as day: Rovio will bring new levels into Angry Birds Friends every week for the sake of tournament play. Judging from the first week's set of four levels, these Finns aren't joking around either. These levels are downright difficult, demanding serious smarts from players if they want to place among their friends.

One caveat, however, is that the physics in this version of Angry Birds somehow feel bouncier. While the birds fly and fall all the same, the various types of planks and bricks don't seem to answer to the same Newtonian laws that they do in the mobile versions of Angry Birds. Bricks seem to contort in ways that they never would in Angry Birds on iPhone or Android.

Another issue players might have with the new-and-improved Angry Birds on Facebook is that these new levels are exclusive to tournament play. Then again, just suck it up and compete--isn't that why you're playing social games anyway? Speaking of which, that's what Angry Birds Friends is all about: playing with friends. Not many other Angry Birds games can say the same, and we wouldn't be surprised to see future games in the franchise focus more on playing with friends. Frankly, we hope future Angry Birds releases focus on that.

Oh, and who could forget about the power-ups. A much needed twist on the Angry Birds formula that, these boosts could mean all the difference between a chart-topping score and, well, another attempt. That's the proverbial bacon that wraps around Angry Birds Friends: There is no energy system or any system in place to limit how many times you can enjoy the game, for that matter. That's how you keep Angry Birds fresh after three years.

Click here to play Angry Birds Friends on Facebook Now >

Are you interested in Angry Birds on Facebook now that it's "officially" live? What do you like or hate most about the game? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment.