Pulling together a pair of entertainment juggernauts, Angry Birds Star Wars does a stellar job of blending elements from both properties in clever and well-executed manners, making this mega-mash-up much more than a mere cash-in – though it's sure to bring in plenty of that for its cunning creators.
Splitting its focus between the classic series fling-and-smash approach and the newer gravitational pull twist established in Angry Birds Space, Angry Birds Star Wars utilizes classic characters, scenery, and scenarios from the original film trilogy, recasting the colorful birds as iconic heroes like Luke Skywalker and Han Solo. The former serves as the standard red bird, who at first can only barrel through blocks and glass where he's flung; though he'll soon master the use of a Lightsaber, letting you tap the screen to slice a hole for greater overall impact.
Meanwhile, Han can fire a laser shot wherever you tap, while a bird based on Obi-Wan Kenobi offers a Force push, which can send items or enemies flying with a careful touch of the screen. Other famous faces appear, and naturally the evil pigs take the shape of both Stormtroopers and Darth Vader alike, with timed laser shots (which can also be reflected back towards enemies in certain stages) adding another dimension to the enemy-crushing template.
While the new and revised bird types bring a nice strategic twist to the usual Angry Birds formula, allowing for fresh planning and experimentation, what's particularly impressive about Angry Birds Star Wars is its strong use of (and clear admiration for) the classic sci-fi franchise. Rousing anthems and cute still images with the birds in familiar moments are one thing, but actually creating stage puzzles based on plot points (such as the trash compactor sequence from A New Hope) and implementing aesthetic homages – like the series' trademark screen wipes – makes it feel like more than a quick-and-easy makeover.
Available via separate apps for iPhone and iPad, the initial download arrives with 80 core stages split between Tatooine and the Death Star from the original Star Wars, with another free episode (based on Hoth from The Empire Strikes Back) incoming. The trade-off for the tiny $0.99 price point ($2.99 on iPad) seems to be pricier add-on content, as an already-available Dagobah episode sells for twice the cost of the app itself on iPhone. That's a fair request, however, considering how much care and content is found in the super-cheap initial download.
The bottom line. Lightly tweaking the established formula with a heaping portion of fan service, Angry Birds Star Wars is an entertaining and well-crafted homage that's sure to please aficionados of either franchise.
iPhone or iPad touch running iOS 4.3 or later
Well-considered blend of classic Star Wars elements with Angry Birds gameplay. Perfectly presented with familiar aesthetic touches. Bite-sized price tag. Optimized for iPhone 5.
Not a big departure from the series formula. Separate iPhone and iPad versions.
