In a galaxy far, far away, the war between pigs and birds continues. After the epic battles in Angry Birds Star Wars, the game returns with a sequel full of Jedi Knights, Sith Lords and other Star Wars characters played by the usual suspects from the Angry Birds universe.
Angry Birds Star Wars II picks up where the first installment left off, this time with new adventures set in Naboo and Tatooine. New places will be added in the future.
Good versus evil
As the oldest story in the book, good versus evil is the basis of Angry Birds; in Angry Birds Star Wars II, it also takes the title role. First, choose your side: select a Jedi Knight or a Sith and toss him at the pigs as a bird, or vice versa.
As in the previous edition, Angry Birds Star Wars II boasts lots of assets from the Star Wars saga, including places, music, characters and the birds' powers. You can use The Force, lightsabers, pistols and even rockets, depending on the character you use to kill the enemy.
In each world you visit, you can play as both sides, birds and pigs, with the ability to alternate and inhabit two parallel stories. As you unlock new levels, you get points, bonuses, and new characters. The game itself contains several incentives: achievements that can be unlocked, the list of players with the most points who you'd like to be, a shop with characters and bonuses you can unlock by earning points during the game or by using micropayments...
Point and shoot
As with all Angry Birds games, Angry Birds Star Wars II is very easy to play. While there are many new elements that may puzzle you, the way you play is identical to previous installments from Rovio: click on the character, pull back the slingshot, aim and release to hit your enemies. Furthermore, each character has its own unique features, explained in an introductory video when you first play, such as how to use The Force to knock down blocks (Anakin), fire rockets (Jango Fett) or bounce off the walls to cause maximum damage (Yoda).
Both old and new
In Angry Birds Star Wars II there's a mixture of old elements from Angry Birds and new ones. The symbiosis between the two universes is very good, and the ability to choose sides is great, but to switch between worlds you have to beat all the levels. The variety of traps on each level is appreciated, as it avoids the monotony from previous installments. Moreover, the constant nods to Star Wars give fans of the saga an incentive to keep playing.
Link up with Telepods
Angry Birds Star Wars II will be compatible with a new set of figurines, known as Telepods. You can scan Telepods in using your device and then use the characters you have to play in the game. It looks like an interesting game/toy crossover which could be very popular.
A world (or galaxy) of fun
As with the first installment, Angry Birds Star Wars II is a strange and funny mixture of two very different worlds. However, the creators at Rovio have managed to marry them together and come up with a fun game, which, in this second installment lets you choose sides and merge them with each other to avoid the monotony of past offerings.
Whether you're a fan of Angry Birds or of George Lucas' saga, Angry Birds Star Wars II is a must-see to experience the Star Wars universe with fresh eyes and have fun finding all the references to the iconic science fiction series.
Review based on iOS version. Android version will be available soon.
