Difficulty:

Just Right

Time Spent:

10 Hours or Less

The Bottom Line:

"Just plain fun"

An interesting thing has just happened, for the first time in about 25 years I have been playing video games, and for much of the past 48 hours. What began as a formal study in contemporary interactive digital media, with a particular take on the games of the 'here and now', rapidly reduced to the essence to pure fun.

The heat from the iPhone 4's burning new holes in my pockets, as the single player'Angry Birds Space' from Rovio Entertainment Ltd, my now companion on the daily commute has temporarily converted me from a 'non-gamer' to a virtual addict in mobile gaming.

From the word 'install' the gravity and physics challenged my intuition and kinesthete of a forefinger at every level. The 'nickelodeonesque' cartoon graphics an instant hook and source of endless inward giggling well in harmony with the comically evil grunts and chuckles of the conflicting 'angry birds' and green piggie protagonists. All round the sound is naturally layered and infectious.

By sling shooting your Angry birds into space with the objective of knocking down the cleverly constructed, puzzle like, fortresses that protect the piggies, the avian kamikazes mission is to squash all piggies in sight.

There is a limited number of birds per level, each with varying degrees of destructive power. The ever increasing complexity escalating at an even pace, such that the strategic challenge is constant. Luck and chance play a pleasantly surprising part, at moments and the gravitational and centrifugal forces at play may test your astrophysic and scientific awareness. Bigger and angrier birds are available to help penetrate the progressively stronger piggie constructions, some as a purchasable bolt on.

Considering my lack of dexterity in gaming I'd rate it with 5 stars for fun value, for it's simple intuitive one finger control, and the variety and evenly progressive levels development. Worth every penny.