Following a rather mixed reception to the latest update of Android Angry Birds, developer Rovio has announced it’s working on a standalone, simpler “lightweight” version of the game that’ll run better on older, less powerful Android phones.
It’ll be the same in terms of gameplay, level structure and content, only with presumably less intense graphics so it’ll play smoother on older Android devices. Here’s the relevant part from Rovio’s blog on the subject:
So far, we have hesitated to create multiple versions of Angry Birds for the Android platform. But judging by the feedback we have received, we feel that by providing a lightweight solution, we are doing a favour for our fans.
We are currently developing a lighter solution to run Angry Birds on lower end Android devices. This does not mean lighter gameplay or a lesser amount of levels, but a game experience optimized for devices with less processing power.
Which is great news, considering the number of low-spec “entry level” Android phones that are bound to be sold over the Christmas period. Being able to run the most hyped game of the moment is critical.
And here’s Rovio’s list of Android phones that are now “unsupported” when it comes to running the current release of Angry Birds – ie, the phones on which it probably won’t work particularly well:
Droid Eris
HTC Dream
HTC Hero
HTC Magic/Sapphire/Mytouch 3G
HTC Tattoo
HTC Wildfire
Huawei Ideos/U8150
LG Ally/Aloha/VS740
LG GW620/Eve
Motorola Backflip/MB300
Motorola Cliq/Dext
Samsung Acclaim
Samsung Moment/M900
Samsung Spica/i5700
Samsung Transform
Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 mini
T-Mobile G1
T-Mobile G2
Motorola’s latest flagship dual-core Android monster is a massive, original powerhouse, that’s a big improvement on previous MOTOBLUR mobiles – but still isn’t a total winner.
A slim and glamorous phone from Sony Ericsson, with the sharpest display around. It’s no powerhouse and the screen’s not the biggest out there, but we don’t mind. Because it’s cute.
LG’s first glasses-free 3D phone is a heavy, fat monster, with a clever 3D effect that works rather well. As a smartphone, though, it’s heavy and underwhelming.
A very shiny thing from Sony Ericsson, with a 3.7″ screen and Android 2.3.3 inside. But is it exciting enough to win fans in today’s spec-obsessed market? Can man live on one core alone?
INQ’s Android phone is an interesting “boutique” piece of hardware, packed with unique interface customisations that go far beyond the headline Facebook integration. We like it a lot.
Sponge Finge
/ November 18, 2010Hit that one towards the top end of the 2nd level stone block for 3 stars. Might need to try 10 times to get it right, but it works.
Don’t tell anyone I told you.
Gary C
/ November 18, 2010I like seeing their little heads crash into the rocks.
E
/ November 18, 2010Well that sounds good to me. I have the current build installed on my Hero and it must be running at about 4 frames per second if it’s lucky. Load times are mental as well.
Janne
/ November 18, 2010It runs just fine on my X10. However, no other app I’ve ever tried comes even close to eating as much battery power as this game. It’s as if the game is constantly pegging both CPU and GPU at all times in some insane busy-wait loop. It’s fun and it looks good, but I can’t imagine that it really has to be so very inefficient as this.
Seriously, it’s hard to use it as a casual game when you run a real risk of killing your battery before you get home.