Official Angry Birds Space Announcement

We have all been waiting anxiously for more details about Angry Birds Space, which is set to be released on March 22nd for iOS, Android, Mac, and PC. If you missed our original post on the topic, along with many teaser trailers, be sure to check them out here.

On to the new stuff. Rovio’s official announcement came in many portals, but most information can be found on the official app page at space.angrybirds.com. The video comes live from the International Space Station and includes a very nice introductory physics lesson about how gravity acts on projectiles. In space, however, the effects of gravity are significantly less. In fact, gravity is nearly zero unless near an object with significant mass. The Angry Birds even landed the cover of National Geographic, which looks like a very interesting edition!

Angry Birds Space will feature a clever mixture of zero and low-gravity situations. As the birds fly through “open space”, their trajectory will be perfectly straight. However, objects such as planets and asteroids have their own gravitational field, which will pull the birds inward! This will result in very nifty, looping, spiral shots to pop the piggies! (Important lesson about gravitational forces: The closer two objects are, the stronger the attractive force between them. This appears to hold true in Angry Birds Space as well.)

The announcement also gives a preview of a few new birds (for a much more detailed breakdown of the new birds see, “Meet the Birds in Angry Birds Space”) — and a few old birds with makeovers.

  • At first glance, the video suggests that the Red, Black, and Big Brother birds all have the same abilities as before, though newly-designed.
  • The Blue birds have the same ability, though they seem a bit stronger than in the original apps.
  • There also seems to be a purple-colored bird (we are not going to speculate as to its name right now), whose ability is to redirect and accelerate. Personally, I believe this is a new ability of the existing Yellow bird.
  • There is also a new “icy” bird (again, no speculation as to name), whose ability is to freeze its contact area on a structure.

The following statement is per Rovio’s Press Kit:

Angry Birds Space features 60 interstellar levels on planets and in zero gravity, resulting in spectacular gameplay ranging from slow-motion puzzles to lightspeed destruction. With regular free updates, new in-app purchases [iOS only], brand new birds, brand new superpowers, [hidden bonus levels,] and a whole galaxy to explore, the sky is no longer the limit!

A few other interesting tidbits:

  • If you pop the helmet or air-bubble around a pig, it freezes and drifts. It is not clear if a frozen pig counts as popped, or if it will eventually pop on its own.
  • This will be the first time in the Angry Birds series where you must target a bird’s ability: Where you tap on-screen determines the new trajectory line for the purple-colored (revamped Yellow?) bird.
  • The first two episode names were revealed on NASA’s website: Pig Bang and Cold Cuts will each feature 30 levels. The scroll bar at the bottom of the image could mean that more names will be known, or perhaps more than 60 levels will be available in v1.0.0, but we aren’t sure exactly.
  • Introductory videos for each of the birds will be released between the 10th and 16th. Click here to see that post! Note that the White, Orange, and Boomerang birds are not featured (if we assume the purple-colored bird is simply a revamped Yellow bird).

So be sure to check out the video above (it really is a must watch). If you just can’t get enough of Angry Birds Space? Check out these other fine articles, each containing some awesome tidbits about what is to come:

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Category: Angry Birds News & Updates, News, Updates

Comments (177)

By Andy6691

It not only a awesome game, but it also can give a science lesson for kids. ;)

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By TruckDriver (@truckdriver)

Not just kids….

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By Harrystar6 (@harrystar6)

awesome i am so excited for the new game to come out!

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By bigbrotherbird97 (@bigbrotherbird97)

The is after “It is not clear.” in this line should be an if- “It is not clear is a frozen pig counts as popped, or if it will eventually pop on its own.”

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By AMslimfordy (@amslimfordy)

Got it. Thanks.

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By iamMighty (@iammighty)

Also, “If you miss our original post on the topic…” wouldn’t it be missed?

By Nanami Kamimura

I don’t know if this is the right place to do this, but official Angry Birds Twitter account led me to this site, a special Japanese edition of Angry Birds, which includes Poached Eggs and the exclusive Sakura Ninja. Here’s the link: http://fujitv.angrybirds.com/

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By iamMighty (@iammighty)

This is known for a while now and was posted earlier by a user.

By Nanami Kamimura

But I’m sure there’ll be walkthroughs posted here sooner or later, right? BTW, Sakura Ninja is the first time the Birds wear anything! I haven’t seen Globe there, but I’ve played up to S-9 so far. So who knows!

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By iamMighty (@iammighty)

Yes, the admins are going to post walkthroughs for these. Globe, is not present in this episode.

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By Han_Solo1617 (@enrico-carl-andrei)

Awesome!Can’t wait.

By Nanami Kamimura

As for the article itself:

Note that the White, Orange, and Boomerang birds are not featured….

This makes sense. White’s bombs would float in space anyway and Boomerang can’t double back. As for Globe: You need air to inflate. Where can you get that in outer space?

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By ombies (@ombies)

good thinking

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By ladycrumb (@ladycrumb)

Well, the ‘bombs’ presumably get ejected with some velocity and so would work fine in space. Until acted on by another force, the egg/bomb would continue in a straight path with the same velocity. But Rovio has never modeled the physics of the white bird/egg correctly. In the current games, the egg/bomb falls straight down instead of following a parabola. Rovio ignores the horizontal component of the egg’s velocity.

As for air to inflate the orange bird, well, what about the birds needing to breathe? It looks like the piggies have helmets, but nothing for the birds?

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By AMslimfordy (@amslimfordy)

Even if the White bird is moving horizontally, if it exerts a purely vertical force, the bomb would drop straight.

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By ladycrumb (@ladycrumb)

The bomb has a horizontal velocity the same as the bird so it will travel in a parabola, not a straight downward line.

http://demonstrations.wolfram.com/TrajectoryOfABomb/

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By AMslimfordy (@amslimfordy)

Dropped bomb vs. Projected bomb.

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By ladycrumb (@ladycrumb)

I should add that the parabolic shape is derived when the bomb is simply released. If a large vertical velocity is imparted then the shape will be different, however the horizontal component of velocity remains.

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By MVNLA2 (@mvnla2)

Wow! I love the reference to Wolfram! Since AB uses Box2D as its physics engine, I would guess that the physics of the egg bomb is correctly modeled. If the initial vertical velocity is large compared to the horizontal velocity, it might not be noticeable.

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By ladycrumb (@ladycrumb)

Well, I’ve just spent a geeky 5 minutes watching the trajectories of the white bird and eggs. While there is a substantial vertical velocity imparted to the egg, comparing the pre and post bird trajectories it still looks like the horizontal velocity of the egg is being severely neglected.

I’m also bothered about the physics shown in the rocks crashing straight down to the planet in ABspace. But the rocks aren’t showing any orbital motion so are we in a rotating frame? That would make things complicated….

Are the whitish spheres around the planets atmospheres or indications of gravitational spheres of influence? Is atmospheric drag modeled when a bird does a close flyby? Do birds aerobrake? Where is the purple bird getting his massive delta-V?

I think we need some firm, solid answers from Rovio!

(PS. The above is said in a nerdy way with tongue firmly-in-cheek. I’m just having a bit of fun while eagerly waiting for ABspace. :) )

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By burbman (@burbman)

I believe that the egg bomb is ejected from the rear of the bird with a horizontal component approximately opposite of the bird’s horizontal momentum, allowing it to drop straight down. To my naked eye, it almost appears that the egg falls slightly backward, but that could be because it comes out the back end of the bird. Otherwise it would indeed need to have a porabolic flight pattern.

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By burbman (@burbman)

this is also why the white bird changes speed in both the horizontal and vertical planes when the egg is released.

Sorry, hit post before I finished my thought.

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By GFish (@gfish)
By noam

Actually, I think that Pig Bang and Cold Cuts are not the first two episodes because the scroll bar shows that you are on the second page.

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By AMslimfordy (@amslimfordy)

The first page is likely a gift option like in Seasons and such.

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By OneBadPiggie (@onebadpiggie)

This game looks awesome!!! But the Speed Bird has different handling than in the other games.

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By wanda (@wanda)

Is it just me, or do those pigs look a bit like Romulans? I was going to say Vulcans, but they’re the good guys :).

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By AMslimfordy (@amslimfordy)

They look pretty normal to me.

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By wanda (@wanda)

maybe just a collar sticking up, then. just like the idea :).

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By wanda (@wanda)

well, never mind, those were the three birds, not pigs! that’s what I get for not wearing my glasses. :)

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By MVNLA2 (@mvnla2)

Which article said white, orange, and boomerang not featured? White’s bombs would only work when you are in a gravitational field strong enough to attract them (there are planets with gravitational fields in ABoS). Why do you say boomerang couldn’t double back? It isn’t a real boomerang. Orange could wear a backpack with a compressed gas canister … In the Rovio press kit (see link on previous page) it implies that all the birds are new characters.

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By MVNLA2 (@mvnla2)

@Nanami — Went back to page 1 to figure out reference; lost unfinished comment, and ended up posting this in wrong place. (Sorry Slim)

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By AMslimfordy (@amslimfordy)

When we said those birds are not featured, we mean for now — not necessarily indefinitely. As in, on the official page, there are no references to them at this time.

If we operate on the assumption that the White bird pushes its bomb down, then the presence of gravity is irrelevant: The pushing action will suffice. The Boomerang would have nothing to turn against unless in a gravitation field.

Yes, we know they say all birds are new characters, but most of them seem to be slight tweaks of existing birds.

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By ladycrumb (@ladycrumb)

The boomerang bird would work fine if he, like the white bird, ejected something to impart a change in velocity. I’ve always thought of the white bird’s “egg” as a ‘G-rated’ bird dropping in reality. Perhaps the boomerang bird’s new power could be a release of jet of air. But no, I doubt Rovio would market a farting bird, no matter how hilarious it would be…

By Nanami Kamimura

Laughed on that comment when I first read your comment several hours ago. Several hours later, I’m still laughing. But who knows, maybe Rovio may figure something out for Boomerang.

By Nobelak555
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By calioza (@calioza)

absp translation:red bird=dark bird
yellow bird=cylon bird
black bird=exploading bird
boomerang bird=0g bird
big brother bird=bash bird
globe bird=icy bird
blue bird=tripple bird

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By AMslimfordy (@amslimfordy)

That’s just your speculation.

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By username12345 (@blahalb09)

Awesome!

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By AMslimfordy (@amslimfordy)

Working on a post.

By jake

It was posted on the angry birds facebook page via samsung mobile

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By AMslimfordy (@amslimfordy)

Yes, but I am creating a post here on ABN.

By jake

Yeah just thought you might like to have known where I found the video sorry

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By AMslimfordy (@amslimfordy)
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By angry birds1000 (@angry-birds1000)

Has anyone seen the big pig inside cold cuts?? This looks so awesome
The gameplay for space looks great!!

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By stink_boy11 (@)

I think the ice bird is the orange bird just with a new feature

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By Han_Solo1617 (@enrico-carl-andrei)

I think there will be a problem here.
In the forum,problem what ABS means.
Angry Birds Seasons or Angry Birds Space(Both means ABS).

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By AMslimfordy (@amslimfordy)

ABS is Seasons.
For Space, the common abbreviation is ABOS (outer space) or just ABSpace.

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By Hudson8823 (@rockman-exe)

Is the PC version are in the web or simply PC application??

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By iamMighty (@iammighty)

It will be a seprate app for PC and not on the Web.

By jjdj9852

want it out now

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By Very Angry At This Site (@angry-artist)

sweet can’t wait

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By loox (@loox)

Wow! That’s all I can say.

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By darthvader (@orangebird09)

Haha! This game has just beaten Crazy Planets on Facebook!

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By MVNLA2 (@mvnla2)

Have you seen the video of the AB flash mob at SXSW?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=q_l7MVnwgVw
Haven’t seen this posted elsewhere.

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By username12345 (@blahalb09)

You beat me to it. It’s something you don’t see every day.

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By pianistrevor (@tnatiuk17piano)

So cool so so cool! Can’t wait for it!

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By myhthk (@myhthk)

this question may be stupid but i have not come in here for a few weeks (though i kept playing AB)

on which platform this AB Space will be released?? seems it’s not either on of them: AB, AB Season or AB Rio??

thanks.

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By AMslimfordy (@amslimfordy)

Careful. “Platform” means device. AB:Space will be released initially on iOS, Android, Mac and PC. Any future platforms are not known at this time.

What you seems to be asking is about “Editions” or “Apps”. AB:Space will be a whole new app, completely separate from ABo/Seasons/Rio.

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By myhthk (@myhthk)

oh i see, i meant which “edition” of AB would ABSpace be appearing later this month.

looking forward to it, thanks.

btw, how can i look up what I said earlier at where on which topic?? seems that i got a bit lost when i was trying to follow up what i have asked here to fellow ABirders, thanks again :-)

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By AMslimfordy (@amslimfordy)

You can see your recent comments in your profile

By dpb

Wont ABoS be released on the Galaxy note??

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By AMslimfordy (@amslimfordy)

Yes: iOS, Android, Mac and PC

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By sal9 (@sal9)

Just in.
Rovio – MTV partnership against cyber bullying : Press Release

A Secret Golden Egg to be unlocked as a reward in AB Space.
( posted here again since users don’t always check the forum page)

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By MVNLA2 (@mvnla2)

BL and Slim — Can you make a separate page for this, maybe under News and Rumors? Sounds like a really good thing to promote, and it will quickly get lost here and in forum.

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By AMslimfordy (@amslimfordy)

We will keep it in mind, but we’d like to get some more details about the “Angry Birds” side before drafting a whole post about it.

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By Bob (@nnll14)

I have a guide to AB space! From app store!

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By Bob (@nnll14)

Never mind, just has level 1of pig bang “rest of levels coming March 22” it says.

By Shane Roman

Have you heard that Nickelodeon is making an Angry Birds Space show called Angry Birds Space Origins? I just saw the commercial. It airs Wed. at 7pm eastern standard time.

By jeros

March _ _ ?

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By AMslimfordy (@amslimfordy)

Wednesday is March 21

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By kevin (@kcox2116)

I wish there was a pre-order option, so I could buy it today and just have it auto-download when it is released.

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By Han_Solo1617 (@enrico-carl-andrei)

The frozen pigs are from the video “Happy New Year 2012 from the Angry Birds!”.

By AngryBirdsRioFan

!!!! Maybe that was a clue!!!!!!!!!!

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By maksims97 (@maksims97)

Will this game be free on android????

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By AMslimfordy (@amslimfordy)

Pricing information has not yet been released.

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By maksims97 (@maksims97)

I hope will be free!!:)

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