| ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. | |
| PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. | |
| OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. | |
| NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Parents need to know that Angry Birds on Facebook is a game played on the Facebook social network. It is a version of the original mega-popular Angry Birds mobile app game. Gameplay is the same as the mobile versions (launch birds from a giant slingshot to collapse elaborate structures and destroy the pigs inside), but the action is controlled with a mouse instead of a touch-screen. The game is free to play, but incorporates power-ups that must be purchased through micro-transactions. Kids must be 13 or older to sign up for a Facebook account.
ANGRY BIRDS ON FACEBOOK debuts with the first two episodes of the original Angry Birds game (the 63-level collection called "Poached Eggs," and the 42-level "Mighty Hoax"), plus 15 new beach-themed "Surf and Turf" levels that are exclusive to Facebook. Players can compare scores with Facebook friends who are also playing the game, and post game-related messages to their Facebook feed. Angry Birds for Facebook is free to play, but players can spend real cash on power-ups that cause birds to do more damage or travel farther and faster, show a bird's trajectory for more accurate aiming, and cause an earthquake that can knock the pigs off their perches, as well as the Mighty Eagle that instantly clears a level.
Like its Google+ counterpart, Angry Birds also works very well on Facebook. The game incorporates social features cleverly but not too intrusively, offering dynamic leaderboards that update in real-time as you play and let you see how your top score ranks against those of friends. Refreshingly, players aren't bombarded with prompts to invite friends, beg for items, or post incessant wall updates -- all of which can be big turn-offs. The game is easy to control with the mouse, too, and the levels benefit from having the bigger screen on which to play. Power-ups enrich the game, but it's quite possible to enjoy Angry Birds on Facebook without paying anything -- or spamming friends.
Families can talk about whether having a leaderboard makes you more competitive about playing games. Is it important to see your name at the top of the list?
Families can also talk about what qualities make the Angry Birds franchise so popular, even though the gameplay is so simple.
Do you like playing games on Facebook better than on other platforms? Why or why not?
| Topics: | wild animals |
| Platforms: | |
| Available online? | Available online |
| Genre: | Arcade |
| Developer: | Rovio |
| Release date: | February 14, 2012 |
| Price: | Free but with microtransactions |
| ESRB rating: | NR |



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