‘Flappy Bird’ Developer’s ‘Swing Copters’ Is Here, But Is It An Addictive Hit?

Flappy Bird developer Dong Nguyen has finally launched the long-awaited follow-up to his wildly popular mobile game. The question remains: Will Swing Copters enjoy the same success as its predecessor? Can lightning strike twice?

There’s a very good possibility that you know at least one person who poured countless hours into Flappy Bird. The game was so popular that Dong abruptly yanked it from the marketplace. His reason was simple: People were just too addicted to the game, and he felt responsible for preserving everyone’s sanity. A commendable decision, for sure, though this ultimately paved the way for a plethora of cheap, uninspired knock-offs.

Now that fervor surrounding Flappy Bird has died down, Nguyen has unveiled the like-minded Swing Copters. Although the graphics and structure are a little different, the song essentially remains the same. Whether or not it grabs the world’s undivided attention is still very much up in the air, though apparently he’s off to a good start.

Boasting artwork similar to Flappy Bird, Nguyen’s latest endeavor tasks players with guiding their cutesy hero through an obstacle course by simply tapping the screen. Where Flappy Bird presented a series of horizontal challenges, Dong’s latest challenge is more vertical in nature. Since he scored a serious hit with his previous outing, the Vietnamese developer didn’t stray too far from his successful formula.

According to Know Your Mobile, the Flappy Bird follow-up is still very much “Nintendo-esque” in its presentation, complete with 8-bit graphics, chiptune music, and an adorably odd protagonist. Like the best games from that era, Swing Copters is easy to play but difficult to master. The website puts a finer point on it:

“You begin by tapping the screen to set off and your character swings from side to side of the screen. Tap again to switch direction as you move up, but make sure you watch out for the swinging hammers and green girders. The pipes in ‘Flappy Bird’ were kind enough to stay inanimate but this time around the obstacles move making it even more difficult. Add on top of that a much speedier main character, and you have some infuriating gameplay.”

If you’re curious to give Nguyen’s latest creation a shot, then snag a free copy of the title from the App Store. Should you find that the in-game ads are a little too distracting, there’s an option to ditch them for a measly 99 cents. Although Flappy Bird caused Dong Nguyen a fair amount of distress, it’s good to know that he’s still dedicated to his craft. Let us know what you think about Swing Copters in the comments.

[Lead image via PC Games]