Angry Birds Space, available to download from tomorrow. Image courtesy of Rovio Entertainment
Earlier this month it was the International Space Station for Angry Birds, now it’s activity parks to bring kids out of the virtual world and help tackle childhood obesity in the physical space, all while enjoying the game.
Finnish company Rovio Entertainment, the maker behind the Angry Birds franchise, is making the new game Angry Birds Space available to download from tomorrow, 22 March. The game, which will launch simultaneously on iOS and Android, Mac and PC, animation, merchandise and book publishing, will feature 60 interstellar levels on planets and in zero gravity.
Earlier this month, NASA astronaut Don Pettit took Angry Birds Space for a spin in the International Space Station, all in the name of demonstrating how microgravity works.
Activity parks?
So what’s the scoop on the activity parks? Next month, the Finnish city of Tampere’s Särkänniemi Adventure Park will open the first ever Angry Birds park.
Yesterday, Rovio’s chief marketing officer Peter Vesterbacka was in London at the Finnish Embassy where he was speaking at the global launch of the Angry Birds Activity Theme Parks. As reported by The Telegraph, Vesterbacka spoke about the company’s reasoning for spinning out such amusement parks.
“There is a big problem with childhood obesity in Western countries, with children spending a lot of time playing computer games and watching TV.”
He also said the activity parks would be “magic places”, so people could access additional Angry Birds content and rewards in the physical world.
Lappset Group to roll out the amusement parks
Rovio will be working with fellow Finnish playground equipment manufacturer Lappset Group to roll out the new parks.
When the announcement between the two companies was first made in December, Lappset said its Angry Birds play park equipment would encompass around 20 products, including animal spring riders, swings, sandpits and climbing towers with slides.
Lappset said familiar characters from the mobile game would be incorporated into the playground equipment, which would depict in colour the Angry Birds virtual environment.
The playground manufacturer said it would also be creating an Angry Birds arcade game that could be played outdoors in the park.
According to The Telegraph, Vesterbacka said the company would be rolling out the parks in the US and China, as well as the UK, where initial discussions between Lappset had already begun with parks in Hampshire and West Sussex.
