So you think you qualify for the epithet 'Number One Fan' when it comes to Angry Birds, do you? OK, you've completed the entire main game as well as the seasonal variations and done so with a full compliment of three star ratings. You've even unlocked all the hidden golden eggs from around the various levels, and deserve praise for your dedication. But to be awarded the ultimate fan accolade you really need to go a little bit further; you need to think outside the box, be it iPhone or Android powered.
Having said think outside of the box, we are heading straight back inside it and the game itself for the first of our Angry Birds fanboy essentials: the heroic Mighty Eagle. It's an in-game purchase that costs just $0.99 for iPhone users and brings an additional bird into play. Actually, that's not really an adequate enough description as the Mighty Eagle is not just another bird to throw at the evil egg stealing pigs: it's the ultimate bird of mass destruction.
The Mighty Eagle let's you skip a level if you are having trouble completing it (call yourself a fanboy, you sound more like a lightweight) by simply barrelling through whatever you point it at. You can only use the big bird once every hour in this mode though. So why would a real Angry Birds fanboy want such a thing? easy, you can use it (without the timing restriction) on levels you have already completed. And why would you want to do that? Easy, again, as you get new Mighty Eagle highscores and achievements as a result. The complainers will moan about paying extra for a single bird, just like they complained about paying extra for Angry Birds Seasons. But we are only talking pennies here, it really is loose change territory and real Angry Birds fans will think it money well spent. Angry Birds Walkthrough Guide
There are many different guides to the Angry Birds game, ranging from free ones on the web through to every level exposed on YouTube, so why would anyone, least of all a fanboy, bother with buying one as an app? Well the simple answer is that's what fanboys do. The slightly more detailed answer would be because this particular walkthrough guide from PLH Apps is one of the best around. Yes, it costs more than the game itself at $2.99 for the full Mega-Pack edition but that includes free updates for life. So not only do you get full text, image and video guides for getting three stars on every level of every Angry Birds game including both Seasons variations, as well as a guide to getting all the golden eggs should you need it, but you also get a promise of guides to every future level and game variant as well. Real fanboys will love the ability to press a button in the app and submit a better solution than the one on offer, that's the real deal appeal I reckon. GEAR4 Angry Birds iPhone Case
OK, now we can really start thinking outside the box. All around the outside of the box, in fact, with a range of officially licensed Angry Birds iPhone and iTouch cases from GEAR4. You'd have to be mad to go for the green Pig King case unless you secretly want to make those birds even angrier, I mean why would anyone want an egg stealing pig, heck the king of the egg stealing pigs, wrapped around their iPhone. Don't panic though, as GEAR4 also has a red bird and yellow bird case available. Phew! They all cost $34.99 and, as you might expect considering these are officially licensed products from a well known case manufacturer, they are high quality polycarbonate clip on affairs that provide a decent amount of iPhone protection while leaving full access to ports and camera. Angry Birds T-Shirt
You can't really be a hardcore fanboy without having at least one Angry Birds T-Shirt, and thankfully there are plenty to choose from if you shop at the official Rovio shirt store. Kids sizes start at around $12, while adults can expect to pay $18 with hoodies and sweats coming in at around twice as much. Design-wise you get a choice of red bird or green king pig (what is it with the pig fans?) and there's one with both birds and pigs on. Of course, real fanboys might prefer the subtle understatement of a white feather from the Mighty Eagle. Well, it would have been understated were it not for the bloody great Angry Birds banner alongside it. Angry Birds Plush Toys
Now that's what I'm talking about! At last some Angry Birds merchandise where pigs fit right in, especially the one with the cracked helmet which is just adorable, not least as you can throw one of the birds at him and pretend that did the damage. Seriously, these soft and cuddly plush toys are not just for the kids (although it's a great excuse to buy some) they are an essential part of any Angry Birds fanboy collection. Being official Rovio products again, they are of a decent quality and really do look the part. It's like stepping right into the game for a moment in real life. Erm, does that make me sound just a little bit too sad? Hey, I was asked what I wanted for Christmas and who wouldn't respond with all nine of these at just $12 a piece? Actually, three of the pigs cost $15 for some totally unexplainable reason, but hey ho. There are four pigs and five birds, including the truly hysterical black bomb bird. Now, when is the Mighty Eagle making an appearance?Angry Birds: Knock on Wood
I have, naturally, saved the best until last even though it is not even yet on sale. However, the official Angry Birds board game from Mattel was out on display at the Consumer Electronics Show recently so it does exist. In fact, it is very real indeed: and made of wooden looking plastic. It looks like being a true classic as well, taking inspiration from the likes of Mousetrap and Jenga, as well as the Angry Birds game itself of course. The idea being that you build a 3D version of the towers that you see in the iPhone game and populate it with pigs that you then have to destroy by catapulting the angry birds (as picked from cards at random) at it all. Personally I can't wait until May when this is rumoured to be ready for retail release at around $15.
here's a video of the game being played:
[youtube]MzFUV4yb4RE[/youtube]
