iPad App of the Week: Angry Birds Rio

The makers of Angry Birds have another hit on their hands with Angry Birds Rio.  Yea, I know it's not a free app this week, but this app is worth the 2.99 for the iPad edition.  Plus there will be free updates throughout 2011, so it's almost like getting a free app.

In Angry Birds Rio, the original Angry Birds are kidnapped and taken to the magical city of Rio de Janeiro, where they eventually escape their captors and set out to to save their friends, Blu and Jewel – two rare macaws and the stars of the upcoming Fox motion picture, Rio. Angry Birds Rio will pair the physics-based gameplay of the original game with unique twists based on the film.

Angry Birds Rio features:
- Two fantastic episodes with 60 exciting levels!
- Completely new achievements!
- Special Hidden fruits - discover them all!
- Put your Angry Birds skills to the ultimate test in a spectacular boss fight!

The action is hot and the graphics are great.  It will keep you entertained and begging for more.

At some point the Angry Birds franchise will get old and tiresome, but we are nowhere near that yet.

Angry Birds Rio Coming in March

Good news for the millions of Angry Birds fans out there.

20th Century Fox struck a deal to bring the domesticated macaw and other feathered characters from its upcoming big-screen animated film, "Rio," to one of the most popular mobile game applications for the small screen, Angry Birds.

The Finnish creators of Angry Birds will release a version of the game -- Angry Birds Rio -- to coincide with the film's March 22 world premiere in Rio. The movie opens in theaters April 15.

On Friday, Fox Filmed Entertainment co-Chairman Jim Gianopulos announced the partnership with game developer Rovio in a press event on the Fox studio lot in Century City under a tent with giant beach balls and a lot of optimism.  The studio also screened 26 minutes of footage, introduced by director Carlos Saldanha and voice stars Jamie Foxx, Anne Hathaway and George Lopez.

Fox hopes to tap into the pop-culture phenomenon that is Angry Birds (downloaded some 75 million times and still counting) to build awareness for its latest animated project from Blue Sky Studios, creators of the "Ice Age" blockbusters.

Rovio, meanwhile, gets to introduce a new version of the game (using Blue Sky's intellectual property), and capitalize on the marketing blitz that is planned for the theatrical release.

Looks like a win-win for both companies, not that they needed any help selling their content and products.  Get ready to be invaded by Angrey Birds.