Now they’re really taking off

The attractions represent the astonishing rise of the game which has millions of fans around the world.

The attractions represent the astonishing rise of the game which has millions of fans around the world.

Published May 31, 2012

Share

It started off as a simple game which could be downloaded onto cellphones cheaply. But Angry Birds has now become something bigger.

Angry Birds Land recently opened inside Sarkanniemi Amusement Park in Tampere, Finland.

The colourful attractions represent the astonishing rise of the game – which has millions of fans around the world.

The theme park, designed for families and young children, has 12 rides, games and food points and an adventure course.

An unlicensed Angry Birds theme park was launched in China in September last year. However, this is the first official one and was designed in collaboration with the game’s creators Rovio.

Speaking when the theme park was first launched, Miikka Seppälä, the CEO of Särkänniemi Adventure Park said: “We wanted to create a unique themed area and associate it with a strong and well-known brand.

“The Angry Birds characters were born in Finland but known worldwide by people of all ages. This is a perfect fit for our Adventure Park.

“Our goal is to motivate the fans, both adults and children, to exercise and enjoy the outdoors.”

The simple game is now the No 1 paid app of all time and has been downloaded over 700 million times since its launch.

Players use catapults to fire infuriated birds at green pigs hiding inside buildings made of planks.

The game – which was developed by Finnish gaming company Rovio Entertainment – has spawned a series of spin-offs including Angry Birds toys and clothing. A Hollywood movie is also said to be in the pipeline.

Angry Birds also recently announced that it will open themed activity parks in the UK as it continues to expand beyond mobile games to establish a Disney-style brand.

The parks, which will be built in partnership with Finnish playground equipment maker Lappset, will feature Angry Birds-inspired swings, sandpits, climbing towers, slides and outdoor arcade games.

More like adventure playgrounds than Disney’s massive theme parks, they will mostly be in cities and towns or attached to existing large theme parks.

Angry Birds Land in Finland first opened to the public on April 28. – Daily Mail

Related Topics: