Physics and Fun: Little Bird Game

Physics and Fun:  Little Bird Game

At first glance, Little Bird Game by Roentgen is a simple, entertaining game. The goal of the game is to get a rolling bird through a maze and to the exit by tilting and twisting your iPhone or iPad. However, the way you tilt and twist and the obstacles you face as you advance to new levels make the app more than just a game. In addition to some general gaming skills, you need a dose of physics in order to be successful at Little Bird Game.

Not Your Traditional Game

One of the most unique components of Little Bird Game is how you move throughout the game. There is no tapping or sliding. All of the movement is done by tilting your iPhone or iPad. A basic knowledge of physics comes into play when determining how much to tilt your device to make the bird roll. Tilt too much on a hill and the little bird could end up in a black hole or a pile of thorns.  Don’t tilt enough and you will not make it around the curve or may find yourself rolling backwards through the course. The tilting helps illustrate the basic concepts of gravity and speed and the little bird rolls through the course toward the exit.

Special obstacles also help illustrate the laws of physics. Taking a mini ramp at a higher speed will have a different effect than taking one slowly. Fail to hold the phone still while riding in a basket or cart and you could find yourself tumbling back to the beginning of the course or falling and losing a life.

A Challenging, Addicting Game

Little Bird Game features 20 levels of courses and unique physics-based challenges. However, when you first purchase the app, you can only access the first level. You unlock new levels by beating previous levels and the simple desire to see what the higher levels have in store will keep you playing until you master them all. The first few levels are fairly easy to unlock, but offer enough of a challenge to get you hooked. Level 4 is where the real challenge begins, introducing moving bars and baskets that you must use to get through the maze. Even after seeing “game over” a few times, you will find yourself trying levels over and over until you finally get it right.

While the app is rated 4+, it may appeal more to players in upper elementary school and beyond. It serves as a great introduction to the concepts of physics for students in upper elementary school, but also appeals to older students and adults. High school physics students may find themselves conquering the game quickly as they apply what they are learning in class to the various obstacles that appear at each level. Of course even adults who have not taken a physics class in ages will find themselves wanting to brush up on the basic scientific principles in order to play the game.

All images from Little Bird Game

By Stacy Zeiger
Stacy Zeiger is an 8th grade English teacher, writer and mother of two who holds a B.A. in English and M.Ed. in Secondary Education from Ohio State University.