Flappy Bird

File:Flappy Bird gameplay.png

Flappy Bird is an arcade-style game in which the player controls the bird Faby, which moves persistently to the right. They are tasked with navigating Faby through pairs of pipes that have equally sized gaps placed at random heights. Faby automatically descends and only ascends when the player taps the touchscreen. Each successful pass through a pair of pipes awards the player one point. Colliding with a pipe or the ground ends the gameplay. During the game over screen, the player is awarded a bronze medal if they reach ten or more points, a silver medal from twenty points, a gold medal from thirty points, and a platinum medal from forty points.{{cite web |url=https://twitter.com/davidkushner/status/467383612393136128 |title=Twitter / davidkushner: My email interview today w/ @dongatory about his next Flappy Bird game – and meeting @NolanBushnell at #WiredBizCon |publisher=Twitter |access-date=July 18, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140817064055/https://twitter.com/davidkushner/status/467383612393136128 |archive-date=August 17, 2014 |url-status=live }}{{cite news |last=Haynes |first=Danielle |title=Flappy Birds dominates app lists |url=https://www.upi.com/blog/2014/01/26/Flappy-Birds-dominates-app-lists/8271390760147/ |work=United Press International |access-date=January 30, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140130130947/http://www.upi.com/blog/2014/01/26/Flappy-Birds-dominates-app-lists/8271390760147 |archive-date=January 30, 2014 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |last1=Moscaritolo |first1=Angela |title=Flappy Bird Tops App Store Charts, Headed to Windows Phone |url=https://uk.pcmag.com/mobile-games/10890/flappy-bird-tops-app-store-charts-headed-to-windows-phone |website=PCmag |date=February 3, 2014 |publisher=PCMag UK |access-date=September 11, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170909191129/http://uk.pcmag.com/mobile-games-products/10890/news/flappy-bird-tops-app-store-charts-headed-to-windows-phone |archive-date=September 9, 2017 |url-status=live }}{{cite news |last=Ingenito |first=Vince |title=Flappy Bird Review |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2014/02/08/flappy-bird-review |access-date=February 26, 2014 |newspaper=IGN |date=February 7, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140223223237/http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/02/08/flappy-bird-review |archive-date=February 23, 2014 |url-status=live }}

Dong Nguyen grew up in Vạn Phúc, a village near Hanoi. He discovered video games by playing Super Mario Bros. as a child and began coding his own at age 16. At 19, while studying programming at a local university, he won an internship at Punch Entertainment, one of the few video game companies in Vietnam. While using the iPhone, he found that its most popular games such as Angry Birds were too complicated, and wanted to make a simpler game for people who are "always on the move".

Flappy Bird was created and developed by Nguyen in two to three days. The bird character, Faby, was originally designed in 2012 for a cancelled platform game.{{cite news |last=Heney |first=Elaine |title=How to make Flappy Bird, #1 app – Interview with game developer Dong Nguyen: Updated |url=http://www.thechocolatelabapps.com/how-to-make-flappy-bird/ |newspaper=Chocolate Lab Apps |date=January 31, 2014 |access-date=February 6, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140206211056/http://www.thechocolatelabapps.com/how-to-make-flappy-bird/ |archive-date=February 6, 2014 |url-status=live }} The gameplay was inspired by the act of bouncing a ping pong ball against a paddle for as long as possible.{{cite web |last1=Crecente |first1=Brian |title=Flappy Bird creator says game was inspired by bouncing a ping pong ball on a paddle |url=https://www.polygon.com/2014/7/21/5923105/flappy-bird-interview-dong-nguyen |website=Polygon |date=July 21, 2014 |access-date=June 13, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150630232830/http://www.polygon.com/2014/7/21/5923105/flappy-bird-interview-dong-nguyen |archive-date=June 30, 2015 |url-status=live }} Initially the game was significantly easier than it became in the final version, but Nguyen said he found this version to be boring and subsequently tightened up the difficulty. He described the business plan of a free download with in-game advertisements as "very common in the Japanese market".

Nguyen believes that contemporary Western games are overly complex. His company, .Gears, describes its games as "heavily influenced by retro pixelated games in its golden age. Everything is pure, extremely hard and incredibly fun to play".{{cite web|title=.Gears Studios|url=https://dotgears.com/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140204181721/https://dotgears.com/ |access-date=26 February 2014|archive-date=February 4, 2014 }}

Flappy Bird was originally released on May 24, 2013,{{cite web |url=http://www.ign.com/games/flappy-bird/android-20012528 |title=Flappy Bird – Android |access-date=February 9, 2014 |publisher=IGN |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140220164736/http://www.ign.com/games/flappy-bird/android-20012528 |archive-date=February 20, 2014 |url-status=live }} with support for the iPhone 5. The game was subsequently updated for iOS 7 in September 2013. Although originally unsuccessful, the game received a massive influx of players after being reviewed by the Swedish YouTuber PewDiePie.{{Cite web|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/flappy-bird-origin-2014-2|title=Flappy Bird's Massive Rise Can Be Traced To A Reddit Thread That Spun Out Of Control|last=Dickey|first=Megan Rose|website=Business Insider|access-date=2019-10-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191016222207/https://www.businessinsider.com/flappy-bird-origin-2014-2|archive-date=October 16, 2019|url-status=live}} In January 2014, it topped the Free Apps chart in the US and Chinese App Stores,{{cite web |url=http://toucharcade.com/2014/01/31/super-ball-juggling-and-shuriken-block/ |title='Super Ball Juggling' and 'Shuriken Block' Join 'Flappy Bird' in Top Free Downloads Chart |author=Hodapp, Eli |publisher=TouchArcade |date=January 31, 2014 |access-date=February 9, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140214131608/http://toucharcade.com/2014/01/31/super-ball-juggling-and-shuriken-block/ |archive-date=February 14, 2014 |url-status=live }} and later that month topped the same section of the UK App Store where it was touted as "the new Angry Birds". It ended January as the most downloaded App on the App Store.{{cite web |last=Sentinel |first=The |url=http://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/frustrated-stokies-blast-flappy-bird-game-twitter/story-20538032-detail/story.html |title=As frustrated Stokies blast Flappy Bird game on Twitter we ask: What's your favourite smartphone app? |publisher=Stoke Sentinel |access-date=January 31, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222012742/http://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/frustrated-Stokies-blast-Flappy-Bird-game-Twitter/story-20538032-detail/story.html |archive-date=February 22, 2014 |df=mdy-all }} The Android version of Flappy Bird was released to the Google Play store on January 30, 2014.{{cite web |url=http://gadgets.ndtv.com/apps/news/flappy-birds-popularity-on-ios-leaves-experts-baffled-478174 |title=Flappy Birds' popularity on iOS leaves 'experts' baffled |publisher=NDTV |date=February 1, 2014 |access-date=February 9, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140204071136/http://gadgets.ndtv.com/apps/news/flappy-birds-popularity-on-ios-leaves-experts-baffled-478174 |archive-date=February 4, 2014 |url-status=live }} In early 2014, Nguyen said in an interview with The Verge that the game was earning around $50,000 a day in revenue through its in-game advertising.{{cite web |author=Ellis Hamburger |url=https://www.theverge.com/2014/2/5/5383708/flappy-bird-revenue-50-k-per-day-dong-nguyen-interview |title=Indie smash hit 'Flappy Bird' racks up $50K per day in ad revenue |publisher=The Verge |date=February 5, 2014 |access-date=February 6, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140205232424/http://www.theverge.com/2014/2/5/5383708/flappy-bird-revenue-50-k-per-day-dong-nguyen-interview |archive-date=February 5, 2014 |url-status=live }}

On February 8, 2014, Nguyen announced on Twitter that the game would be removed from both Apple's App Store and Google Play, writing: "I am sorry Flappy Bird users, 22 hours from now, I will take Flappy Bird down. I cannot take this anymore."{{Cite tweet|number=432227971173068800|user=dongatory|title=I am sorry 'Flappy Bird' users, 22 hours from now, I will take 'Flappy Bird' down. I cannot take this anymore.|author=Dong Nguyen|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140209025416/https://twitter.com/dongatory/status/432227971173068800|archive-date=2014-02-09|url-status=live}} He went on to say that taking down the game had "nothing to do with legal issues".{{cite web |url=https://twitter.com/dongatory/status/432228383095668737 |title=Twitter / dongatory: It is not anything related |publisher=Twitter |access-date=February 9, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140208205047/https://twitter.com/dongatory/status/432228383095668737 |archive-date=February 8, 2014 |url-status=live }} The game was removed from both the App Store and Google Play exactly on time,{{cite web |last1=Molina |first1=Brett |title=Developer says he's taking down popular 'Flappy Bird' |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/gaming/2014/02/08/flappy-bird-removed/5315655/ |website=usatoday |publisher=USA Today |access-date=September 11, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140705150616/http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/gaming/2014/02/08/flappy-bird-removed/5315655/ |archive-date=July 5, 2014 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=https://www.technobuffalo.com/2014/02/09/flappy-bird-removed-from-app-store/ |title=Flappy Bird Removed From App Store |author=Haselton, Todd |publisher=TechnoBuffalo |date=February 9, 2014 |access-date=February 9, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140214112459/http://www.technobuffalo.com/2014/02/09/flappy-bird-removed-from-app-store/ |archive-date=February 14, 2014 |url-status=dead }} much to the dismay of many fans.{{cite news |last=Hooton |first=Christopher |title=Flappy Bird creator Dong Nguyen receives death threats on Twitter |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/flappy-bird-creator-dong-nguyen-now-receiving-death-threats-on-twitter-9119863.html |access-date=March 15, 2014 |newspaper=The Independent |date=February 10, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140315184603/http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/flappy-bird-creator-dong-nguyen-now-receiving-death-threats-on-twitter-9119863.html |archive-date=March 15, 2014 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |last1=Ingenito |first1=Vince |title=Flappy Bird creator to take game down tomorrow |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/02/08/flappy-bird-creator-to-take-game-down-tomorrow |website=IGN |date=February 8, 2014 |access-date=September 11, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141228204134/http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/02/08/flappy-bird-creator-to-take-game-down-tomorrow |archive-date=December 28, 2014 |url-status=live }}

Tuoi Tre News, the English-language edition of the Vietnamese newspaper {{Lang|vi|Tuổi Trẻ}}, reported from a local technology expert that Flappy Bird{{'}}s removal could have been due to a legal challenge from Nintendo over perceived visual similarities to the Mario games.{{cite news |title=The rise and fall of Flappy Bird, spurred by the media |url=http://tuoitrenews.vn/business/17409/the-rise-and-fall-of-flappy-bird-spurred-by-the-media |access-date=March 17, 2014 |newspaper=Tuoi Tre News |date=February 10, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140305033154/http://tuoitrenews.vn/business/17409/the-rise-and-fall-of-flappy-bird-spurred-by-the-media |archive-date=March 5, 2014 |url-status=live }} This allegation was denied by a Nintendo spokesman to The Wall Street Journal. Lawyers in Vietnam also denied allegations that Nguyen had to remove the game due to violation of laws on Internet use in the country.{{cite news |last=Purnell |first=Newley |title=Nintendo: No Complaints About 'Flappy Bird' |url=https://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2014/02/10/no-complaints-about-flappy-bird-nintendo-says/ |access-date=February 14, 2014 |newspaper=The Wall Street Journal |date=February 10, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140211015917/http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2014/02/10/no-complaints-about-flappy-bird-nintendo-says/ |archive-date=February 11, 2014 |url-status=live }}

Following the removal, many media outlets reported that several merchants on eBay were offering phones which had the app pre-installed for US$1,499 or more, with some receiving bids of over $90,000;{{cite magazine |author=McCracken |first=Harry |date=February 9, 2014 |title=Where to Get Flappy Bird: On eBay, for $900. Cheap! |url=https://time.com/6073/where-to-get-flappy-bird/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140307014714/http://time.com/6073/where-to-get-flappy-bird/ |archive-date=March 7, 2014 |access-date=February 9, 2014 |magazine=Time}}{{cite news |last=Molina |first=Brett |title=Phones with 'Flappy Bird' app fetching big bids on eBay |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/gaming/2014/02/10/flappy-bird-auction/5358289/ |access-date=February 10, 2014 |newspaper=USA Today |date=February 10, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140210183329/http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/gaming/2014/02/10/flappy-bird-auction/5358289/ |archive-date=February 10, 2014 |url-status=live }}{{cite news |last=Thier |first=Dave |title='Flappy Bird' Price Skyrocketing on eBay |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidthier/2014/02/10/flappy-bird-price-skyrocketing-on-ebay/ |access-date=February 10, 2014 |newspaper=Forbes |date=February 10, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140212191330/http://www.forbes.com/sites/davidthier/2014/02/10/flappy-bird-price-skyrocketing-on-ebay/ |archive-date=February 12, 2014 |url-status=live }} however, the listings were removed for violating eBay's rule stating that smartphones must be restored to factory settings before being sold.{{cite news |last=Trenholm |first=Rich |url=https://www.cnet.com/news/flappy-bird-phones-kicked-off-ebay/ |title=Flappy Bird phones kicked off eBay |publisher=CNET |date=February 13, 2014 |access-date=September 9, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170909191007/https://www.cnet.com/news/flappy-bird-phones-kicked-off-ebay/ |archive-date=September 9, 2017 |url-status=live }}

In an interview with Forbes, Nguyen cited the game's addictive nature for its cancellation, stating: "Flappy Bird was designed to play in a few minutes when you are relaxed. But it happened to become an addictive product. I think it has become a problem. To solve that problem, it's best to take down Flappy Bird. It's gone forever." Nguyen said that the guilt that he felt over the game was affecting his sleep and that his conscience was relieved after he took down the game.{{cite web |last=Nguyen |first=Lan Anh |title=Exclusive: Flappy Bird Creator Dong Nguyen Says App 'Gone Forever' Because It Was 'An Addictive Product' |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/lananhnguyen/2014/02/11/exclusive-flappy-bird-creator-dong-nguyen-says-app-gone-forever-because-it-was-an-addictive-product/ |work=Forbes |access-date=February 11, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141120144756/http://www.forbes.com/sites/lananhnguyen/2014/02/11/exclusive-flappy-bird-creator-dong-nguyen-says-app-gone-forever-because-it-was-an-addictive-product/ |archive-date=November 20, 2014 |url-status=live }}

In a March 2014 interview with Rolling Stone, Nguyen refused to rule out re-releasing Flappy Bird, on condition that it would come with a warning to "Take a break".{{cite news |last=Kushner |first=David |title=The Flight of the Birdman: Flappy Bird Creator Dong Nguyen Speaks Out |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/news/the-flight-of-the-birdman-flappy-bird-creator-dong-nguyen-speaks-out-20140311 |access-date=March 15, 2014 |newspaper=Rolling Stone |date=March 11, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140314230540/http://www.rollingstone.com/culture/news/the-flight-of-the-birdman-flappy-bird-creator-dong-nguyen-speaks-out-20140311 |archive-date=March 14, 2014 |url-status=live }} On March 19, he announced via Twitter that the game will be rereleased onto App Stores, but not any time soon.{{cite news |last=Molina |first=Brett |title=Creator says 'Flappy Bird' making comeback |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/gaming/2014/03/19/flappy-bird-comeback/6611573/ |access-date=March 19, 2014 |newspaper=USA Today |date=March 19, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140319193628/http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/gaming/2014/03/19/flappy-bird-comeback/6611573/ |archive-date=March 19, 2014 |url-status=live }} On May 15, Nguyen told CNBC's Kelly Evans that the game would return in August, with multiplayer capability and will be "less addictive".{{cite web |last=Langer |first=Eli |title=Flappy Bird 'addicts' rejoice! App will return soon |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2014/05/14/flappy-bird-is-coming-back-to-app-store.html |work=CNBC |date=May 14, 2014 |access-date=May 15, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150804075929/http://www.cnbc.com/2014/05/14/flappy-bird-is-coming-back-to-app-store.html |archive-date=August 4, 2015 |url-status=live }}

As Nguyen had promised, August 2014 saw a revised version of Flappy Bird, called Flappy Birds Family, released exclusively through the Amazon Appstore for the Amazon Fire TV platform.{{cite web |last1=Tyrrel |first1=Brandon |title=FLAPPY BIRD RETURNS WITH NEW FEATURES |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/08/01/flappy-bird-returns-with-new-features |website=IGN |date=August 2014 |access-date=August 5, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140804231733/http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/08/01/flappy-bird-returns-with-new-features |archive-date=August 4, 2014 |url-status=live }} The new version also features new obstacles not in the original as well as an additional multiplayer option.

{{main article|Flappy Bird (2024 video game)|l1 = Flappy Bird (2024 video game)}}

On January 12, 2024, the trademark for Flappy Bird was terminated and subsequently handed over to Gametech Holdings after Dong Nguyen had failed to reclaim it.{{cite news |last1=Robertson |first1=Joshua |title=Flappy Bird Is Returning After A Decade Following Trademark Takeover |url=https://www.thegamer.com/flappy-bird-returning-coming-back-after-trademark-takeover/ |access-date=12 September 2024 |work=TheGamer |date=12 September 2024 |language=en}} Gametech announced an unofficial reboot to the game on September 12, more than ten years after its discontinuation, under the name "The Flappy Bird Foundation", with additional features and characters. The game was released at the end of October 2024 with the mobile version being released in 2025.{{Cite news |author1=Rich Stanton |date=2024-09-13 |title=Flappy Bird makes an unlikely comeback after its creator apparently let the trademark lapse and the vultures swept right in |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/games/action/flappy-bird-makes-an-unlikely-comeback-after-its-creator-apparently-let-the-trademark-lapse-and-the-vultures-swept-right-in/ |access-date=2024-09-15 |work=PC Gamer |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Yin-Poole |first=Wesley |date=2024-09-12 |title=10 Years After It Was Pulled Offline, Viral Mobile Game Flappy Bird Is Coming Back |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/10-years-after-it-was-pulled-offline-viral-mobile-game-flappy-bird-is-coming-back |access-date=2024-09-12 |website=IGN |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=McWhertor |first=Michael |date=2024-09-12 |title=Flappy Bird to return a decade after its viral rise and fall |url=https://www.polygon.com/gaming/451035/flappy-bird-returns-2024-ios-android |access-date=2024-09-13 |website=Polygon |language=en-US}} Nguyen stated that he has no connection with this game, nor did he sell any rights to the games.{{cite web | url = https://www.gamesradar.com/games/action/flappy-birds-og-creator-clarifies-he-didnt-sell-anything-to-the-blockchain-pushing-flappy-bird-foundation-thats-reviving-the-infamous-mobile-icon-i-also-dont-support-crypto/ | title = Flappy Bird's OG creator clarifies he didn't "sell anything" to the blockchain-pushing 'Flappy Bird Foundation' that's reviving the infamous mobile icon: "I also don't support crypto" | first = Kaan | last = Serin | date = 15 September 2024 | access-date = 15 September 2024 | work = GamesRadar }}

{{Video game reviews

| MC = 52/100

| Gamezebo = {{rating|3.5|5}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.gamezebo.com/reviews/flappy-bird-review/|title=Flappy Bird Review|website=GameZebo|date=February 4, 2014 |access-date=August 11, 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140302205621/http://www.gamezebo.com/games/flappy-bird/review|archive-date=March 2, 2014}}

| IGN = 5.4/10

| USG = 1/5{{Cite web|url=https://www.usgamer.net/articles/flappy-bird-ios-review-18-million-players-cant-be-wrong-right|title=Flappy Bird iOS Review: 18 Million Players Can't Be Wrong, Right?|website=USgamer|date=February 3, 2014|access-date=August 11, 2020|archive-date=November 3, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201103051204/https://www.usgamer.net/articles/flappy-bird-ios-review-18-million-players-cant-be-wrong-right|url-status=dead}}

}}

Flappy Bird received "mixed or average reviews" from critics, holding a Metacritic score of 52/100, based on seven reviews.{{cite Metacritic|id=flappy-bird|type=game|vgtype=ios|access-date=February 18, 2021|title=Flappy Bird|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140302021357/http://www.metacritic.com/game/ios/flappy-bird|archive-date=March 2, 2014|url-status=dead}} The app was criticized by the Huffington Post, which described it as an "insanely irritating, difficult and frustrating game which combines a super-steep difficulty curve with bad, boring graphics and jerky movement".{{cite web |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/02/03/flappy-bird-tips_n_4717406.html |title=Flappy Bird Tips: How To Get A High Score Without Cheats |work=Huffington Post |access-date=January 31, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140205084251/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/02/03/flappy-bird-tips_n_4717406.html |archive-date=February 5, 2014 |url-status=live }} IGN gave the game a mediocre score of 5.4 out of 10, quipping that the game is as addictive as it was shallow. Despite criticizing its playability and its "no skill" requirement, IGN noted that the gameplay made it "an addictive short-term distraction" for the casual skill and score-obsessed players.{{cite web |last1=Ingenito |first1=Vince |title=Flappy Bird Review |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/02/08/flappy-bird-review |website=IGN |date=February 8, 2014 |access-date=September 11, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140921102236/http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/02/08/flappy-bird-review |archive-date=September 21, 2014 |url-status=live }} The game's difficulty has been a source of ire for many users, with one user stating that it took him half an hour to achieve a score of five points.{{cite web |author=Mike Bertha, Philly.com |url=http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/trending/Flappy-Bird-app-game-iPhone-Android-obsessed-cheats-impossible-Ironpants.html |title=Everything you need to know about your new favorite cell phone game, 'Flappy Bird' |work=Philadelphia Daily News |date=October 22, 2012 |access-date=January 31, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140131090256/http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/trending/Flappy-Bird-app-game-iPhone-Android-obsessed-cheats-impossible-Ironpants.html |archive-date=January 31, 2014 |url-status=live }} According to its creator, the game is slightly easier on Android devices than on iOS.{{cite web |url=https://twitter.com/dongatory/status/428363898920529920 |title=Twitter / dongatory: @dmatttx Yes, it is easier on Android |publisher=Twitter |access-date=January 31, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140227140245/https://twitter.com/dongatory/status/428363898920529920 |archive-date=February 27, 2014 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=http://www.phonesreview.co.uk/2014/01/30/flappy-bird-android-app-easier-than-ios/ |title=Flappy Bird Android app easier than iOS » Phone Reviews |date=January 30, 2014 |publisher=Phonesreview.co.uk |access-date=January 31, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140131095809/http://www.phonesreview.co.uk/2014/01/30/flappy-bird-android-app-easier-than-ios/ |archive-date=January 31, 2014 |url-status=live }}

When questioned at the time by Chocolate Lab Apps, a website for app developers, Nguyen claimed to have used no promotional methods in the marketing of Flappy Bird. He credited the sudden rise in the game's popularity in early 2014 to possibly "luck". However, online marketer Carter Thomas suspected that the developer had used bots to cause its success.{{cite web |url=https://www.bluecloudsolutions.com/blog/flappy-birds-smoke-mirrors-scamming-app-store/ |title=Flappy Bird's Smoke & Mirrors – Is Something Fishy Going On? |publisher=Blue Cloud Solutions |access-date=February 5, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140204181721/http://www.bluecloudsolutions.com/blog/flappy-birds-smoke-mirrors-scamming-app-store/ |archive-date=February 4, 2014 |url-status=dead }} When questioned on this by The Daily Telegraph, Nguyen said that he respected other people's opinions and did not wish to comment, adding, "I'd like to make my games in peace."{{cite news |last=Williams |first=Rhiannon |title=Flappy Bird: 'too good to be true?' |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/10615036/Flappy-Bird-too-good-to-be-true.html |access-date=February 5, 2014 |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |date=February 4, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140204213352/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/10615036/Flappy-Bird-too-good-to-be-true.html |archive-date=February 4, 2014 |url-status=live }} When Newsweek inquired about the matter, Nguyen wrote, "If I did fake it, should Apple let it live for months?"{{cite web |url=http://www.newsweek.com/flappy-bird-cooking-its-itunes-rank-228016 |title=Is Flappy Bird Cooking its iTunes Rank? |work=Newsweek |author=Kloc, Joe |date=February 4, 2014 |access-date=February 4, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140205070647/http://www.newsweek.com/flappy-bird-cooking-its-itunes-rank-228016 |archive-date=February 5, 2014 |url-status=live }}

The game was criticised by Kotaku for what it claimed was overt use of Mario-style graphics,{{cite news |last1=Totilo |first1=Stephen |title=The Flappy Bird Fiasco |url=http://kotaku.com/the-flappy-bird-fiasco-1519938266 |newspaper=Kotaku |access-date=September 11, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140903231958/http://kotaku.com/the-flappy-bird-fiasco-1519938266 |archive-date=September 3, 2014 |url-status=live }} referring to it as "ripped-off art". It later published a correction, clarifying that the game's green pipe was "a new albeit unoriginal drawing".{{cite web |author=Schreier, Jason |url=http://kotaku.com/flappy-bird-is-making-50-000-a-day-off-ripped-art-1517498140 |title=Flappy Bird Is Making $50,000 A Day With Mario-Like Art [UPDATE 3] |publisher=Kotaku |date=February 6, 2014 |access-date=February 9, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140209064602/http://kotaku.com/flappy-bird-is-making-50-000-a-day-off-ripped-art-1517498140 |archive-date=February 9, 2014 |url-status=live }}

According to some Vietnamese newspapers, including Thanh Niên and BBC Vietnamese, Flappy Bird is very similar to a game released in 2011 (two years before Flappy Bird) called Piou Piou vs. Cactus, from the gameplay (by tapping on the screen) to the main character design (a small yellow bird with big red beak) to the obstacles (green cacti and pipes).{{cite web |author=BBC Vietnamese |title=Flappy Bird bị cha đẻ khai tử |work=BBC |date=February 9, 2014 |url=http://www.bbc.com/vietnamese/vietnam/2014/02/140209_flappy_bird_closed |access-date=February 14, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170909190330/http://www.bbc.com/vietnamese/vietnam/2014/02/140209_flappy_bird_closed |archive-date=September 9, 2017 |url-status=live }} Several French newspapers, including 20 minutes{{Cite web |last=Grondin |first=Anaëlle |date=2014-02-05 |title=L'application vedette "Flappy Bird", plagiat d'un jeu mobile français? |url=https://www.20minutes.fr/high-tech/1290986-20140205-20140205-lapplication-vedette-flappy-bird-plagiat-dun-jeu-mobile-francais |access-date=2024-05-26 |website=20 minutes |language=fr}} and Metronews,{{Cite web |date=2014-02-06 |title=Flappy Bird est-il la contrefaçon d'un jeu français ? |trans-title=Is Flappy Bird a counterfeit of a French game? |url=https://www.tf1info.fr/high-tech/flappy-bird-est-il-la-contrefacon-dun-jeu-francais-1542163.html |access-date=2024-05-26 |website=TF1 INFO |language=fr}} reported on claims of Flappy Bird itself being a clone.{{cite web |url=http://soha.vn/quoc-te/truyen-thong-phap-nghi-ngo-tac-gia-flappy-bird-dao-y-tuong-20140208140155266.htm |title=Truyền thông Pháp nghi ngờ tác giả Flappy Bird "đạo" ý tưởng |website=Soha.vn |author=Chí Quân |date=February 8, 2014 |access-date=February 14, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140214082521/http://soha.vn/quoc-te/truyen-thong-phap-nghi-ngo-tac-gia-flappy-bird-dao-y-tuong-20140208140155266.htm |archive-date=February 14, 2014 |url-status=live }} Thanh Niên found the similarities between Piou Piou vs. Cactus and Flappy Bird to be astonishing.{{cite web |author=Nguyễn Khang |date=February 8, 2014 |title=Nghi án Flappy bird... đạo game |url=http://thanhnien.vn/cong-nghe/nghi-an-flappy-bird-dao-game-3933.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170909191613/http://thanhnien.vn/cong-nghe/nghi-an-flappy-bird-dao-game-3933.html |archive-date=September 9, 2017 |access-date=February 14, 2014 |website=Thanh Niên}}

The French developer of Piou Piou vs. Cactus, known as Kek, told Pocket Gamer that he, too, noticed that Flappy Bird is "very similar" to his earlier game. Kek contacted Nguyen, who said that when he created Flappy Bird, "he doesn't think he knew about" Kek's game.{{cite web |author=Chris Priestman |url=http://www.pocketgamer.co.uk/r/Android/Piou+Piou+against+cactus/news.asp?c=57203 |title=Piou Piou dev can't help but notice the resemblance between his game and Flappy Bird |publisher=Pocketgamer.co.uk |date=February 7, 2014 |access-date=February 14, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140210001922/http://www.pocketgamer.co.uk/r/Android/Piou+Piou+against+cactus/news.asp?c=57203 |archive-date=February 10, 2014 |url-status=live }} Technology editor Patrick O'Rourke of Canada.com also charged that Flappy Bird is "almost a complete ripoff" of Piou Piou vs Cactus, as well as that its primary gameplay mechanic is a "rip off" from a game called Helicopter Game, and that it heavily borrowed sound effects from Super Mario Bros. games.{{cite web |author=Patrick O'Rourke |url=http://o.canada.com/technology/gaming/flappy-bird-is-the-ultimate-mobile-game-ripoff |title=Flappy Bird is the ultimate mobile game ripoff |publisher=Canada.com |date=February 6, 2014 |access-date=February 8, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140207163609/http://o.canada.com/technology/gaming/flappy-bird-is-the-ultimate-mobile-game-ripoff/ |archive-date=February 7, 2014 |url-status=live }}

Since the game's removal, numerous remakes and parodies have been spawned,{{Cite web|date=2014-02-22|title=The best (and worst) of some recent Flappy Bird knockoffs|url=https://venturebeat.com/2014/02/21/the-best-and-worst-of-some-recent-flappy-bird-knockoffs/|access-date=2021-10-05|website=VentureBeat|language=en-US}} such as Sesame Street's Flappy Bert{{cite news |last=Makuch |first=Eddie |date=February 12, 2014 |title=Sesame Street takes on Flappy Bird with 'Flappy Bert' |work=Gamespot |publisher=CBS Interactive |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/sesame-street-takes-on-flappy-bird-with-flappy-bert/1100-6417699/ |access-date=February 12, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140302015204/http://www.gamespot.com/articles/sesame-street-takes-on-flappy-bird-with-flappy-bert/1100-6417699/ |archive-date=March 2, 2014 |url-status=live }} and Fall Out Boy's Fall Out Bird.{{cite news |last=Makuch |first=Eddie |date=February 12, 2014 |title=Fall Out Boy to release their own Flappy Bird game |work=Gamespot |publisher=CBS Interactive |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/fall-out-boy-to-release-their-own-flappy-bird-game/1100-6417680/ |access-date=February 12, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140302024222/http://www.gamespot.com/articles/fall-out-boy-to-release-their-own-flappy-bird-game/1100-6417680/ |archive-date=March 2, 2014 |url-status=live }} Flappy Bird became one of the most cloned games in Apple's App Store.{{cite web |url=https://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/crazy-flappy-bird-clones/ |title=Over 800 Flappy Bird Clones Still Exist: Here are the Most Ridiculous – Digital Trends |date=March 5, 2014 |work=Digital Trends |access-date=September 9, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170909185725/https://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/crazy-flappy-bird-clones/ |archive-date=September 9, 2017 |url-status=live }} At the peak of its popularity, over 60 clones per day{{cite web |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/insertcoin/2014/03/06/over-sixty-flappy-bird-clones-hit-apples-app-store-every-single-day/ |title=Over Sixty 'Flappy Bird' Clones Hit Apple's App Store Every Single Day |author=Paul Tassi |date=March 6, 2014 |work=Forbes |access-date=August 28, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170830062110/https://www.forbes.com/sites/insertcoin/2014/03/06/over-sixty-flappy-bird-clones-hit-apples-app-store-every-single-day/ |archive-date=August 30, 2017 |url-status=live }} were appearing on the App Store, prompting both Google and Apple to begin rejecting games with the word Flappy in the name.{{cite web |url=https://techcrunch.com/2014/02/15/apple-google-begin-rejecting-games-with-flappy-in-the-title/ |title=Apple & Google Begin Rejecting Games With "Flappy" In The Title |publisher=AOL |work=TechCrunch |date=February 15, 2014 |access-date=June 25, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170801111235/https://techcrunch.com/2014/02/15/apple-google-begin-rejecting-games-with-flappy-in-the-title/ |archive-date=August 1, 2017 |url-status=live }} CNET reviewed seven "Flappy copycats" for iOS two days after the original game's removal, describing the options as "pretty bleak", but singling out the underwater Splashy Fish as the closest approximation of Flappy Bird.{{cite news |title=The search for an awesome Flappy Bird replacement |last=Parker |first=Jason |date=February 11, 2014 |publisher=CNET |url=https://www.cnet.com/news/the-search-for-an-awesome-flappy-bird-replacement/ |access-date=February 12, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140329063634/http://www.cnet.com/news/the-search-for-an-awesome-flappy-bird-replacement/ |archive-date=March 29, 2014 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |title=Play this: 'Flappy Bird' lives on in 'Flappy Doge' |url=https://www.theverge.com/2014/2/10/5397824/play-this-flappy-doge |work=The Verge |date=February 10, 2014 |access-date=February 10, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140210224838/http://www.theverge.com/2014/2/10/5397824/play-this-flappy-doge |archive-date=February 10, 2014 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |title=Flappy Bird is now a competitve MMO |url=https://www.geek.com/games/flappy-bird-is-now-a-competitve-mmo-1584672/ |publisher=Geek.com |access-date=February 13, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222164913/http://www.geek.com/games/flappy-bird-is-now-a-competitve-mmo-1584672/ |archive-date=February 22, 2014 |url-status=live }}

Shortly after the game's removal, security researchers warned that some versions of Flappy Bird and its imitators available on alternative Android app stores have been found to contain malware that can lead to unauthorised charges to a user's phone bills. The number matching game Threes has been compared to Flappy Bird because of the similarities between how people react to them and by the chain of clones that they are both respectively part of.{{cite web |title=Clones, Clones Everywhere – "1024," "2048" And Other Copies Of Popular Paid Game "Threes" Fill The App Stores |url=https://techcrunch.com/2014/03/24/clones-clones-everywhere-1024-2048-and-other-copies-of-popular-paid-game-threes-fill-the-app-stores/ |author=Sarah Perez |date=March 24, 2014 |publisher=AOL Inc. |access-date=March 25, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140325013644/http://techcrunch.com/2014/03/24/clones-clones-everywhere-1024-2048-and-other-copies-of-popular-paid-game-threes-fill-the-app-stores/ |archive-date=March 25, 2014 |url-status=live }}

In February 2014, the non-profit computer science education organization Code.org unveiled a set of lessons that would allow the student to make their own Flappy Bird clone.{{cite web |last1=Lowensohn |first1=Josh |title=Code.org turning the ashes of 'Flappy Bird' into a phoenix of coding education |url=https://www.theverge.com/2014/2/26/5451182/code-org-turning-the-ashes-of-flappy-bird-into-a-phoenix-of-coding |website=The Verge |access-date=December 6, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141222163720/http://www.theverge.com/2014/2/26/5451182/code-org-turning-the-ashes-of-flappy-bird-into-a-phoenix-of-coding |archive-date=December 22, 2014 |url-status=live }}{{cite news |last1=Suba |first1=Randell |title=Code.org cashes in on Flappy Bird craze: Code your own Flappy game |url=http://www.techtimes.com/articles/3874/20140302/code-org-cashes-in-on-flappy-bird-craze-code-your-own-flappy-game.htm |access-date=December 6, 2014 |work=Tech Times |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140429075855/http://www.techtimes.com/articles/3874/20140302/code-org-cashes-in-on-flappy-bird-craze-code-your-own-flappy-game.htm |archive-date=April 29, 2014 |url-status=live }}

Nguyen's other games Super Ball Juggling and Shuriken Block ranked at 6th and 18th respectively on the App Store during early February 2014 on the back of Flappy Bird{{'s}} success. He revealed in March 2014 that he was developing three other games at the time, in similar formats to his previous releases. One of those games was released in 2014 as Swing Copters and uses similar gameplay as Flappy Bird.

An Easter egg in Android Lollipop (version 5.0/5.1) allows users to play a modified version of Flappy Bird, entitled "L Land", involving a flying Android and Lollipops replacing the pipes.{{cite web |last1=Gunther |first1=Cory |title=Android 5.0 Easter Egg is Flappy Birds |url=https://www.gottabemobile.com/android-5-0-easter-egg-is-flappy-birds/ |website=Gotta Be Mobile |publisher=Notebooks.com, Inc |access-date=February 3, 2015 |date=October 17, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170223032819/http://www.gottabemobile.com/android-5-0-easter-egg-is-flappy-birds/ |archive-date=February 23, 2017 |url-status=live }}{{cite news |last1=Seifert |first1=Dan |title=Android 5.0 Lollipop's Easter egg is a Flappy Bird clone |url=https://www.theverge.com/2014/10/17/6995051/android-5-0-lollipop-flappy-droid-easter-egg |access-date=26 December 2019 |work=The Verge |date=17 October 2014 |language=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191226055936/https://www.theverge.com/2014/10/17/6995051/android-5-0-lollipop-flappy-droid-easter-egg |archive-date=December 26, 2019 |url-status=live }} It was revamped in Android Marshmallow (version 6.0) as "Marshmallow Lad", adding multiplayer support for up to 6 players.{{Cite news|url=https://www.cnet.com/how-to/play-the-android-marshmallow-easter-egg-game/|title=Play the Android 6.0 Marshmallow Easter egg game|work=CNET|first=Nicole |last=Cozma

|access-date=2017-10-19|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171020033440/https://www.cnet.com/how-to/play-the-android-marshmallow-easter-egg-game/|archive-date=October 20, 2017|url-status=live}}

On New Year's Eve in 2014, Google displayed an animated Google Doodle featuring Flappy Bird as one of the year's most searched phenomena, alongside the World Cup, the Ice Bucket Challenge and the Philae spacecraft.{{cite news |last1=Watts |first1=Jack |title=Google looks back at 2014 trending topics with New Year's Eve 2014 Google Doodle |url=http://www.express.co.uk/life-style/science-technology/549521/New-Year-s-Eve-2014-Google-Doodle-trending-topics |access-date=January 1, 2015 |work=Daily Express |date=December 31, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141231192759/http://www.express.co.uk/life-style/science-technology/549521/New-Year-s-Eve-2014-Google-Doodle-trending-topics |archive-date=December 31, 2014 |url-status=live }} A similar game featuring Talking Tom was released as a mini-game for My Talking Tom, called Flappy Tom, and the same game was featured in Talking Tom and Friends.

In 2016, video game player and livestreamer SethBling replicated Flappy Bird within Super Mario World through code injection.{{Cite web|last=Phillips|first=Tom|date=2016-03-29|title=Super Mario World player transforms game into Flappy Bird|url=https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2016-03-29-super-mario-world-player-transforms-game-into-flappy-bird|access-date=2022-01-15|website=Eurogamer|language=en}}

In June 2023, the dwarf mining game Deep Rock Galactic's Season 04 update put an arcade cabinet into the in-game bar containing the Flappy Bird parody game "Jetty Boot" as a "training module" for obtaining the Jet Boots players can find in the game's missions.{{Cite web |date=2023-06-15 |title=Deep Rock Galactic - Season 04: Critical Corruption - Out Now! - Steam News |url=https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/548430/view/3647400203330259571 |access-date=2024-01-24 |website=store.steampowered.com |language=en}}

{{Reflist}}

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Category:2013 video games

Category:Android (operating system) games

Category:IOS games

Category:Side-scrolling video games

Category:Single-player video games

Category:Video game clones

Category:Video game controversies

Category:Video games about birds

Category:Video games developed in Vietnam

Category:Video games involved in plagiarism controversies