Although Angry Birds (see review) is still the top game in the Marketplace right now and it is a lot of fun, lots of folks are still shaking their head at the $2.99 price tag versus our competition where it is either free or $0.99. Putting aside for the moment the eternal debate about Xbox LIVE titles and their value (we're actually okay with $2.99 games, sorry), lets look at another related issue: Angry Bird levels and updates.
For those familiar with the Angry Birds universe, you'll know it's not a static game. Both on the iPhone and Android it receives frequent updates in the form of new levels. Currently, the Windows Phone version comes with a seemingly ample 135 levels on it and to be honest, it is keeping us busy. But our version is based on v1.4.2 whereas the iPhone/Android version is at 1.6.1.
Windows Phone Daily compared and contrasted the two versions and found that ours is missing about 105 levels on it, which...well, is a lot. Of course to cut Rovio some slack, they did have to get the game out by a certain time and matching updates is like shooting a moving target. Interestingly, when you max out all the levels in Angry Birds on Xbox LIVE for Windows Phone, you get the above "Coming Soon" screen. So that's a least promising as it looks like Rovio (or more likely their outsourced partner who made our version, Innogiant Ltd.) are planning on adding those levels in the future.
Unfortunately, neither company was willing to go on record about when to expect those new-old levels and knowing the update record of Xbox LIVE titles, we're hoping it won't be too long. In the meantime, we'll be busy trying to complete the current 135 challenges.
Update: Saad Hashmi of Windows Phone Daily just commented that they heard from Rovio, although it was not very informative. You can read his comment below.
Source: Windows Phone Daily
