Getting the goss on the latest Bird Mania installment on iOS devices!
Having kept the games’ development under wraps for many months, I had a chance to sit down with the Producer, Lukasz and Lead Programmer, Agata for some interesting insights into the game and its’ development on the iPhone and iPad.
What is the main idea behind Bird Mania?
Lukasz: Our goal was to create an easy ‘pick up and go’ game that you can carry around with you all the time, enjoying the pure game-play for as long as you like, wherever you like, oh, and for it to also be extremely addictive! Generally, we wanted to return to the original electronic entertainment style and I think with Bird Mania we were able to achieve that goal.
What is Bird Mania’s storyline?
Agata: A short comic strip is made available within the Menu and introduces players to the story of Mojo. The story begins with Mojo the bird sleeping in while the rest of the flock departs for their annual vacation to Africa. Mojo wakes up to find that he has been left behind and becomes furious, so he quickly departs in the direction he thinks is Africa in a crazy chase to catch up with the flock. I believe that the storyline adds a colorful boost to the overall game and gives players a sense of purpose in their endless flight!
What aspects of game play remain the same in both versions and which differ?
Agata: The iOS version was adapted from the original 3DS version with underlying elements remaining the same. Moving it from one platform to another, we needed to change a few mechanical elements such as the controls and parameters to ensure that iOS players would still be completely charmed by the game’s mechanics. Another significant change is providing players of the iOS version with 3 chances per round instead of just one. With this players will become much more addicted to the game and will have the opportunity to boost their points even more, reflecting each players actual point score. Bird Mania iOS displays beautiful graphics and has been updated with additional worlds. Mojo now journeys through new, never before seen lands.
What makes the release of Bird Mania on iOS so exciting?
Lukasz: Bird Mania was positively received by the public when it was released on Nintendo 3DS. We had many enthusiastic ratings and reviews, and overall many positive opinions from players, whose voices matter the most to us. With all the positive reactions circulating, we decided to bring the game to iOS devices to give the wider community a chance to experience playing the game. We really hope that Bird Mania on iOS will be well received as a universal game that works well on both iOS devices and Nintendo 3DS.
As the lead programmer, what did you enjoy the most in the development of Bird Mania on iOS?
Agata: My favorite part of the development process was definitely testing the game on fellow Teyon colleagues, and yes I admit I test on humans! 
It is really satisfying seeing your colleagues who are fans of genres such as shooters and RPGS finding it difficult to tear themselves away from Bird Mania once they start playing! Receiving positive reactions from my colleagues makes every moment of the process, including the difficult times all worth the effort! I am very happy to see the game is gaining popularity every day even before its official release and cannot wait to see what players of the iOS version will think once they start playing!
What are new players going to like about the game and loyal fans appreciate?
Lukasz: New players will definitely appreciate our attention to every detail. Our aim was to balance the gameplay and ensure that players of all levels can enjoy the game and play it on an equalized standing. At the same time, we ensured that every player would still be challenged by continually improving their flying skills, overall bettering their scores. Fan of the 3DS version will discover new and interesting elements added into the game including the popular social networking function as well as the ability to compare scores with other players and with friends.
What should we expect from Bird Mania in the future?
Lukasz: Everyone here at Teyon all agree that Bird Mania is definitely worth further sequels. In general, we haven’t forgotten about our loyal 3DS fans or other gamers using different mobile phone platforms, so you can expect more to come from Bird Mania in the near future. That is all I can give away at the moment!
For updates and news about Bird Mania head to our Official Bird Mania Facebook Page!
