Angry Birds 2 launched

Angry Birds 2, the official sequel to the wildly popular mobile game from Finnish app developer Rovio, has launched today (30 July) on both iOS and Android.

While the basic gameplay remains the same – essentially catapulting a variety of birds at a group of heavily armoured pigs – there are now multiple stages in each level and new spells, including "blizzards", "magic ducks" and "hot chili peppers".

There are also new characters, including a bird called Silver, which Rovio claims grew up in Pig City and has acquired "porcine habits and an odd sense of humour," but whose flying skills make her a "powerful new member of the flock".