[HTML1]

As they teased late last week, Rovio Entertainment has unveiled the next title in their Angry Birds franchise, Angry Birds: Star Wars 2. And, as expected, this new mobile title will follow the storylines of the prequel trilogy, from Phantom Menace to Revenge of the Sith.

While the fundamentals of the Angry Birds: Star Wars universe appear well preserved in the trailer above, there are some interesting additions to the formula. Players can now choose either the light side or the dark side (appropriately labeled the "Pork Side") and play as characters with those various allegiances.

In our post last week, we listed a few characters that we felt Rovio had to include in their forthcoming game. And wouldn't you know it, all three were featured front and center in the trailer.

Angry Birds Star Wars 2 Trailer

Mace Windu, for example, is a new type of Jedi bird capable of flinging his light saber while flying through the air. Windu's fellow Jedi, Qui Gon Jinn, on the other hand, looks more like a traditional force push bird.

Of course, one of the major selling points for Angry Birds: Star Wars 2 is going to be the opportunity to play as Darth Maul. In fact, we wouldn't be surprised if the "play as the pork side" idea didn't come about because Rovio knew fans would be dying to play as Darth Maul.

But perhaps the biggest new addition for Angry Birds: Star Wars 2 is the Telpods feature. Much like with Skylanders or Disney Infinity, Telepods allow players to transport their figurine into the game simply by placing them on a portal.

Angry Birds Star Wars 2 Characters

So, by using Telepods, players can tailor their Angry Birds: Star Wars 2 line-up to their liking, which could add a new dynamic to the mobile title. In most cases, it seems like players will be able to purchase fan-favorite characters like Yoda (maybe Darth Maul as well?), but we don't know much at this point. We also don't know how much the Telepods will cost or how many there will be.

So there you have it, the first look at Angry Birds: Star Wars 2 in action. If we had to guess, we would say the Telepods feature is a major turning point for Rovio, and will signal a new age of Angry Birds licensing opportunities. Parents better start preparing their wallets.

What do you think of Angry Birds: Star Wars 2? Does the Telepods feature sound like a good idea or a cash grab?

Angry Birds: Star Wars 2 will be available September 19, 2013 at app stores worldwide.

-

Source: Rovio