New Angry Birds Seasons episodes are coming out this week. The latest update is called Cherry Blossom and here’s a pic showing how Cherry Blossom looks:

It’s very cute with a bit of a Japanese theme. Watch the video for more details on Angry Birds Cherry Blossom.

Angry Birds Cherry Blossom

What do you think of the Cherry Blossom update?

Haven’t got enough of Angry Birds? Well, Angry Birds is coming to the world’s largest social media network. That’s right, on the 14th February Angry Birds will be landing on Facebook!

Angry Birds on Facebook

Rovio says the Facebook version of Angry Birds won’t be exactly the same as the mobile version of the game. The birds will still be out to destroy those nasty pigs but the game will have a more social aspect so you can share and collaborate with friends.

There is no word on exactly how the Facebook game will work but all will be revealed on Valentine’s Day when the game will launch.

Follow us on Facebook where we will announce what the new game entails and how you can play.

Update: Visit http://facebook.angrybirds.com to play Angry Birds on Facebook.

Angry Birds Seasons Ham'O'Ween is the new Halloween version of the game with new episodes and a new bird. The crazy little bird loves his sweets but watch out, he can get upset if he doesn’t get what he wants!

It was a dark and stormy night, but that won't stop the Angry Birds! Pursue the pigs through 30 levels filled with pumpkin patches, exploding jack-o-lanterns, and creepy skeletons, lit by a full moon and eerie lantern light. You'll get some unexpected help from a BRAND NEW BIRD -- he starts out small, but don't let his looks fool you! Complete all the levels to find some special Halloween tricks and treats!

I can’t believe there are 30 new levels! That’s just what I need to keep me occupied for the new few weeks. Have you downloaded Angry Birds Seasons Ham'O'Ween? Do you like the new bird? Let us know in the comments. Check out the Halloween video introducing the new bird.

Sometimes I wonder if Angry Birds merchandising isn’t going to far from the plush toys to the huge t-shirt range to countless other products now available for the game. But now they’ve even come out with Angry Birds baby clothes. Yep, baby clothes for the youngest fans of the game (ha!).

Angry Birds Baby Clothes

As much as I want to hate this idea, the clothes are actually quite cute. The red Angry Bird (who isn’t looking quite so angry) onesie is particularly cute. Luckily I don’t have any kids or I’d be tempted to buy these.

The current baby range includes:

• onesies
• baby blankets
• burpie
• swaddling blanket
• sleeping sack

The Angry Birds baby clothes are available online from SwaddleDesigns. These are official Angry Birds designs supported by Rovio not fakes or copies so you can feel confident about purchasing them from the Swaddle Designs website.

What do you think, will you get some of these baby products for your baby or maybe as a gift? Prices are reasonable so why not and if you’re not into Angry Birds, Swaddle Designs has some really cute clothing designs including a few organic pieces which might be worth picking up.

Angry Birds mania is completely out of hand now. They are taking over the world in every way possible. It’s incredible.

Here are 10 ways Angry Birds is taking over the world (list via Mashable):

1. Smartphone Apps
2. Plush Toys
3. Television
4. Google Chrome
5. Facebook
6. PSP
7. Board Game
8. Cookbook
9. Holiday Themes
10. Movie Partnerships

It’s not just official Angry Birds development and merchandise which is taking off. Lovers/addicts of the game are creating their own websites and shops to promote the Angry Birds franchise. Angry Birds fan sites are growing in numbers (yes, I’m contributing to the mania) and there are eBay and Etsy stores popping up too.

It’s one thing to get through all the episodes and levels in Angry Birds, it’s quite another to get 3 stars in each level. That takes real dedication and is the goal of true Angry Birds fans.

If you want an easy way to get 3 stars on each level you can follow these Angry Birds cheats which are available for each level but that is, um… cheating. What’s the point really? There’s no challenge in that. I have looked at the cheats on a couple of occasions when I was absolutely desperate but I’m doing my best to get 3 stars without having to use a walkthrough video.

Guide to Getting 3 Stars

That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t look out for tips and tricks to getting 3 stars. There is a fantastic guide over at the Mac Observer which covers all the tips to getting the most out of the game. You can read part 1 and part 2 but I have summarized it here for you:

• Experiment. When you first start playing a level, it’s useful to experiment a bit. Try a variety of shots from different angles.
• Plan a multi-shot strategy. You have to plan in advance for the combined effect of two or three consecutive shots. You have to start thinking like: “If I clear out these blocks over here, it will allow my next bird to go through that narrow opening and hit that key foundation piece.”
• Take aim. Line up with a background object. Use the path line. Pinch the screen.
• Using less birds is (almost) always necessary.
• Getting maximum damage. You need to figure out how to kill off all the pigs while destroying more blocks.
• Learning the pluses and minuses of each type of bird. By learning the subtle characteristics of each bird, you’ll be able to determine the exact shot that takes maximum advantage of each birds’ specific assets.
• Taking horizontal vs. vertical shots.
• Knowing your blocks. Doing the most damage per shot requires finding the weak spots in the construction of blocks.
• Using trick shots. Yellow bird trick. If you send the yellow bird in a near vertical arc and tap the screen while it is still ascending, it will continue its upward ascent much higher than it otherwise would. White bird trick. Normally, the primary damage from the white bird is achieved via its egg bomb. However, after you release the egg, the white bird takes off upward at a very high acceleration, capable of significant damage. Boomerang bird trick. Allowing the bird to hit in its forward direction, abandoning the boomerang effect. You can also sling the boomerang bird to the left of screen and tap to let it come back into screen and do some serious damage.
• Bypassing the unused bird bonus. Occasionally you get a better score by not trying to use the least amount of birds.

That’s it. Read the Mac Observer article for more details and screenshot and feel free to leave your own tips and tricks in the comments.

It’s official the new episode of Angry Birds Rio is out now. Announced a week ago, Angry Birds Rio Carnival is now available for download from the app store.

Angry Birds Rio Carnival Update

Angry Birds Rio Carnival is the expected update which follows Angry Birds Rio Beach Volley. More updates will be coming this year, most like at a rate of one update per month. Here is the trailer of Angry Birds Rio Carnival:

I’ve only just started playing Angry Birds Rio but am already looking forward to playing all the episodes including Carnival. What about you? Have you started playing the Carnival episode? Is it as good as the other updates?

I haven’t been playing Angry Birds for that long and still working on killing all the pigs in the original Angry Birds game. I haven’t been trying to get 3 stars on each level and the last thing on my mind is getting high scores. I just want to kill those pigs and move on.

But now that I’m getting close to finishing Angry Birds, I am starting to think about what it would take to make the top 25 leaderboard. I know it won’t be easy but seeing as I currently have no life, I’m going to take a shot at it.

I was reading this brilliant and very, very thorough write up over at the Mac Observer on how to get top scores in Angry Birds. Here are some of the best tips:

• Getting a top score takes time. A lot of time.
• There are numerous ways to knock off all the pigs on a given level. There are often several ways to attain a three-star score for the same level. But there is usually only one (occasionally two) ways to get an absolute top score. Your goal is to find that way.
• Try a variety of approaches. If nothing seems to be clicking, try something that doesn’t seem likely to work.
• The game revolves around the precision needed to successfully execute the winning shots.

The article then goes on to show some examples of how to get top scores in certain levels. This is the work of a true Angry Birds addict.

Good luck ranking high on the leaderboard, I’ll report back if I get anywhere near the top and I’ll be studying the Angry Birds cheats videos for clues on how to get there.