How Angry Birds really took off: 200m minutes a day spent playing it

I kind of wonder how that guy who made Crush The Castle feels about the success of Angry Birds. Provided my timeframe isn't off, CtC was out and got a lot of play and downloads (on the iPhone) a good year and a half before angry birds even showed up.<p>The only MAJOR difference was the primary game mechanic; the projectile. CtC used a two tap mechanism where you launched balls from a trebuchet, it was all about timing. One tap to drop the weight, a second tap to release the ball. Progress through the game, you get three balls (yellow birds). Progress further, get bombs (black birds).<p>Suddenly, this Angry Birds game comes out, and the most noticeable difference is that it's cuter, and uses a slingshot instead of a trebuchet. A quick google search of the two brings up "Crush the Castle, Angry Birds set in midevil times".

It's fascinating to see the balance the game's origin finds between inspiration, perspiration and calculation. It seems, to many I'm sure, that the game was a happy fluke that some company stumbled upon like the Beverly Hillbillies.<p>Rovio made a strong calculated and risky move with the game which has payed off 100 fold (more than that most likely.)<p>It is inspiring to see how masterfully the plan and move was made, like watching a perfect move in Chess, or a well timed play in any sport.<p>Great read.

What is so compelling about Angry Birds, you think? I completed the levels in the Lite version, and then switched to other games like Demolish or Cat Physics. I just don't get it why someone would play AB again and again... doesn't it get boring after some time?

Let the 95 year reign of Angry Birds begin!