Does 'Flappy Bird' Follow-Up Live Up to the Hype?

Players can now take "Swing Copters" for a spin.

ByABC News
August 22, 2014, 11:20 AM
The new game, Swing Copters, by game creator Dong Nguyen.
The new game, Swing Copters, by game creator Dong Nguyen.
iTunes Store

— -- How can a simple game be so shockingly difficult?

It's been a day since "Swing Copters," the hotly anticipated follow-up to "Flappy Bird," was released and it's already causing plenty of sore thumbs.

"This is just crazy. It moves too fast," said one reviewer in the Google Play store.

Many players also lamented the fact that it was difficult to score in the game -- but it didn't stop them from trying again and again.

'Let It Goat' Could Be the Next 'Flappy Bird'

'Flappy Bird' App Grounded by Creator

Watch: The 'Flap' Over Flappy Bird

"Swing Copters" comes a little more than six months after creator Dong Nguyen yanked "Flappy Bird" from app stores because he believed it was too addictive and had ruined his "simple life."

"Swing Copters" has many of the same features that made "Flappy Bird" addictive.

First, there's the familiar looking bug-eyed bird. However, this one has a propeller.

One-tap game play is also back. What is different, however, is that instead of swiping right, "Swing Copters" utilizes upward scrolling, providing a new perspective.

PHOTO: An employee plays the game Flappy Bird at a smartphone store in Hanoi on Feb. 10, 2014.
An employee plays the game Flappy Bird at a smartphone store in Hanoi on Feb. 10, 2014.

The pipes from "Flappy Bird" have been become swinging hammers.

The game has managed to frustrate players in a way that "Flappy Bird" did not.

PHOTO: This picture taken on Feb. 5, 2014 shows Nguyen Ha Dong, the author of the game Flappy Bird relaxing inside a coffee shop in Hanoi.
This picture taken on Feb. 5, 2014 shows Nguyen Ha Dong, the author of the game Flappy Bird relaxing inside a coffee shop in Hanoi.

The physics of the game -- from the speed of the bug-eyed character to the touch screen mechanics -- were common complaints, according to reviews left in the Google Play store, which came to a consensus:

It's no "Flappy Bird."

"Swing Copters" is available for free for iOS and Android -- or users can tip Nguyen $0.99 for an ad-free version.