Angry Birds Space: Highly-Anticipated Game From Rovio Released Thursday (VIDEO)

Angry Birds fans: The wait is finally over.

Angry Birds Space, the highly-anticipated newest addition to Rovio's Angry Birds franchise, is now available for download. And according to Business Insider, it's already the number one paid application in the Apple App Store on Thursday morning, kicking out OMGPOP's sudden smash hit Draw Something.

Angry Birds Space is like the original game in that the player launches birds at pig-built fortresses using a slingshot, AFP reports, but in the space-based new version, the gravitational pull of planets affects the path of the birds.

There are 60 levels in the new game, and Rovio says in the game's description that with "a whole galaxy to explore, the sky is no longer the limit!"

Angry Birds has not only been downloaded over 700 million times, according to Reuters, but it's also "the fastest-growing game on Facebook." AFP calls it "the most successful mobile game in history."

USA Today reports that the ridiculously popular franchise has partnered with NASA, Walmart and National Geographic for the launch of the new game.

Rovio, which is privately held, is purported to be worth as much as $9 billion, according to Reuters.

The game is available on Apple's iOs for iPhone and iPod Touch as well as Android phones for $0.99. The iPad version costs $2.99 and the Mac version goes for $4.99. Angry Birds in Space will set PC users back $5.95

According to a tweet from the company, Angry Birds In Space is among the first games to support the new iPad's Retina display.

LOOK: Screenshots from the new release:

WATCH: Engadget Demo of Angry Birds Space from SXSW:

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Comments

[Virtual Deux]

07:09 AM on 03/27/2012

Amazingly enough, although it still costs $$ in the apple apps market, I downloaded it for free to my android, didnt cost a cent. Did they just drop the price to 0 or ??

[einnoc4]

05:53 PM on 03/23/2012

Can this new Angry Birds be played on a PC and is it free??

[abspacegame]

03:47 AM on 03/23/2012

Fly to space with new angry birds game by rovio...Like !

[Kathy Dukes]

10:12 PM on 03/22/2012

Did the entire Birds thing while I was recovering from gall bladder surgery.... will need something new taken out just so I can do this !

[EvieEve]

03:18 PM on 03/22/2012

Another way for me to procrastinate.

[Ed Baker]

02:50 PM on 03/22/2012

When are they going to finish the first game? I have the original one on my Roku and the succeeding levels say "coming soon."

[jgeurian21]

09:18 AM on 03/23/2012

LOL....+1. And if I could get more I would. The reason why I don't buy Rovio games any more.

[sebackpacker]

02:50 PM on 03/22/2012

I wanna see a game called Angry Libs, where you slingshot OWS protesters into feces covered police cars.

[MalteseTiger]

03:58 PM on 03/22/2012

I want one called Angry justice where you slingshot bankers in jail cells with slightly bigger pigs named bubba

[sebackpacker]

04:36 PM on 03/22/2012

The difference - mine is original and funny. Yours is, ummmmm....neither.

[ProCynic]

02:26 PM on 03/22/2012

On a layover, my wife was bored and asked to see my new Android phone. I downloaded AB and she spent the next hour falling in love with the game. The next week, I bought her a phone. For Christmas, I bought her an Android tablet and loaded with her favorite apps including AB.

This morning, I got up, saw the announcement and downloaded ABS to her tablet. It's fun to hear my 58 year old spouse giggle as she clears a level or discovers some new trick.

[Sarazzara]

02:54 PM on 03/22/2012

Cute that. Saw your reply regarding pigs stealing eggs. Who knew? I was raised in the city. Of course, eggs do go well with bacon.

[gnapsj]

02:13 PM on 03/22/2012

i tried to like angry birds, but it never clicked with me

[Gronkie]

02:13 PM on 03/22/2012

My son has been playing it all day. What a productive use of spring break.

[Sarazzara]

01:53 PM on 03/22/2012

So, okay, tell me why the birds are so, well, uh, angry? Why the jihad against pigs?

(Clearly my cultural ref points are sorely lacking.)

[smithrd4]

01:58 PM on 03/22/2012

Obviously the pigs stole their eggs. It's just random and fun. The story line really makes no sense.

[Sarazzara]

02:09 PM on 03/22/2012

Thanks. I am totally addicted. I'm thinking of developing my own app called When Pigs Fly. Pigs will catapault themselves and each other into impossible scenarios. (I'll leave aside the fun political possibilities for now.) But birds of all feathers will be grounded...when pigs fly.

[Gronkie]

02:12 PM on 03/22/2012

You'd be angry too if the pigs stole your eggs. Obviously.

[Sarazzara]

02:34 PM on 03/22/2012

I hate it when my precious eggs get messed with. (GOP, you hear me?)

[Valois]

01:44 PM on 03/22/2012

I've never seen a more over rated game than Angry Birds

[Sarazzara]

02:22 PM on 03/22/2012

Football.

[sebackpacker]

02:48 PM on 03/22/2012

Football is a physical sport, not a video game. I am not a fan of football, btw.....

[PhillyKing]

02:47 PM on 03/22/2012

i used to say that(as a gamer myself it does not compare to console games) but i kid you not, that was till i tried it... it's a really fun waste of time when ur out and about... standing in line, need a breather from the computer at work, sitting under a hair dryer... it's simple, great physics and just fun...

[RunNewtRun]

01:31 PM on 03/22/2012

I'm a little late to the party, but I love Angry BIrds.

[Pectin]

12:00 PM on 03/22/2012

Do people still play Angry Birds? I would have thought the novelty had long since worn off.

[Scott Kane]

01:54 PM on 03/22/2012

Android users just got it last year.

[PhillyKing]

02:50 PM on 03/22/2012

yeah we did... and we just got the this1 for free without having to pony up 99c for it... but then again the trade off is ios users still dont have flash, swype, sd cards, multitasking and so much more... we're good

[Gronkie]

02:12 PM on 03/22/2012

That's why a new version was needed.