Sometimes when you play a video game, you want intense action, blood and gore, and general craziness. Games like this are great for some situations, but every now and then, that’s not exactly what you are looking for. Sometimes, you want a game that lets you just kick back, relax and enjoy the ride. The problem is, these games are a little harder to come by. Most game developers are focused on making action-packed games, but of course, there are some exceptions.

Tiny Wings is my favorite game when I need to relax. Sure, it features a good level of challenge, but the core gameplay is not intense. Instead, it’s simple, and honestly, it’s downright soothing. Every detail about the game is built to be tranquil, and that is something that is truly a rare find in the world of video games. Of all the iPhone games on the App Store, Tiny Wings is easily in my top five.

Gameplay

The gameplay in Tiny Wings is incredibly simple. The cute little bird you control is unable to fly, so instead he uses the curves of the ground to propel himself in the air. All you, as the player, needs to do is tap the screen to make him dive and time it with the dips and curves of the land. It sounds simple, but it actually takes some serious skill and timing.

The game is not necessarily divided into levels in the traditional way. Instead, when you reach the end of the stage, the bird jumps up high and then comes to a new level seamlessly. Once you fail, the sun catches up with you and the game ends. Each time you start, you begin at the first level. As far as long-term progression, the game features challenges that you complete as you go along that up your score.

Long after the initial release, Tiny Wings added a new mode called Flight School. In this, you actually race the little birds against other AI birds. This added more progression, but it is not nearly as peaceful as the original game mode.

Audio and Visual

Tiny Wings plays one song at the start of each game, and while that might sound like a bad thing; it’s not. It fits with the game perfectly, and adds a ton to the overall feel of the game. It is so peaceful and enjoyable. Even as I am sitting here writing this article, I can picture the song in my mind. Not in that annoying way that getting RickRoll’d does, but in a way that is actually enjoyable.

Visually, the game is beautiful. Each of the stages comes with a different visual style than the one before, but not so much so that it feels out-of-place. The changes between each stage are subtle. The birds are cute, and fit right in with the flow of the game as a whole. Overall, Tiny Wings is just a really good-looking game.

Value

The flaw of Tiny Wings is that the game is not huge. It comes with one basic gameplay mechanic and that’s it. However, the developer recently added a second mode, the aforementioned Flight School, that slightly changes the gameplay and offers more value. Best of all, this new mode came as a free update, which makes the game an even better value proposition. While it is simple, I think it’s just the right size for picking up and playing in small bite-sized chunks. Plus you can get it from the App Store, it’s only $.99, so you really can’t go wrong.

Conclusion

Tiny Wings is, without question, one of the games every iOS gamer should have on their device. It features incredible visuals, beautiful sound, and really fun gameplay. It’s the kind of game that’s prefect to play when you just need to relax, and don’t want to deal with the intensity of most other video games.