The problem with Flappy Bird clones is that there are just so many of them, and most of them are plain terrible. They're clunky, they don't work right, or they forcefully push in-app purchases or intrusive banners. Fear not, for your quest is over: Below you'll find three games that aren't just as good as the original Flappy Bird -- they might be better. On the off-chance you're not sure what this Flappy thing is all about, you should read our Short Story of Flappy Bird.

Golfy Bird [No Longer Available]

I'll start with the best one: Golfy Bird, from publisher Noodlecake. This is the same publisher behind the wonderful Super Stickman Golf 2, and it shows:

The graphics are lovely and polished. These are the same levels you get with Super Stickman Golf 2, only instead of hitting your ball, it has wings. Tap right to flap right, left to flap left, and pilot your ball. It's far easier than Flappy Bird (it's almost impossible to die), but it has the same flappy mechanic. Finishing each course under par gets challenging, and the Golfy Bird is free. The physics are not identical but they are engaging: The ball has inertia and you have to learn when to tap and when to let go, just like on Flappy Bird.

It has a banner at the bottom of the screen which you can remove via in-app purchase, but nothing annoying or intrusive. A high-quality offering.

Mr. Flap [No Longer Available]

If Golfy Bird isn't as hard as Flappy Bird, Mr. Flap is actually way harder than the original:

Instead of flying through an endless linear course, you're flying around in a circle. The pillars materialize as you go around, and you only score a point every time you complete a revolution of the circle. Just getting through the first couple of pillars can require multiple tries until you get a feel for the physics, so scoring a single point feels like a major accomplishment. My current high-score is 3 (vs. 69 in the original Flappy Bird).

In terms of ads, Mr. Flap has interstitial (full-screen) ads that pop up every few rounds, but you can dismiss them and they're not too obnoxious. The game is fast and fluid, loads quickly, and feels native on Android. The soundtrack is fun, too -- just as monotonous and chirpy as the game itself.

3D Flying Bird [No Longer Available]

This is Flappy Bird's "first-person shooter" version. You see the level from the bird's vantage point:

It's certainly a different take on what "bird's eye view" means, and is the least polished of all three games in this roundup. That said, there is something innately compelling about navigating those pipes as they come up ahead. 3D Flying Bird captures some of the same magic of the original -- it is about as hard (slightly easier perhaps), and the physics feel quite similar, too. The graphics are essentially large 3D pixels (or voxels, if you will) -- a Minecraft-inspired look. I was able to score 30 in one of my first attempts. There are no intrusive banners, but the game is powered by Unity so it takes a moment to load even on a powerful Android device.

What, Just Three?

Yes, actually. Even after scouring the Play Store for worthy Flappy Bird clones, the pickings are slim. It's interesting how there are so many of these, but very few ones that are actually worth your time. Did you find any other great Flappy Bird clones? Or perhaps you made one on your own? Let me know in the comments.