Flappy Bird knockoffs take over App Store

Students at SHS have downloaded these games, which are “knockoffs” of the popular hit, Flappy Bird. The game was taken off the App Store by its creator. According to CNN, Apple and Google will start to disallow these apps to be published, because so many developers are trying to get theirs to the top. “No one will flap like Flappy again,” said Drake Huerman, 11. Photo by Alex Wittenbaum — Students at SHS have downloaded these games, which are “knockoffs” of the popular hit, Flappy Bird. The game was taken off the App Store by its creator. According to CNN, Apple and Google will start to disallow these apps to be published, because so many developers are trying to get theirs to the top. “No one will flap like Flappy again,” said **Drake Huerman**, 11. Photo by Alex Wittenbaum

After students at SHS and around the world had become addicted to the hit game, Flappy Bird, its creator took it off the App Store. This gave the idea to many game developers around the world to make similar, or knockoff games to satisfy customer’s “flappy needs.”

Currently, in the Apple App store, five of the top eight free games are Flappy Knockoffs.

Splashy Fish- The Adventure of a Flappy Tiny Bird Fish by Massimo Guareschi
Flying Cyrus– Wrecking Ball by Talo
Red Bouncing Ball Spikes by Talo
City Bird- Flappy Flyer by Markku Virtanen
Iron Pants by Eduardis Klenauskis

Even though Flappy Bird has been removed from the App Store, the developer still makes money off of his popular game. Millions of people still have it on their mobile device.

“I will never delete the game from my phone. One day, my phone will be worth millions of dollars because it will be the only phone with the original Flappy Bird game still on it,” said Drake Huerman, 11.

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According to Doug Gross from Cable News Network (CNN), “Both Apple and Google appear to be cracking down on new apps taking advantage of the demise of Flappy Bird”…

“The company is cracking down not just on apps with the word “flappy” in the title, but all apps that appear to be trying to trick customers into thinking they are associated with or replacing a popular original,” said Gross.

“The knockoffs definitely tried hard, but no one will flap like Flappy again,” said Huerman.

About the Contributor

Alex Wittenbaum, Sports Chief

I am a senior on the Leaf Staff and I hold the title of sports chief. I manage the Sports Center section on shsleaf.org and help design and write for the number one high school newspaper in Ohio, The Leaf. I am an avid sports fan. I love following and watching my favorite teams play, such as the Indiana Pacers, the Cincinnati Reds and the Bengals, and the New York Yankees. My idol is Derek Jeter. I strive to be like him and model my life as he lives his. I also love to play tennis. I was a part of the 2014 State Championship tennis team. It is my biggest accomplishment in sports so far, and I recently signed to play college tennis at Marian University in Indianapolis.