Flappy Birds: a game of reaction, tapping, and gloating.

The rules of the activity are simple; in many ways Flappy Birds is just like any other phone game. All it takes is the tapping of one finger to move the bird through pipes that look like they came from Mario. Each time you make your tiny bird go in between two pipes, you get a point. Not too complicated.

So what makes it this month’s must-play smart phone game? Bragging rights, obviously.

Being able to tell your friends you are the best Flappy Bird pilot there is, getting a score of 361 when other people can’t even get past the first two pies, herein lies the true satisfaction of the venture.

On the other hand, Flappy Birds has been dubbed by many as a source for undue stress. Getting through each pipe is no easy challenge. People say that as you progress further, the bird becomes heavier, making it more difficult to slip him through the pipes. When you hit the pipe, or can’t make it through even the first one, several times, it tends to wear you down. This causes tension between friends, disillusionment in life, and a creeping suspicion that your true downfall lies in the inability to pilot a tiny, fat bird.

So, if you don’t mind a hit to the ego over a phone game, can handle high stress situations, and have not been previously inclined to anxiety or depression, I highly suggest Flappy Birds. Enter the war zone at your own risk.