Friends, mobile gamers, and pixelated birds. We’re gathered here to remember our friend, Flappy Bird. Though it was with us just a short time, it left a lasting mark. For some of us, this means a hole in the window when we hurled our phone in frustration. But now Flappy Bird is gone, and we will just have to grow accustomed to living in a world without it. Unless, you know, it comes back.

Remembering Flappy Bird
Perhaps it was your nostalgic graphics. Perhaps it was because you looked simple, but were breathtakingly hard. Whatever the reason, we all kept playing.

Of all the time I spent with Flappy Bird, I’ll probably remember our first meeting the best. You were just hovering there, and said “tap.” So I tapped and you flapped. I was thrilled! Right up until you started your sickening nose dive into the ground and died. It was like a slap in the face, and you made a sound like I was being punched in the face to save me the trouble.

But I played again and again, trying so hard to get you through those devilish green pipes. Sometimes you came in too low, or I tapped too many times, but sometimes (about six altogether) you passed through the pipe! I earned a point and you, dear Flappy Bird, were ready to face the next challenge.

One Last Flap
Though the game’s developer Dong Nguyen has opted to remove the game from app stores for mysterious reasons, that does not mean that we should mourn. (Unless it’s true that he pulled the game because of death threats and so on; then we should mourn, because that is horrible.) Instead, let us look to the numerous knock-offs and other mobile games that continue to be available to this day. Or even the pirated version that is freely available on Windows Phone.

Farewell Flappy Bird. Our time together was brief and frustrating, but you captured the world’s hearts for a few moments. And now I’m going to try to move on, as best I can, with one of these other games. Rest in peace, little friend. You’ve finally passed through your last pipe, and can fly freely into the sunset.