Flappy Bird – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

Flappy Bird

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

game2013

35%

WISE Score

47%

IGDB

The 2013 mobile phenomenon that was so addictive its creator deleted it—now a relic you literally can't play anymore.

Flappy Bird

game

2013

35%

WISE Score

47%

IGDB

The 2013 mobile phenomenon that was so addictive its creator deleted it—now a relic you literally can't play anymore.

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Where to Play

Google Play

App Store

Screenwise Verdict

Let's be real: Flappy Bird is a piece of mobile gaming history, but it's not a piece of good mobile gaming history. It was famously so addictive and rage-inducing that its own creator pulled it from app stores out of guilt. The gameplay is brutally simple—tap to flap, avoid pipes, repeat until you throw your phone.

From a content safety perspective, it's fine. No violence, no ads (in the original), no creepy stuff. But from a wellness perspective? This is the definition of a compulsive, empty-calorie experience. There's no creativity, no learning, no growth—just an endless loop of failure and 'one more try.'

The real kicker: you can't even play it anymore unless you find some sketchy clone app. In 2025, this is a curiosity, not a recommendation. If your kid is somehow playing a version of this, just know it's designed to hook them with frustration, not enrich them with anything meaningful.

Age Fit

Appropriate for ages 6+ from a content perspective (it's just a bird and pipes), but the addictive, frustration-heavy gameplay makes it questionable for anyone. The bigger issue: it doesn't exist anymore, so this is purely academic unless your kid finds a sketchy clone.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

Simple, non-violent arcade gameplay with no inappropriate content. The bird bonks into pipes and falls, but there's no blood, death animations, or disturbing imagery. However, the game's notorious difficulty and addictive nature created frustration and even rage-quitting behaviors, which isn't the most emotionally healthy dynamic. The developer actually removed it from app stores partly due to concerns about its addictive qualities.

Imaginative

Flappy Bird is about as imaginative as a cardboard box. It's a one-mechanic game: tap to flap. There's no exploration, no building, no creative expression, no story, no variety. The graphics are famously borrowed from Super Mario Bros pipes. It's pure reflex arcade gameplay with zero room for creativity or curiosity. The IGDB rating of 47/100 reflects this lack of depth.

Safe

No ads, no in-app purchases, no online chat, no inappropriate content. From a content perspective, it's squeaky clean. However, the game's design is notoriously addictive and frustration-inducing, creating compulsive play loops that led to documented cases of kids (and adults) becoming obsessed. The developer himself pulled it from stores citing guilt over its addictiveness. It's not manipulative in a monetization sense, but it is psychologically sticky in a way that's worth noting.

Enriching

Flappy Bird teaches exactly one thing: timing. There's no problem-solving, no strategy beyond 'tap at the right moment,' no narrative lessons, no skill transfer to other domains. It's pure twitch reflex training. While hand-eye coordination has some value, this is the digital equivalent of junk food—momentarily engaging but nutritionally empty. No cognitive growth, no empathy, no meaningful takeaways.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Completely clean content—just a bird, some pipes, and a lot of frustration
No ads, no in-app purchases, no predatory monetization (when it existed)
Teaches persistence and timing in the most brutally simple way possible
Historical curiosity—kids in 2014 were absolutely obsessed with this thing

⚠

What to Watch For

The game was removed from app stores in 2014 and isn't officially available anymore
Notoriously addictive and frustration-inducing—the developer pulled it partly because he felt guilty about how compulsive it made players
Zero educational value or depth—it's pure reflex training with no broader skills
If your kid somehow finds a clone or old version, expect some rage-quitting

Conversation Starters

"Why do you think a game this simple became so popular?"
"How does it feel when you keep failing? Do you want to keep trying or take a break?"
"What makes a game fun versus frustrating for you?"

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