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There was a moment — somewhere around early 2014 — when the world collectively lost its cool over a small, yellow bird.
It wasn’t realistic. It didn’t have boss fights, open worlds, or a deep narrative.

But Flappy Bird managed to do what few mobile games ever could: it turned simplicity into a worldwide obsession.

A Minimalist Revolution

When Vietnamese developer Dong Nguyen quietly launched Flappy Bird in 2013, it entered an app store dominated by polished, heavily marketed titles. Most games at the time leaned on bright graphics, in-app purchases, and endless upgrades.

Flappy Bird did the opposite.

It stripped gaming down to its purest form — one button, one motion, one mistake away from failure.
The entire experience lasted seconds, but in those seconds lived frustration, focus, and the irresistible temptation to try again.

It was, in many ways, the perfect game for the smartphone era: compact, accessible, and brutally honest.