Swing Copters: Tips, Cheats, and Strategies

Dong Nguyen, the developer behind the infuriatingly compelling Flappy Bird, has pulled another game from the Abyss. It’s called Swing Copters, and it’s mind-bogglingly hard.

Players work with a little helicopter / human hybrid that flies wildly around the screen unless he’s brought under control. He needs to fly safely between small gaps between girders – gaps that are flanked by swinging hammers.

There is no path to easy success in Swing Copters. There is only practice and prayer. Nevertheless, we have a few tips that should at least help you keep your blood pressure under control.

Make peace with one fact from the start: This is harder than Flappy Bird

If you think you’re going to get a double digit score within your first five minutes of Swing Copters because you happen to be OK at Flappy Bird, go on and wad up that notion, then throw it in the garbage. Swing Copters utilizes a very different set of rules than its predecessor, and is far harder as a result. Frankly, Swing Copters makes Flappy Bird seem like Elmo’s Letter Adventure.

Prepare for a sharp swing to the right when you start the game

Whenever you start a new run on Swing Copters, your little copter buddy will make a sharp pull to the right as soon as you hit “Go.” Be prepared to fight against it. In fact, buddy primarily pulls to the right. The key to actually scoring a few points in Swing Copters is to fight against that pull.

Tap on the screen with both thumbs

Tapping on the screen with both thumbs – one on each side of copter buddy – helps him fly straight. This is key to flying through the middle of girder breaks, which should keep you out of reach of the swinging hammers.

Focus on getting between the girders; don’t freak out about the hammers

There are two hazards to worry about in Swing Copters: Girders and swinging hammers. Concentrate on getting between the girders, preferably as close to the middle of the break as possible. The hammers are your secondary concern, and less likely to foil your progress than the girders.

Fast taps work better than slow taps  

If you tap too slowly, copter buddy will pull to the right of the screen. While this can be helpful for changing directions, you generally want to tap as quickly as possible to keep him from swinging wildly around the screen.

Nadia Oxford

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In the early aughts, Nadia fell into writing with the grace of a brain-dead bison stumbling into a chasm. Over the years, she's written for Nerve, GamePro, 1UP.com, USGamer, Pocket Gamer, Just Labs Magazine, and many other sites and magazines of fine repute. She's currently About.com's Guide to the Nintendo 3DS at ds.about.com.