A Better Flappy Bird Is Here, Starring Putin

Now that Flappy Bird has been pulled from the App Store by its creator for being "too addictive," we're searching for our next fix. But we weren't expecting an online game that combines two of America's favorite topics: The Sochi Winter Olympics, and, um, Flappy Bird. Meet "VladiBird," the Belgian alternative to the wildly popular dodging-bird app, which sees Russian President Vladimir Putin flapping through the Russian skyline trying to avoid obstacles.

In a swipe at Putin's notorious anti-gay laws, these obstacles are male derrieres. If you had any doubts about the message of the game, bright rainbows pass through the skies behind the flapping, stern-looking Vladi Bird.

Since Flappy Bird was abruptly pulled from the App Store early this week, several imitation apps — "Splashy Fish," "Ironpants," and the Sesame Street-themed "Flappy Bert," among others — are clamoring to cash in on Flappy Bird's former popularity. Unfortunately, some copies are infected with malware, and the others? Well, they don't feature Vladimir Putin crashing into things, that's for sure.

You don't need an app to play VladiBird, since it's a Web-based game — and you can play VladiBird right here. Happy flapping with Vladi!

Image: VladiBird