Space Invaders: World Defense lands on Android with the help of Google's ARCore
Space Invaders is an iconic game that most gamers are aware of because it is one of the first video games to blow up in popularity in the arcades. The player controls a laser cannon at the bottom of the screen and tries to defeat ever-encroaching aliens before they reach the bottom of the screen. The game has been remade and ported to multiple devices over the last few decades, even making its way to mobile. However, the concept for the game has been taken to the next level with the launch of Space Invaders: World Defense, this time with the help of Google's ARCore augmented reality tech.
Google announced its partnership with Taito to develop and release Space Invaders: World Defense for the 45-year anniversary of the original game. Space Invaders: World Defense is a game that lets players from around the world work together to defend the Earth. Players need to walk around their town or neighborhood and shoot down invaders with their phones. These dastardly Space Invaders spawn from buildings and rooftops and can even hide behind structures and hover in the sky. So, of course, players are tasked with using their phones to find, aim, and shoot down these alien invaders.
The augmented reality (AR) used in Space Invaders: World Defense is similar to games like Pokémon GO, where players see the regular world around them, but the models of invaders are added in but can hide behind objects in the environment. The game is powered by ARCore and Geospatial API, which is used to develop location-based games. With these tools, the player’s immediate surroundings, as well as nearby buildings and landscapes, are used to show the world the player is trying to defend while superimposing the gameplay over top.
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The main difference between the original game and this new AR version is that the invaders hide to get shot down, whereas the original had them actively trying to rush past the player to Earth. Space Invaders: World Defense includes special power-ups that players can unlock, with the ability to compete with friends for the top score near their location, which can then be shared on social media with an AR selfie for bragging rights.
Source: Android Police
