THQ Announces New Star Wars Game With Augmented Reality
THQ Wireless Inc. has announced the approaching release of Star Wars Arcade: Falcon Gunner, the first mobile Star Wars game featuring augmented reality technology, for iPhone 3GS and 4, and iPod Touch 4G. The iPad version is scheduled for release in December. By "augmented reality" they mean that the game captures images from the mobile device’s ( iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4 and iPod Touch 4G) camera, as well as the internal gyroscope and compass to allow for a 360 degree gaming experience. By integrating full body movement with the actual environment surrounding the gamer it may prove to be an entirely new type of gaming genre. A free update scheduled to come over the next several weeks will also let users take and share augmented reality photos from within the Falcon’s turret. On iPad, players can use the native compass for a similar control scheme against high-definition graphics.
{default}Available for download on iTunes for $4.99, the first-person action game puts players in the Millennium Falcon’s gunner turret, immersing them in more than 20 arcade-style levels that cover the legendary smuggling vessel’s most exciting moments – including the Death Star escape, asteroid field pursuit over Hoth and infamous Kessel Run. As they blast their way through waves of TIE fighters and Star Destroyers, players earn credits that can be used to make special modifications to the Falcon’s offensive and defensive capabilities, including concussion missiles and a low-level tractor beam.
“The Millennium Falcon is one of the Star Wars universe’s most storied icons, and in Star Wars Arcade: Falcon Gunner, we’re bringing it to life in a novel way,” said Adam Comiskey, Vice President, THQ Wireless. “With its augmented reality mode, 3D sound and multi-axis control, immersing yourself in Falcon Gunner will be easier than pulling the ears off of a gundark.”
“It’s no exaggeration to say that our mission at Vertigore Games – building experiences and proprietary technology that blur the lines between fantasy and reality – has been sparked in large part by our lifelong fascination with the Star Wars universe,” said Josh Shabtai, CEO and creative director, Vertigore Games. “With the release of Star Wars Arcade: Falcon Gunner, we’re excited to create the first mobile augmented reality Star Wars experience.”
