Square Enix and TAITO have launched Space Invaders: World Defense, now available for iOS and Android devices. An AR recreation of the classic Space Invaders, the game incorporates the Streetscape Geometry API, a new feature of Google’s ARCore Geospatial API.
45 years after initial launch, Space Invaders have struck again. Players can join the fight with players from across the world to protect Earth. Space Invaders: World Defense is an immersive AR shooter that blends the classic game with a new dimension: the real world.
Players will earn points by exploring their neighbourhoods and defeating the Invaders they encounter. Players can unlock special power-ups, participate in area-specific rankings, and share gameplay images and AR selfies on their social channels.
The Tech Behind AR Space Invaders
Space Invaders: World Defense is powered by Google’s ARCore Geospatial API which instantly designs a model onscreen that blends AR and 3D from the nearby environment. This includes buildings, bridges, and other architectural elements around the player. It also adapts to the layer’s real-world location, time, and local weather for immersive gameplay.
Using the ARCore Geospatial API, it is possible to acquire 3D model data of buildings within a 100m radius of the user’s current location. This function allows AR objects to be hidden or visible (i.e. occlusion expression), and to reflect on buildings in real space. You can also attach AR objects to specific buildings.
Numerous other projects are using the Geospatial API to great effect. GAP and Mattel have used the technology to augment their Times Square storefronts, while a PGA licensed AR golf game is also on the way. Of course, the biggest rival remains Niantic’s Pokémon Go, which uses a different platform.
Space Invaders: World Defense is available to download for iOS and Android devices now. Are you taking the war to the streets? Let us know in the comments below!
