Anki Overdrive takes autonomous racing robot cars to the next level with click together tracks, a video game campaign, and new modes promised such as capture the flag.
Anki Drive was launched in 2014 and offered a novel physical-virtual racing cross over. Real robot cars are controlled by a
smartphone app to steer, shoot and battle around a pre-printed roll out mat. Not only did the car robotics ensure they stayed on course, but you could race against AI opponents or three other human competitors.
Anki Overdrive is a substantial new product in the range. The biggest innovation is the move from a fixed circuit printed on a special mat to Scalectrix-like track pieces that can be combined to invent all manner of courses.
Unlike Scalectrix though, the Anki Overdrive track pieces clip together with simple magnets. Trying the game out at Anki's San Francisco head quarters this week I was impressed how quick it was to construct complex circuits. The connection felt like the satisfying click of attaching an iPad cover and offered the same high level of adhesion.
The pieces are less flexible than the rubberised track of the original game and should enable players to bring their circuits up onto sofas and coffee tables or up and down stairs. Even without the game-play possibilities these modular tracks create, they open Anki to a track invention play mechanic.
The Anki Overdrive Starter Pack offers ten track pieces -- four straights and six curves -- which are enough to create simple figure of eights and around seven other designs. The Starter Pack also includes two new cars, a new four-car charger, and some risers to create bridges. Add one expansion pack to this and you can create around 20 courses.
Perhaps best of all, the new game supports all your existing Anki cars complete with their power-ups. They simply need to have a firmware update applied. This may sounds like a minor point, but with the Anki cars costing around £50 in the UK it's important that this investment was recognised going forward.
As you can see in the video that features an expanded Anki Overdrive setup, the possibilities multiply as different expansion pieces are added into the mix. Along with two new cars, Thermo and Nuke, a variety of novel track pieces will be available.
The Jump Kit comprises take off and landing pieces. When the Anki car detects these in the track it automatically aligns itself and goes to maximum speed. Upon landing it then auto corrects any orientation errors to continue round the circuit. Trying this out was a lot of fun. Upon seeing it my kids immediately wanted to set up two jumps across each other for mid-air collisions.
Other expansion sets include an 180-piece one that turns cars around and opens up the possibility of non-continuous layouts. A Collision piece adds some cross road complexity but also the possibility of different routes as the Anki cars can be instructed to take the left or right path.
The full list of expansion kits includes:
- Launch Kit: take off and landing pieces.
- 180 Kit: automatically turns cars around and sends them the other way. This not only opens up the possibility of non-continuous layouts but also different game types that don't relay on continuous circuits.
- Collision Kit: adds some circuit complexity but also the possibility of different routes as the Anki cars can be instructed to take the left or right path. Again the implications for new game types here are most exciting.
- Speed Kit: maxes your speed to try and outrun opponents or take aim and knock out the competition on these long straightaways.
- Corner Kit: helps you take turns at top speed. Or blast opponents before they disappear around the bend.
- Rails Kit: helps you slingshot into straightaways or drive the fight into corners. Guardrails ensure the chaos of battle stays on the tracks.
- Elevation Kit: takes the battle to another level. Open up crazy track possibilities with hills, bridges, underpasses and more.
- Bank Turn Kit: gives you corners at faster speeds and allows you to pull some serious G-forces.
This all adds up to an impressive amount of fun. Talking to Boris Sofman, cofounder of Anki, it was interesting to hear how the new physical tracks also opens up new virtual game types. In addition to the standard races and battles, he also talked about games like Capture the Car where you need to get your vehicle into an end zone before the other team, or more strategic Car Battles that made use of non-continuous circuits to offer choke points and strategic take downs. There's even talk of a full on campaign mode.
Perhaps the biggest challenge for Anki Overdrive is price. The Starter Pack will be $149 (£98) in the US, which is likely to translate to £149 in the UK if the first game is anything to go by. Expansion track packs and accessories are $10 (£6) to $30 (£20) in the US and haven't yet been priced in the UK. Additional cars in the UK are currently going for £50. This adds up to a substantial investment, although along similar price lines to Scalectrix.
More positively, the release of Anki Overdrive in September will bring all elements to US, UK and Germany territories simultaneously. This is a step forward from the original Anki Drive that released first in the US, and still doesn't have all the different circuit mats out in the UK.
The sheer amount of possibilities opened up by Anki Overdrive is impressive. Both the physical and virtual elements have come a long way since the original game, and give the Toys to Life genre a much needed shot in the arm -- not least with play-innovation waining somewhat in recent Skylanders toys.
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
