Global production and innovation studio, UNIT9 has collaborated with TAITO and Google to celebrate the 45th anniversary of the iconic arcade game SPACE INVADERS by introducing an immersive augmented reality experience called SPACE INVADERS: World Defense.
The game allows players to defend their real-world neighborhoods from 3D Invaders that emerge from nearby buildings and landmarks. To create this AR gaming experience, UNIT9 utilized Google’s innovative ARCore Geospatial API.
SPACE INVADERS: World Defense serves as a sequel to the original arcade game and incorporates Google’s ARCore Geospatial API, which enables digital content to be anchored in the real world with remarkable accuracy. By integrating geometric data from Google Maps Street View, the game provides an interactive AR experience deeply connected to the physical environment on a global scale.
The newly released Streetscape Geometry API enhances the gameplay by offering detailed terrain and building information within a 100-meter radius of the player’s location, allowing the invaders to emerge from these structures.
Players can seamlessly transition between the World Dimension and Invaders Dimension, immersing themselves in a fully virtual 3D Invader world through a portal within the game. This virtual environment dynamically adapts to the player’s surroundings, enabling them to complete missions in both the virtual and real-world AR view.
While preserving the classic Invader characters and high-score mechanics of the original game, SPACE INVADERS: World Defense introduces exciting updates such as enhanced weapons, music, sound effects, and gameplay that responds in real-time to location-specific weather patterns and nearby buildings.
The inclusion of new power-ups and shooting elements ensures an exhilarating gaming experience that appeals to players of all generations, from longtime fans to newcomers. The collaboration between Google, TAITO, and UNIT9 has successfully captured the nostalgia of the original game while delivering a captivating and innovative AR version. Watch below:
REELated:
Ridha, Head of Digital at UNIT9, expressed enthusiasm about working alongside Google and TAITO to create an AR gaming experience that utilizes location-specific digital activations.
“The launch of Google’s Geospatial API truly marks the beginning of an exciting new era for real-world location-specific digital activations – not just for gaming, but for any brand experience tied to a geographic location. It was an honor to work with Google and TAITO to translate one of the most famous IPs out there into the next wave of AR gaming and create an experience that fans of all ages around the world can enjoy.”
Matthieu Lorrain, Global Head of Creative Innovation at Google Labs Partnerships, emphasized the groundbreaking potential of Google’s Geospatial API to revolutionize immersive experiences and enable developers to explore the limits of geolocalized interactions.
“Google’s Geospatial API brings a whole new dimension to immersive experiences. It allowed us to celebrate the iconic SPACE INVADERS game by turning the world into a global playground. We are excited to see more developers utilize our platform to push the limits of geolocalized experiences.”
SPACE INVADERS: World Defense was launched on July 17, 2023, and is now available for download on mobile devices in key markets globally, including Europe, the USA, and Japan. The game invites players to transform their local neighborhoods into digital playgrounds and compete for the highest score, marking a significant milestone in the ongoing legacy of SPACE INVADERS.
