Worried that one day you will be unprepared for the onslaught of alien invaders? Launching the original version of Google and Space Invaders in 1978, Taito released a new version of the game that brings the invaders into the real world using augmented reality tricks via your mobile device.
Augmented reality has been an exaggerated technology for several years, and when Apple’s Vision Pro headset finally meets consumers, we will be able to realize its true potential. There have been several AR success stories so far, including Niantic’s Pokémon Go.
First released the day after Google I/O 2023, Space Invaders: World Defense announced that the company will expand access to the 3D data it creates and collects to make Google Maps more immersive, among other things, via the Google Streetscape Geometry API. it looks like it’s being played in the real world thanks to live footage from a mobile device’s camera. Aliens can fly behind structures and terrain, climb onto rooftops, and emerge from warp holes appearing on the sides of buildings.
The game is released for both Android and iOS devices and is compatible with ARCore supported devices running Android 11.0+ or iOS 16.0+. Looking at the supported devices list in Google’s ARCore documentation, it seems to cover most smartphones and tablets, including the original Pixel phone, the 2nd generation iPhone SE and even the iPhone 6S.