Shut Up and Take My Money: Anki DRIVE Starter Kit

By on November 4, 2013

Shut Up and Take My MoneyWhat’s the future of video games? 3D? Virtual Reality? Nope, the future of video games has even more advanced technology… electric racing tracks from 20 years ago.

The cars are real. The track is a 3.5 x 8.5 feet mat. The controller is your iDevice. But this is far from the old-school electric racing experience of watching your car travel around a fixed track for twenty minutes until you get bored.  Anki DRIVE adds something… new.

AI drivers. Virtual weapons. Experience points. Anki DRIVE blurs the line between videos games and just plain games. Right away the experience starts with a personal feel:  the first thing you do is choose your car from the different classes, each with their own stats like Speed, Acceleration, and Agility. That customizable strategy option us gamers love so much just gets better, though – the more the drive, the more points you acquire, and the better your car gets! We don’t remember that from those clunky ’80s slot cars.

Anki DRIVE

We know what you’re thinking: how similar to a video game could it be without any violence? In our modern times, we’ve grown accustomed to hurling deadly projectiles at the people in front of us… isn’t that what racing is about? Well, fret not road ragers, Anki’s got that covered… sort of. The game features a multitude of virtual weapons to make sure you’re in first, or else. Unfortunately, the technology isn’t advanced enough to include real lasers or tiny rockets (or blue turtle shells with wings); the weapon system exists, but it’s invisible. You fire the laser from your controller, and if the enemy is in the line of fire, it will spin out. If you don’t think that sounds gratifying… try it.

Up to 4 cars can race at one time, but only 2 come with the starter kit. If you can’t drag your friends over to your basement, you can still play against AI drivers (who will probably give you more of a challenge anyway).  Have we piqued your interest? Check out the video below to learn more.

About Matt Ellis

Freelance web writer. I like science, comics, and long walks on the beach. I write and draw this webcomic in crayon.

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