Love Pokemon Go? We try 7 more augmented reality smartphone games
The AR technology used to overlay virtual monsters on real-world locations in Pokemon Go is used in games ranging from a mafia role-player to tycoon simulation games and a zombie-themed workout app
You’ve seen them roaming Hong Kong’s streets, slack-jawed, senseless and with one solitary purpose in mind. You’ve avoided their unconscious shuffling and stayed far away from open areas since the outbreak started.
Zombies! No, wait, sorry, Pokemon Go players. Whether you’re a fervent fan or a dedicated despiser, Niantic’s revolutionary smartphone app has taken both the video gaming world and the planet by storm. But augmented reality (AR), as the technique used in the game to overlay virtual monsters on the real world is known, is not new and multiple games both past and present have utilised similar dynamics.
If you loathe Pokemon Go, we’re about to make your life a little bit worse by rounding up seven Pokemon Go-like smartphone games that tap into the wonderful world of AR. They’ll either keep you up well into the wee hours as you search for hidden clues, or have you cursing even more at all those infernal phone machines.
Nostalgic monster-catching a little too childish for your thoroughly mature mindset? Try Ingress, a refined smartphone game developed by the same team behind Pokemon Go. Gamers team up with other players around the world and travel to major points of interest to play a geo-cached version of capture-the-flag to seize entire areas. Points can be spent to upgrade locations, while battles see you duke it out with rival factions in your quest for global dominance.
Verdict: the closest you’re going to get to “Pokemon Go for adults”.
Availability: iOS and Android