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Vita's Table Soccer AR game laid out on video
We didn't get the opportunity to check out the PlayStation Vita's built-in augmented reality games when we received our Japanese unit -- because the Japanese unit doesn't come with this stuff. But you can see the "Table Football"/"Table Soccer" game being prepared for the Western launches in this video from the US PlayStation Blog. Table Soccer (we're American) allows you to turn the surface of your choice into a playfield by laying out AR cards. You can adjust the size of the area by spreading the cards out, placing the bleachers and scoreboard with specific cards. Then you play soccer by flicking the ball with your finger. It's like all those table games you played in elementary school, except way more expensive and futuristic, basically. This is one of three AR games built in; the other two are Cliff Diving and Fireworks.
Trade your Club Nintendo coins for a big 3DS AR card
Your 3DS Mii is pathetically teensy now, suitable for posing next to hamsters and soda cans. But you could make your virtual self much more (virtually) substantial with the giant AR Card, available now from North America's Club Nintendo for 200 Coins. The 28.5" tall card has the question-mark block on one side, and Mario on the other, allowing it to be used for AR Mario images as well. Two other prizes were added to the lineup today: for ten coins, you can get a Metroid: Other M screensaver -- released almost a year after the game ... or for 400 Coins, there's a set of three Donkey Kong posters, in the same style as previous Mario and Zelda posters. [Thanks, Zonic505!]
Arttoo: 3DS fan gets AR card tattoo
Most people who don't happen to have their Nintendo 3DS AR cards handy just, you know, load them up on a smartphone. But a fellow who goes by the handle Cranberryzero decided to go for a more permanent solution -- he got a tattoo of the Mii AR card on his arm. As you can see above and after the break, the tattoo actually works. Whenever the 3DS camera is looking at his arm, the Mii of his choosing appears to be standing just below his wrist. Cranberryzero says the tattoo works best in dim light; in bright light, the device seems to have trouble sussing out the card's border from his skin color. It's pretty cool -- and clever -- but he'd better start preparing an explanation to give his future grandkids now.
Birth a dragon from your chest with this 3DS AR card t-shirt
Sure, the augmented reality cards included with the 3DS are super neat, but how about making a giant one and posing it next to an oversize Tetsujin 28-go statue? Ohhh ... right. Or maybe drawing one on a whiteboard? But you've already done that too? Okay, okay, we've got it -- you could wear one like a shirt! Wait, what?! Dammit! Well, anyway, assuming you weren't one of the first 3,000 European 3DS registrants to receive Nintendo's bonus AR t-shirt, Level Up Studios has you covered! The company's $18 black t-shirt comes adorned with the same question mark block seen on the official Nintendo equivalent, only a bit larger (and nicer looking, we'd say). Head past the break for a video of the shirt in terrifying live action.
Refactr turns whiteboard into giant 3DS AR card, proves bigger is better (video)
If you haven't already seen our demo of the 3DS' rather impressive bag of augmented reality tricks, then let us take this opportunity to show you -- once again -- why we're excited about the thing's AR capabilities. The folks over at software development firm Refactr have done some tinkering and found that all you need to make your very own 3DS AR card is a white board, some dry erase markers, and a projector. By tracing the outlines of that mysterious question mark card on to a shiny white surface, they found that conjuring the device's AR interface is actually quite simple, and mostly a matter of contrast. Going big, in this case anyway, not only makes for a good time -- as evidenced by the video below -- but it should also put to rest any questions about whether or not these things are sprinkled with pixie dust, Juju powder, or some other magical substance.
Augmenting your 3DS reality just got a little simpler thanks to an Android app
Before we proceed any further, you owe it to yourself to check out our 3DS review or the video after the break in order to fully comprehend what Nintendo's augmented reality cards mean for 3DS gaming. We'll wait right here, take your time. Now that everyone's fully up to speed, an enterprising dev has put together an app that includes all of Ninty's add-in cards for its soon-to-be-launched handheld, allowing you to stash them on your Android smartphone and freeing up more pocket space for game cartridges and bubble gum. The descriptively titled 3DS AR Cards app costs nothing to own, though we're sure its maker will appreciate a note of thanks should you end up using it.
