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Nerf’s latest laser tag kit takes a cue from FPS games
Nerf guns are a lot of fun. But the arguments over whether someone got hit and picking up all those darts when you're done? Not so much. Laser tag has a huge advantage there. Nerf even made its own laser tag guns a few years ago, and this week it updates the line with a video-game-influenced augmented reality upgrade. Now you can track your stats and target virtual opponents — things that fans of foam-dart-based weapons can only dream about.
Nerf’s new laser tag guns hook up to your smartphone
If the only thing missing from your summer is the ability to play laser tag at home without a vest, then Hasbro has got you covered. Today, the company announced its Nerf Laser Ops Pro blaster line, which shoot IR bursts and allow you to keep track of ammo, health and how your team is doing right from the device. Batteries are, of course, not included.
Nintendo's next Labo kit should include these laser tag guns
If you wish Nintendo's Labo projects did more to help your friends partake in the fun, you're in for a treat. Japanese tinkerers Miyuki and Ran have developed a homebrew laser tag system that uses a Switch for some two-player blaster action. The duo used Labo's Toy-Con Garage to turn pairs of Joy-Cons (which have infrared sensors and emitters) into both light guns and targets, with the Switch itself both recording hits and reducing a player's "health" as they take shots.
Eyes-on with Cornell University's laser tag dunebots (video)
Cornell University may be the host of the Cornell Cup competition, but that doesn't mean it can't bring its own robots to join in on the fun. This year, students brought along a few bots, dubbed dunebots, outfitted with all-terrain wheels and equipped with laser tag turrets. The rugged rig features a pair of cameras, a dustproof and water resistant chassis, air intakes capped with filters, and other components for suspension and steering. Not only does the team plan on releasing code and documentation for the project, but the hardware was designed with modularity in mind, so others can build their own modified versions. Taking the robot into battle requires two pilots armed with Xbox 360 controllers: one directing where it travels, and another aiming the turret and firing. Driving the buggy over the web is also possible, though it takes a few seconds for it to react. The group also baked in voice controls, to boot. If you're not watching the car duke it out in person, you can even tune in over the web and watch a live video stream from one of its onboard cams. Its top speeds haven't been firmly nailed down, but the team says the bot was running at approximately 35 percent of its full potential, since it was deemed too fast for conference attendees. Hit the jump to catch us talk with the effort's Computer Science lead Mike Dezube, and to see a dunebot in action.%Gallery-187525%
Hex3 AppTag Laser Blaster turns iPhones and Androids into augmented reality laser tag gun sights (hands-on)
Nerf's doing it, and so is Hasbro, but there's plenty of room for other folks in the laser tag market, and Hex3 is a startup looking to get in on the action. Called the AppTag Laser Blaster, it combines old school IR-based laser tag with new school augmented reality. Like its aforementioned competition, the gun uses your Android or iPhone (yes, that includes the 5) and a companion app. The app turns your phone into a HUD when playing with friends or an AR window when you're shooting solo.%Gallery-165167% Where AppTag differs is in how the pistol communicates with your phone. It uses a proprietary high frequency audio signal that requires no pairing or other similar procedures -- you simply load up the app, clamp it to the gun and you're good to go. Additionally, AppTag's removable pistol grip is attached to the gun via a rail mount. That means the system can be attached to existing Nerf weapons and even real firearms should you be so inclined, plus there's a corded pressure switch that you can affix to the trigger of any gun. For now, there are a handful of games included in the app, but Hex3 is releasing an SDK so that developers can get creative building their own using the blaster's four buttons, trigger and reload switch. Interested? AppTag's currently up for pre-order at $59 bucks a pop, with shipping slated to start in 4-6 weeks. Before you part with any hard earned cash, however, check out our video after the break to see in action.
The Engadget Show 35: EVs in Portland, hacked bicycles and a Tesla Model S test drive
With a transportation themed episode, it only seemed natural to take the Engadget Show out of our traditional digs -- it was also a great excuse to visit one of our favorite cities in the world: Portland, Oregon. We drove Mitsubishi's i-MiEV EV around the Northwestern green mecca, stopping at some great PDX spots along the way, including the amazing Ground Kontrol arcade, Hand-Eye Supply and the hackerspace, Brain Silo. We also took the time to speak to some PDX residents, including Core77 co-founder Eric Ludlum and some local modders showing off their homebrew projects. Also, Brian travels out to Boston to ride along with a gang of bike hackers, Myriam takes the Tesla Model S for a spin around the streets of San Francisco and Michael does his best not to fall off the DTV Shredder in the California desert. And, as always, we got a pile of the month's latest and greatest gadgets, including the Google Nexus 7, Hasbro's new Lazer Tag guns and a quick trip around OS X Mountain Lion. Also: comic books, donuts and plenty of EV road trip shenanigans. Click through the break to tune in!
Hasbro Lazer Tag hands-on (video)
The NERF has been dropped, but Hasbro's Lazer Tag system is still the same awesome toy we got a taste of in February. The difference is, now they're retail ready. Individual blasters, complete with iDevice dock, will hit shelves in just over a week, while packages of two are scheduled for October 1st. The companion iOS app is already available through iTunes, but a rep from Hasbro still describes it as being in beta form (an update is on its way that will remove that tag and simplify the initial set-up). The same rep was also nice enough to swing by the Engadget compound and deliver us a pile of blasters to test ourselves, which we immediately took out for a test run in Washington Square Park. Head on past the break for some impressions and a taste of our "Lazer" battle royale. %Gallery-161146%
Battle Machines hands-on (video)
When Jada invited us up to its private show room at Toy Fair to do "battle" we were a little concerned -- last we checked we'd done nothing to offend the company. Thankfully, it just wanted to challenge us to a duel with its Battle Machines line of RC toys. A couple of years back the company debuted the line with a pair of cars that drive around playing laser tag with each other. Then, last year, things got really interesting Air vs. Land -- an RC chopper and turret that duked it for IR-equipped superiority. This year the company is expanding the line with Battle Quads (laser-wielding ATVs complete with rider) and Battle Heli (essentially one half of the Air vs. Land package, but programmed to perform rotor-powered dog fights). Neither of the new products were quite ready for a test run yet, but we did give the turret and copter combo a try... just for the heck of it. The toys are complete with blaster noises and, when shot down, an internal IC takes over the helicopter and does a little aerial death dance. After about 15 minutes we finally started to get the hang of piloting the aircraft but, by then, the Jada rep had us plummeting from the sky. Both the Battle Heli and the Battle Quads should be hitting shelves in August for $30 and $60, respectively. Check out the video and PR after the break.Edgar Alvarez contributed to this report.
NERF Lazer Tag hands-on
We just came from Hasbro's off-site Toy Fair show room and, needless to say, we made them take us straight to the NERF Lazer Tag installation. The guns are still clearly in the early prototype stages and hand made -- with plenty of hot glue and header pins serving as evidence. Still, they felt solid and the app appears to be coming along nicely. We weren't allowed to take photos or video of the HUD, which is a shame since that's what sets Hasbro's product apart from similar toys, but we can tell you about some of the features.In the top left of the screen is your life meter, which decreases every time you're shot. You'll know when you've been hit because the display will flash red. The app also beeps letting you know when an opponent has been detected -- alerting you to an opportunity to strike or of approaching danger. In the bottom right hand corner is you weapon selection and ammo remaining. You can reload by pressing in the lever on the front of the weapon. Holding it down opens the weapon selection, which you'll be able to upgrade through achievements and in-app purchases. There's also a pair of triggers in the well. The front engages your shield, which prevents you from being hit, but also stop you from firing on opponents, while the primary trigger fires blasts (complete with laser beam animation and explosions) at your opponents. Check out the gallery below for a few more impressions.Edgar Alvarez contributed to this report.
Hasbro reinvents Lazer Tag for the smartphone generation, lets you live out your Doom-fueled fantasies
Xappr and appBlaster are fine weaponizers for your smartphone, provided you don't care to share your violent tendencies with your friends. Thankfully, Hasbro is bridging the gap between new-school AR shooter and that teenage classic -- laser tag. The NERF Lazer Tag system is getting an update for 2012 that lets you pair your blaster with an iPhone or iPod touch. The top of the plastic guns now sport a slot for your iDevice which, when loaded with the Lazer Tag app, provides you with an augmented HUD view. While you can play against purely virtual opponents, the real fun is in using to track your battles with fleshy foes. The app will display your gear and power level, and update your progress on a global Lazer Tag leaderboard. As you play, new attacks and gear will be unlocked for you to enhance your gaming experience. The app will even actually show your blasts' trajectory, letting you see exactly where you shot your former friend. The 2012 edition of Lazer Tag will hit shelves on August 1st with individual blasters costing $40 and sets of two $70. Check out the PR and a screen shot of the app after the break.
Ubisoft's Battle Tag lands at the FCC, we're already out of breath
Remember when we just about passed out from exhaustion following a rather short demo of Ubisoft's nouveau laser tag setup? Well, judging from its appearance over at the FCC, it looks like the RFID-packing Battle Tag is ready to play. Unlike some of our more fruitful dives into the commission's archives, this one doesn't uncover a whole lot about the product that we didn't already know. Internal photos show an RFID reader, used to communicate with ammo packs for reloading, and a thorough examination of the game's user manual revealed the accompanying software is compatible with Windows only. So, no, we won't be exposing any big secrets here, but for laser tag aficionados, whoever they may be, today is a good day. A Battle Tag setup for two is now available via Ubisoft for $130.
WowWee's Light Strike makes laser tag look more like Paper Jamz
WowWee, the same folks who brought you Paper Jamz, are giving yet another American leisure-time institution a makeover, and this time they've set their sights on laser tag. Carrying over the Paper Jamz aesthetic, Light Strike aims to "bring video game action into the real-world" with a set of laser tag guns and accessories that sport fingerprint ID, long-range LED targeting, built-in health and ammo meters, and the ability to play with up to four teams of unlimited size. The game's stable of weapons includes Light Strike's signature gun, the Assault Striker, a machine gun bipod with recoil action, a scope attachment with 100-foot range, and a grenade launcher that can shoot groups of enemies down in a single shot. Now, who's going to lead the campaign to make the Assault Striker the official gun of the 2012 Olympic Pentathalon? Light Strike is set for an August 2011 launch with guns starting at about $40, but you can get a very dramatic preview after the jump.
New Apple patent suggests advanced iPhone gaming
A new Apple patent describes several interesting ideas for playing games with others in an augmented reality space. The patent, called "Interactive Gaming with Co-Located, Networked Direction and Location Aware Devices," describes an iPhone app that would network up a series of devices in the same real-world space and use the phone's hardware to track and show other players as the game is being played. For example, players could use their devices as a "gun," and the GPS, gyroscope, and accelerometer in the iPhone would all work together to figure out if shots "fired" from one device would actually hit another. Consider a wireless, high-tech form of laser tag on a large scale. The patent also describes using accessories to play the game (such as a gun grip handle to place your iPhone in as you play), or even using the accelerometer to do other things like steering a virtual vehicle around. The whole thing sounds pretty wild -- it's hard to believe that Apple is actually working on a full-featured game like this, but given that we know they're already working on "co-located," collaborative apps, it's not much of a stretch to think that a patent like this originates from that kind of thinking. Plus it just sounds fun. Apple hasn't released a game themselves since Texas Hold'em back in the early days of the App Store, but I wouldn't mind giving this one a try.
Halo's Covenant laser tag guns coming in October
If you haven't gotten hyped enough over the forthcoming third installment of the Halo series, perhaps you might want to get your paws on these illified (and expensive) toy guns from Jasman Toys. Apparently, the Halo 3-modeled firearms will not only look really bad-ass on your mantelpiece at home, but the recoiling, sound-projecting, light-flashing gats will also enable you to play a game of "advanced" laser tag, called "Halo Laser Pursuit." With the accompanying wearable laser target you can try and reenact your favorite scenes from the games, as the receivers perform somewhat like Halo's shields, or so says Jasman. Really the only way this game of tag differs from the actual game is that no one dies -- and it's not nearly as much fun. Priced between $79.99 and $119.99, available in October.[Via Xbox 360 Fanboy]
Halo Covenant plasma rifle has overheat built in
Jasman Toys unveiled at Comic-Con their line of Halo laser tag toys based on the Covenant plasma rifle, pistol and energy sword. Now all we need is a Covenant Elite costume and we'd be all set for Halloween. The guns even come with an "overheat" where the sides pop open to give them just that little extra bit of authenticity. The rifle is $120 and the pistol is $89, they'll be available in October.These weapons are full-size replicas, not like the mini versions being created by Master Replicas -- but that's probably why they cost between four and eight times more. But we won't deny the joy possibility of playing laser tag with authentic looking Halo weapons.[Via X3F]
Bungie Weekly: Everything old is new again edition
Halo 3 continues its screaming path towards the finish line as tales of production lockouts fill the halls of Bungie. The roads have been laid out and while bugs continue to get squashed, the project as a whole sounds about where it should be for its September 25th debut.Definitely on the shallow end of information this week, laser tag was the focus of all things, highlighting some of the awesome new merchandise on display at Comic-Con. Jasman Toys will be releasing laser-spewing replicas of both the Covenant Plasma Pistol and Plasma Rifle sometime next year and boy do they look hot. Sure, they may not moisten your pants like last weeks real-world Warthog, but at least we know we'll actually be able to handle these someday.In game-related news, Luke confesses that Brutes may possess greater intelligence than he, regaling a time where the beasts actually climbed like the monkeys they are just to reach his location. Both he and Frankie agree, the Brutes are more enjoyable to fight than the Elites found in previous games. A bold statement that we'll get to the bottom of this September.
Graffiti Research Lab's L.A.S.E.R. Tag
Lessee here, we've got lasers, creative input devices, a "stick it to The Man" aesthetic and a Mooninite -- sounds like a successful night of hacking to us. Graffiti Research Lab and friends hacked together a high powered projector with some computer components and a camera to track the writings of a 60mW Green Laser on the side of a building in Rotterdam and project it as blue graffiti. The resulting art looks surprisingly good, and the perpetrators were kind enough to document the event, along with providing instructions for doing up your own version. It's hard to describe, so we recommend peeping the video after the break, or the better quality vids and pics over at the read link.[Thanks, Teferri]
