Before a certain collect 'em up launched this summer, augmented reality had kind of died a death.
Sure, the 3DS came with those little cards, and you played with them for 10 minutes when you first opened the box, but they soon got confined to that drawer in your bedroom with the football pump and the Action Man your auntie got you for your 15th birthday. 15, mind. What was she thinking?
Since then, you've barely even given AR a thought. You scoffed at Microsoft's futile attempt to revive the technology when it revealed the Hololens.
Then Pokemon GO came along. Pokemon GO showed the world what AR could do. If used correctly, AR can be one amazing gaming tool. So let's take a look at the five best AR games on mobile.
Ingress
The one that planted the seed for Pokemon GO, Ingress was an interesting idea that eventually got the recognition it deserved this summer (with the backing of one of the world's most recognisable brands, of course).
Niantic, the developer of both aforementioned games, eventually used Ingress as the platform for Pokemon GO, but this espionage themed thriller is worth playing in itself.
Sure, you've got portals rather than PokeStops and sculptures rather than Gyms, but the principle is the same - and so is the fun.
And at least there's no bloody Pidgeys.
Zombies, Run!
Zombies, Run! is great because it'll get you out of the house. You know, exercising. I've never heard of it either. Apparently it's good - and even better if you pretend to play a game at the same time.
That's where Zombies, Run! comes in. It puts you in the apocalypse, meaning you have to go out and run errands while avoiding the undead - all while getting fit!
Star Walk
Okay, this one's technically not a game, but it showcases AR's capabilities perfectly. Hold your phone up towards the sky at night, and you'll get a glimpse of the stars, suns, and moons that otherwise have to own a mahoosive telescope to see. Or squint really really hard.
The other reason it's so fascinating is, y'know, SPACE!
Space makes everything cooler, so of course Star Walk is amazing. The only way this could be more exciting is if it had the Star Wars licence attached to it. Finding Death Stars, fighting Jawas alongside Luke and Han Solo (screw the prequels) - I'm gonna call Disney right this moment!
Pokemon GO
Ahhhh, the game that sparked all this off again. Pokemon GO is amazing, obviously. But it's particularly interesting from an AR standpoint because it utilises the tech in two ways: one, you get to see Pokemon on the street, in your living room, on the toilet, etc.
But also it overlays the Pokemon world onto the real world - your neighbourhood, leading to some real childhood dreams coming true.
Minecraft
Just joking. That demo was amazing though.
*cough*
