With video games, and especially mobile gaming, being more popular than ever before, technology has reached a point where companies are starting to experiment with the way we play our games. Some companies work within the confines of software to bring new experiences to games, but even more exciting are the companies that are experimenting with hardware. Sphero just happens to be one of those companies with the launch of the Sphero 2.0. Sphero is interesting because it brings a new way to play your games using the devices motion sensing technology. In fact, gaming is a big part of the Sphero even when it isn’t being used to control a game. Interested yet? You should be.
First and foremost, let’s talk about what Sphero actually is. The Sphero is a Bluetooth controlled ball that works much like a radio controlled car. Simply pair your Sphero with your phone and you can roll the Sphero wherever you go. Putting gaming aside for a moment, the Sphero is a ton of fun to play with. The retail packaging comes with two ramps and as you play with the Sphero you can unlock all sorts of features for the Sphero. You’ll find yourself jumping Sphero off stairs and rolling it all over your house. However, there is much more to the Sphero than just using the RC elements. The Sphero contains motion sensing technology that can be used is several games which launched alongside the Sphero. Simply by holding the Sphero in your hand and moving it around, you can play games right on your mobile device. Let’s take a closer look at some of the games which shows off some of the finer aspects to Sphero’s functionality.
The first game breaches the topic of augmented reality. So many companies have tried to present a fun way of demonstrating that augmented games can be fun. From the PlayStation Eye to the Nintendo 3DS, we’ve seen some of the titans of gaming try to blaze the trail but ultimately falling short. Now, Sphero decided to try and conquer this Waterloo with the release of the game “The Rolling Dead”. This game requires the use of your camera’s phone and the Sphero which acts as you in the game. As you look around your living space through the phone, you’ll see zombies pop up. You then must roll the Sphero over to the zombie and attack it with various weapons you’ll unlock by playing the game. While the game is a lot of fun conceptually, in practice, the game doesn’t perform as well as it should. The game has a hard time tracking the Sphero and keeping the right distance between the camera and the Sphero can be challenging. This is a real shame because the game is legitimately good, but technical issues tend to get in the way. Performance does tend to vary between different models of Android phones as well.
The second game we looked at follows a more traditional path of gameplay control, but still changes enough to make it something unique. The game we are speaking of is Nyan Cat Space Party. This game is a side-scrolling shooter based on the popular internet video; Nyan Cat. In the game, you can use the Sphero to control Nyan Cat as he shoots bacon to destroy your enemies. The game itself works great and simply by rotating the Sphero, you can move your Nyan Cat fairly precisely with the Sphero. It really doesn’t take much movement to get your cat where you want it, so the controls work well. In addition to the control, the soundtrack is great and if you loved the internet video, you’ll love the game. We particularly enjoyed this title and we are sure you will too.
Finally, we took a closer look at Color Grab. Color Grab is a party game that is very easy to play and lots of fun. The Sphero will start to flash several different colors, the game will then instruct you to pick up the Sphero when it turns a specific color. The faster and more accurate you are, the more points you score. The game may seem overly simplistic and even boring but take our word for it, the game is deceptively fun. Before you know it, you’ll be standing over your device and snatching the Sphero off the table just to get those few extra points. This was our favorite game of the initial offerings and we are sure it will be one of your favorites too.
Overall, the Sphero is a wonderful gaming peripheral. It offers gamers a multifaceted approach to gaming that just isn’t seen in the marketplace today. Not only do you get the RC element of rolling the Sphero around, but you get an interesting and versatile gaming device. The sheer number of ways this device can be used just ensures that you’ll be able to play a game that you will enjoy no matter what kind of game you like to play. We loved our time with the Sphero and we are confident that you will love it too. Make sure you go out and get yours today either through the official website or through select major retailers.