Hot Wheels: Rift Rally is a new AR mobile and console game recently announced by creators of the famous toys, Mattel.
The game was unveiled to carefully selected outlets including Venturebeat and The Verge who both had hands-on demos with the new toy-slash-game. It utilises an array of necessary peripherals, such as an RC car, game controller, markers and more in order to overlay what they describe as a “AAA quality” game over real-life.
The package is part of a multiformat release offering an app for iPhone and iPads alongside one for PlayStation. All three are supported in the package that comes complete with a physical, real-world remote controlled car. It marks a significant acknowledgement that mobile can't be ignored, being more accessible with a greater user base while still possessing the power to create the same game experience across the board.
Too much or too little?
Although making the game which comes with the toy available on iOS is a smart move, the lack of an Android release will likely – for now – hurt what is already a niche product. While Mattel have made no comments as yet, an Android version of the their AR app – perhaps with future AR products – must surely be on the cards.
As more and more players of all ages move into the digital world, mixing both successfully has been a key tactic many companies have utilised. The Rift Rally package is an interesting example of bringing what is a classic toy brand into the mobile world. Whether the sales measure up to the success of Mattel’s own, all-digital Hot Wheels Unlimited mobile game is yet to be seen.
