Anki Overdrive Starter Kit

Product Information

Standard races are pretty much the old-school slot-racing experience you’d expect, albeit with the fun of easily switching lanes and even rubbing up against another car’s bumper. The Battle mode tasks you to take down an opponent a preset number of times to win. Then there’s a superb King of the Hill mode, which is a kind of digital tag where you have to evade your opponent for a cumulative number of seconds. This is slot-racing for the modern generation, with app control and, well, no slots. It’s also about so much more than racing, with virtual weaponry for disabling your opponents and earning cash to upgrade your vehicle. But the app also enriches the experience in two other key ways. First is the campaign mode, which delivers a series of increasingly challenging races with just enough of a storyline to drive your ascent in the futuristic racing league. It loops through races and combat-centric battle events, and while it’s not the most enthralling quest, it provides a bit of context so you’re not just repeatedly running plain races when friends aren’t around. I like that you can play solo (racing against an AI opponent that controls the other car) or dual player with each person controlling a car. It’s fun to be able to customize each car with virtual weapons and build-outs. You can also compete in various modes such as Battle, Race, Time Trial, and King of the Hill. The One Shot modifier gives each player and their driver a ‘golden gun’, which, with a single well-aimed shot, can take out an opponent in an instant. This ramps the intensity level up a treat.

OVERDRIVE Starter Kit – Digital Dream Labs OVERDRIVE Starter Kit – Digital Dream Labs

The claims of this being a video game in real life may sound lofty, but this is exactly what you’re getting. If you think this is just slot-racing smartified, you’re doing it a huge injustice. There’s so much variety in here, and the expansions that have been made available since launch have taken it to a whole new level. Firing weapons is as easy as tapping a button on the interface. When you fire, your car has a set of green LEDs on its front that will light up to indicate that you're shooting. If you hit a competitor, that car's red lights will turn on. If you hit another car hard enough, that car could be temporarily disabled, which means that it stops for a few seconds and flashes red.

The enemy cars’ AI is excellent, with them changing lanes to avoid a hit, and trying to get away from you or get in behind. The app also gives you a sense of progress, rewarding you with cash at the end of each challenge or race. This can be used for upgrades that include weaponry, special items, speed boosts, weapon ports and more – it’s an exhaustive list of kit. In Balance Cars, all upgrades are removed from each driver, placing everyone on an equal footing. This is great for when friends pop over who haven’t played before. The concept of this game—combining a real car race set with the virtual gaming world—is clever and very appealing for kids. In addition to weaponry there are other special items, such as a tractor beam, which lets you slow down enemy cars. The mechanics are great, and the whole experience is amazingly compelling.

Anki Overdrive review: Robot race cars are as cool as they Anki Overdrive review: Robot race cars are as cool as they

The manufacturer’s recommended age range is 8 to 15 years old. My 8-year-old enjoys this game, but he gets frustrated when the cars have a glitch. My older boys intuitively understood the various levels and weapons components. They also like that they can use it by themselves or with each other. Also, I’ve never needed to help them navigate the game.Since launch, Anki has also added a couple of modifiers – called Balance Cars and One Shot – that can be executed in open play. The more you play with ANKI the the tougher your car gets, and so do the AI opponents. It’s utterly addictive, and hugely impressive. King of the Hill mode works a lot like Battle mode, but with a twist. Every time you hit your opponent, you become King of the Hill and start amassing points just for driving around. When an opponent hits you, then the opponent takes the crown and starts amassing points. Once the race starts, you use the on-screen controls for throttle, brake, and – in the case of a battle – to unleash your firepower. Tilt left or right to change lanes.