Augmented Reality

With the rise of the mobile phone, there has also come a rise in mobile game usage. There are many downloadable games but Augmented Reality (AR) games have become increasingly popular. Most AR games put digital information into the user's environment in real time. Basically, when you look into your screen, the game can add other worlds, characters and menus digitally, which can create an enjoyable experience. Niantic is by far the largest AR game company. Here are three of their most popular games.

‘PokémonGo’ has been the most successful AR mobile game ever released. It has been downloaded almost one billion times. When players walk around, Pokémons, or ‘pocket monsters’, appear on their phones. When you get close enough, Pokémons appear and you try to capture them. The aim is to collect as many different Pokémon characters as possible.

‘Ingress’ is a strategic game played globally by two opposing teams: the Enlightenment and the Resistance. Both teams compete using graphically altered versions of Google maps and score points from controlling areas of the map. The game has evolved to include a comprehensive backstory which makes the game far more enjoyable to play.

‘Harry Potter: Wizards Unite’ is the newest AR game from Niantic and is going to be a combination of PokémonGo and Ingress. It hasn’t been released yet, so details aren’t widely available, but players will be able to visit real-world locations and cast spells. Perhaps most importantly for Harry Potter fans, players will meet lots of popular characters and legendary beasts from the Harry Potter universe.