The Wall Street Journal:
Anki Overdrive is the latest proof that videogames are coming to real life. The tiny AI-powered cars, which surprised robotics and slot-car fans alike when they first hit the market in 2013, will get new customizable tracks—plus hotter designs and abilities—when they arrive this fall.
But this second generation swaps out the simple roll-out mat tracks that the first cars drove on for a set of modular tracks that you can lay out any way you want. The new tracks are made up of plastic pieces that magnetically snap together. You can even create terrain—bridges, banked turns and dead-end cliffs.
I had the original track and, while interesting, it quickly lost our interest because of the track limits. This new setup looks fantastic.
“… it quickly lost our interest because of the track limits.”
And because the cars drive themselves. It’s like watching other people play a video game.
It can be. You have to get out of the mindset that it’s a racing game and realize it’s a battle game and use the guns and weapons of the cars to win.
But you’re right. I spoke to the Anki folks last year and had hoped they’d bring out a feature where you could just drive the cars yourself like a traditional old school slot car track.