Ever felt bored waiting for someone in your car? A time when the wait is agonisingly long and you desperately need to find a cool pastime. Sure, you can take out your smartphone and get lost in the world of social media or online multiplayer games, but where’s the fun in that? For Volkswagen owners, there is now another option that elevates in-car entertainment to a new level.
A partnership between in-car gaming platform AirConsole and game console maker Atari brings the fun of playing classic arcade games directly to the infotainment system of Volkswagen vehicles. The classic games, including Asteroids: Recharged and Breakout: Recharged can be enjoyed by two players, connecting the smartphone directly to the system and acting as a controller for the player input. Cool or what?
Designer: AirConsole and Atari
Designed specifically for the VW infotainment system, the games have some new inclusions to make them engaging and fun for short bursts of gaming frenzy. The Breakout: Recharged game comes preloaded with 50 levels and power-ups including rail guns and homicide missiles. The Asteroids: Recharged on the other hand, is a fast-paced title with upgraded weaponry, thus making it ideal for short, engaging sessions while sitting idle in the car. Connecting to the game is as easy as scanning the QR code on the display. This makes these games super fun to play even when you are parked at home and don’t want to engage in anything else. More games like Missile Command: Recharged are expected to be introduced to the library.
The motive for designing the games is to turn idle moments into opportunities for play. AirConsole has already shown its capabilities with collaborations including the ones with Sony Pictures’ Who Wants to Be A Millionaire, Mattel’s UNO Car Party and Pictionary Car Party and Bandai Namco’s PAC-MAN Championship Edition for in-car gaming. Last month, they announced the availability of games like Pictionary Car Party for select Audi vehicles, including A5, Q5, A6, A6 e-tron, and Q6 e-tron. To celebrate their 40th anniversary, they collaborated with Mattel for an exclusive in-car edition. Ideally, the game functions only work when the car is parked, but as an exclusive, AirConsole has equipped Audi models with passenger screens to activate the Active Privacy Mode, which is a digital curtain blocking the screen elements from the driver. This lets passengers enjoy gaming even when the car is in motion.
According to Anthony Cliquot, CEO of AirConsole, “AirConsole’s partnership with Atari is a milestone in making the car a space for social connection and interactive entertainment.” This new partnership with Atari and Volkswagen further solidifies their position in the industry when it comes to in-car entertainment. The initial connection can be initiated by syncing with the VW Connect Plus and downloading the AirConsole application from VW’s in-car shop. Thereafter, launching the AirConsole app from the infotainment system when the car is parked is all you need to get going.
The post AirConsole brings Atari’s retro arcade games to Volkswagen infotainment system first appeared on Yanko Design.