Even with incredibly-realistic first-person shooter video games that make you feel as if you’re in an actual war, toy guns that shoot innocuous foam arrows still remain popular. There’s just something about nailing a target with an actual projectile that’s incredibly satisfying, and that’s why Snipe — a tablet game that interacts with special foam darts — seems like so much fun.
The foam darts, which are compatible with existing Nerf and X-SHOT toy guns, are made from a special conductive material that can be detected by a tablet or other touchscreen when they make contact — just like your finger. And so that a tiny tablet display doesn’t get quickly filled with darts, the suction cup tip on the Snipe darts feature tiny air holes that ensure they only stick for about two seconds before falling off.
The creators of the Snipe touch darts have also developed accompanying apps and games for iOS, Android, and even Windows-based touchscreen devices. And while it sounds like the hardware and software is already ready for primetime, the folks behind the Snipe are actually raising funds on Kickstarter to help put the game into mass production.
A donation of just $US25 gets you a single fire blaster, 10 Snipe touch darts, and free access to all of the apps for whatever platform you’re on. But you can also jump in with both feet and donate $US2500 which will get you an entire Snipe arcade system complete with a giant touchscreen LCD display. This is assuming, of course, that there are no hiccups when it comes to production. But since this is a simple but clever update to an existing product, there shouldn’t be too many issues arising. [Kickstarter – Snipe]