Tag Archives: Gaming

Watch this AI-powered Chessboard with Autonomously Moving Pieces in Action

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Someone needs to 3D print some Harry Potter-style chess pieces for this AI-powered chessboard RIGHT NOW!

This AI-powered chessboard features a backlit checkered surface that gives you color-coded move recommendations, autonomous moving pieces, and the ability to play either in person, against an AI, or with people online who can remotely move chess pieces. The best part? The magnets within the chessboard can actually make the king fall over in the event of a checkmate, adding that perfect bit of drama to conclude the game.

Designer: Daniel Leibovich

Click Here to Buy Now: $199 $279 ($80 off). Hurry, only 19 left! Raised over $870,000.

Chess pieces move on their own.

AI and Chess have had a long relationship dating back as early as 1996, when an AI program named Deep Blue defeated then-grandmaster Gary Kasparov in a game of chess… now, GoChess is making that relationship even more intertwined. Sort of doing to chess what self-driving AI did to cars, GoChess integrates AI and robotics into the chess board, letting you either play a normal game of chess against a human, or a robot-powered game against the GoChess AI or a remote human player. With the latter, the chess board can move your opponent’s pieces on its own, blurring the lines between technology and magic.

Your game is automatically set up.

Outwardly, the chessboard sticks to tradition with its overall design. The board comes in classic black plastic or wood variants, sporting the 8×8 checkered surface on top along with 32 minimally designed chess pieces. However, under its hood, the GoChess board is thrillingly state-of-the-art. Robots with magnets hover around underneath the surface, magnetically dragging pieces across the board as you play either with an AI or with an online opponent. Meanwhile, the entire chessboard comes with backlit squares that glow when you lift a piece, highlighting all possible move combinations. The squares also glow in different colors, highlighting how effective or ineffective the move is. At each turn, the active player’s chess pieces glow green, letting them know it’s their turn to play… and easily my most favorite bit, the chess pieces will even auto-arrange themselves at the start of a game, so you don’t have to!

Smart lights guide and coach you.

Unlike your analog chess board, GoChess isn’t for just playing, it’s for training too. The board can coach you in real time, with insights and up to 32 levels of difficulty to help you level up your gameplay. Backlit squares help you understand where different pieces can move across the board, and the AI guides you through popular gameplaying strategies, helping you understand the intricacies of Chess. When you’re seasoned enough to take on an opponent, you can either play a regular old-style game versus a human, or challenge the GoChess board itself and play against its AI.

GoChess also gives you the option of playing against thousands of online players who play on the app, which connects to Lichess.org and Chess.com, and directly interfaces with the board, moving the pieces the way a human would.

Designed by the folks at GoCube, who also get credit for creating the world’s first AI-powered Rubik’s Cube, the GoChess board comes in 3 models. The GoChess Lite simply features the board’s upper veneer (with none of the self-moving robot-powered magic) that you can use for analog gameplay. The AI-powered robotic boards come in two variants – the 1X, which has just 1 robot on the inside, capable of moving one pieces at a time, and the 4X, which has 4 robot modules that can move multiple pieces at the same time. The board interfaces with the GoChess app on your phone using Bluetooth Low Energy, and has a built-in battery that can charge via USB-C. All GoChess boards offer two stylistic choices – modern black and white board with minimally designed plastic chess pieces, or a classic wood-veneer board with traditional-looking wooden pieces to match. You can grab your AI-powered GoChess board for as low as $259 (that’s 32% off the original price) and chuck in $59 for a branded Deluxe GoChess Bag that makes carrying your AI-powered game to the park or a friend’s house much easier!

Click Here to Buy Now: $199 $279 ($80 off). Hurry, only 19 left! Raised over $870,000.

The post Watch this AI-powered Chessboard with Autonomously Moving Pieces in Action first appeared on Yanko Design.

Sony’s new gaming handheld device streams PS5 games on the go

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At the PlayStation Showcase 2023 event, Sony unveiled a handheld device that’ll make gamers both excited and longing for more. That’s because the Japanese electronics giant did unveil the Project Q gaming device but with a spoiler.

Rather than being a follow-up of the PlayStation Vita, the handheld will be more of a streaming gadget for mirroring PlayStation 5 games when you want to shift to the smaller screen for a while. That’s something akin to the Logitech G Cloud and the Razer Edge. This further reiterates Sony’s belief in mobile gaming since they announced the Backbone One game controller a few days back.

Designer: Sony

By no stretch of imagination is this gaming handheld a competitor for Steam Deck or Nintendo Switch. It’s basically a device to be used with PS Remote Play, and looks like a stretched DualSense controller. Much like a third-party mobile gaming controller that fits your smartphone.

Even though it won’t play any games standalone or without internet connectivity, the option to stream your favorite titles on the 8-inch HD LCD screen sandwiched between the controls is simply awesome. The device will be capable of streaming games at upto 1080p and 60fps over a Wi-Fi connection. Not to forget, you’ll get all the buttons and features of DualSense controller like the haptic feedback and adaptive triggers.

According to PlayStation boss Jim Ryan, “Innovation is our passion, and that applies to not just what games you play, but how you play them.” He further emphasized the cloud gaming aspect moving forward, making the streaming handheld a potent tool in the quest for leveraging the “trend of mobility.”

For now, Sony has just uncovered these details and there’s no word on the pricing or the release date of the Project Q handheld. That said, we are still rooting for Sony to release a dedicated gaming device that’s more than just a cloud gaming gadget and can play offline as well.

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Playful Nintendo Switch Stand will charge your console, hold your JoyCons, and even dock cartridges

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This absolutely heartwarming plant-inspired stand lets you dock/charge your Nintendo Switch between long sessions of playing the new Legends of Zelda game…

Styled like a piranha plant from the Super Mario universe, this Nintendo Switch stand comes with a place to dock your main Switch device, as well as two sets of JoyCons, to make them look like a flower and two sets of leaves. The stand features a hollow conduit running through its main stem, letting you string a charger cable through so you can charge your Switch while it’s docked in the stand. Meanwhile, the ‘soil’ of the planter features multiple slots, allowing you to store game cartridges with all your saved games on them.

Designer: 3DPrintedCanadaCo

Click Here to Buy Now: $57.94 US$ 77.26 (25% Off)

The stand lets you dock your controller with or without the JoyCons, giving you a degree of freedom that feels quite liberating. Two separate offshoot stems on the main stem allow you to add multiple other JoyCons to your stand, although the stand doesn’t charge the individual JoyCons – just the main controller.

If you’re the kind to game with multiple people (or if you just bought extra controllers because of the controller drift problem), the stand has dedicated slots for stashing spare controllers. You can pop them out and play a game while the screen remains docked within the stand, making for a pretty suitable gameplay arrangement, especially if your Switch is running on low battery.

My favorite part of the design is the one detail you’re most likely to miss. The dock comes with enough slots to store up to 10 Switch cartridges, allowing you to build a mini library for all the games currently in rotation. Perfect for if you want to replay Breath of the Wild before starting Tears of the Kingdom!

Click Here to Buy Now: $57.94 US$ 77.26 (25% Off)

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The detailed LEGO Pac-Man Arcade Set is testament to the enduring impact of gameplay nostalgia

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LEGO, renowned for its nostalgic creations, has once again struck a chord with brick fans by unveiling a remarkable new creation. This time, LEGO has taken a captivating twist by paying tribute to the iconic Pac-Man character and the arcade experience that has enthralled millions worldwide.

Brick by brick, LEGO has faithfully recreated the charm of a vintage arcade machine in its latest release. Timed perfectly for the 43rd anniversary of the game, LEGO has announced the iconic rendition ideally to capture the essence of a classic arcade machine.

Designer: LEGO

The Pac-Man Arcade set boasts meticulous attention to detail, complete with Pac-Man’s nostalgic maze, a functional joystick, and even a coin slot. The set is a non-functional gaming system but nonetheless promises to transport enthusiasts back to the golden era of gaming.

Behind this remarkable LEGO creation lies the tireless efforts of talented designers who worked passionately to capture the spirit of the beloved Pac-Man arcade machine, LEGO designer Sven Franic informs. From the Pac-Man character to the maze-like environment he navigates, every aspect has been meticulously considered and created.

Thus, the result is an unparalleled LEGO set that not only faithfully reproduces the original game’s magic but also introduces a delightful new twist. A special feature of that accord is the crank on the machine allows builders to simulate the adventure of Pac-Man in the mechanical maze. This creative addition brings an extra layer of interactivity to the set.

By recreating a 1980s arcade game cabinet, LEGO has sparked a resurgence of priceless memories for enthusiasts who grew up with Pac-Man. The attention to detail and the commitment to preserving the essence of the original game reflects vividly in its affordable $269.99 price tag. LEGO enthusiasts can get their set starting June 4.

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Level Up Your Mobile Gaming with this Snap-On Ergonomic Game Controller Concept!

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Google may have killed Stadia, but smartphone gaming isn’t going ANYWHERE. If anything, it’s just begun, with Sony rumored to be thinking of debuting a new handheld PlayStation this year. Meet the SnapJoy, a set of ergonomic controllers that snap onto the corners of your phone (quite like this wild Xbox Cloud mobile gaming concept from a few years ago), turning it into a handheld console quite similar to the Switch or Steam Deck. Unlike the Switch or Steam Deck, however, the SnapJoy turns your trusty smartphone into a comprehensive gaming setup, with easy-to-grip controllers that have all the buttons you need, and a curved design that actually does a precious job of not blocking any part of your screen. The best part? Discreet bumper stickers that you apply to your phone allow it to snap securely onto the SnapJoy controllers, so there’s never any chance of them disengaging during intense gameplay.

Designer: Zak Boardman

Designed by Zak Boardman, the beauty of the SnapJoy controllers are the fact that they exist independently as left and right devices that occupy hardly any space, making them easy to carry around in a bag with you wherever you go. Unlike the Steam Deck, which is a pretty massive piece of hardware, these controllers are the size of ergonomic mice, and snap to the phone in your pocket.

The way the SnapJoy controllers attach to your phone is quite brilliant. A rail guides the controllers onto the sides of the phone, with a tight tolerance for a great fit, and a set of powerful magnets help the controllers snap into place, helping them hold their position even if you’re gaming while lying down in bed.

Once snapped in place, they connect to your phone using BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) to work just the way regular wireless controllers do – although there’s a debate about whether that’s wiser than using a WiFi connection, which is a little trickier, but offers much lower latency.

The controllers themselves are fashioned with all the buttons needed for great gameplay, including two joysticks, a D-pad, action buttons, and all four L1/L2 and R1/R2 shoulder buttons. An internal battery in each controller supplies them with power, and a quick glance below also gives us a look at the internal components, which also include a vibration module for haptic feedback during gaming.

As per Boardman’s vision, the SnapJoy controllers come packaged with their own charging case, which holds four controller devices that enable two people to play games at the same time. Contact points within the case help charge each individual SnapJoy controller, and a backlit battery indicator in the case helps you gauge how much juice your controller has.

The SnapJoy controllers are conceptual for now, although Boardman has shown some progress with building 3D mock prototypes of the controller to judge their ergonomics and reliability. Let’s hope we see these in markets soon!

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Sony launches PlayStation 5 Access Controller with highly customizable design for gamers with disabilities

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Briefly teased at CES 2023 this year, Sony finally lifted the cloth on the PS5’s Access Controller, designed for gamers with limited mobility. Previously known as Project Leonardo, this highly customizable controller was formally launched today, on World Disability Day, marking Sony’s commitment to making gaming more inclusive.  The Access Controller is more than a conventional controller – it’s a sophisticated, customizable accessibility controller kit, created in collaboration with accessibility experts. Sony’s intention is to enhance the gaming experience, particularly for players with disabilities.

The Access Controller’s announcement precedes what is believed to be Sony’s major summer event (given that E3 was canceled this year). We’re expecting to hear of new game titles and hardware announcements during this event, including the highly anticipated handheld version of the PS5 and possibly a PS5 Pro with liquid cooling.

Designer: Sony

With a highly customizable accessibility-focused design, the Access Controller can be used independently, or alongside Sony’s DualSense controller, giving people a wide range of possible use-cases. The controller comes with a disc-shaped design, surrounded by large, interchangeable, easy-to-press keys (as well as a central key) that can be custom-mapped, with easy-to-change disc-shaped tags on all of them for reference. A modular, adjustable joystick on one side acts as the user’s navigation input, like the joystick seen on most controllers.

The Access Controller design comes in collaboration with various accessibility experts, who helped create a controller that isn’t just easy to use, it also encourages longer gaming without feeling any fatigue. The controller offers button caps that come in a variety of shapes and designs, including pillow, flat, wide flat (covering two sockets), overhang (ideal for small-handed players, placed near the center), and curved (pushed from the top or pulled from the bottom) form factors.

To help players keep track of button assignments, the Access controller includes swappable button cap tags. It also offers versatility in positioning, as it can be laid flat, rotated, or attached to an AMPS mount or tripod. Additionally, the distance of the analog stick from the controller can be adjusted as per the player’s preference.

The controller works wirelessly, and sports a USB-C port for charging it or even using it in wired formats. Additionally, four 3.5mm inputs located around its sides let players integrate their own specialty switches, buttons, or analog sticks.

The launch of this controller brings new possibilities to the PS5 console, making the world of gaming more accessible. This represents a step towards gaming that caters to every player’s unique needs, further leveling the playing field. We’ve also seen similar efforts on the accessibility front from Microsoft, who unveiled their Xbox Adaptive Controller a few years ago, and even from startup Augmental, who launched their tongue-powered MouthPad wearable controller last month.

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Dreamy gamepad designs only purist gamers will appreciate under the sun

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Gamepad design has changed with each generation bringing advancement in technology and improvements in function. It all started with the Atari 2600 in 1977, then Nintendo Entertainment System in 1985, Sony PlayStation in 1994 and Xbox in 2001. Since then, Nintendo, PlayStation and Xbox have had a three-way battle for supremacy.

Gaming controllers and gamepads have been in the mix of things all this time, and bringing gamers the most ergonomic and function-laden gamepad has been an unending quest. This adventure continues with these thoughtful gamepad concepts sparking my imagination wild.

Designer: Evolution Lab

Things start off with this dreamy AI-crafted gamepad collection in the form of a ceramic-coated controller with buttons comparable to that on a Formula-1 steering wheel. The gamepad gets a creamy colored texture and the Xbox-inspired analog sticks, D-pad and buttons. The concept gamepad has a fat character to it, and I imagine how it would feel ultra-secure while annihilating my opponents playing open-world titles.

Then comes the very cheesy furniture-inspired gamepad that feels like a Lincoln Continental’s interior dabbed onto a themed NES controller. The button layout has not been tampered with much, and hitting the trigger buttons during intense zombie-firing action will injure a nail or two… ouch! That wooden finished back panel on the controller is too close to comfort for slamming the trigger buttons and holding this one is going to give anyone sweaty palms… yuk!

Next up is a downsized gamepad ideal for carrying along for quick portable gaming skirmishes on a capable gaming device. Yes, I imagine this controller to be a holy grail accessory in a purist gamer’s bag. Nintendo SNES Controller influence is spilled all over here, as the AI picks the minimalistic elements of the classic controller in its logically evolved form.

This Xbox 360-inspired gamepad is a luxe version of the original, and I can’t walk away from staring, it’s that classy. The D-pad and the shoulder trigger buttons have the definitive chrome treatment, something that you would do on a Supra for aftermarket drifting modification. Just pondering over the thought of smoking up the rubber in a Dirt rally or a Car X drifting game gets me high enough, already…

A gamepad with overemphasized shoulder buttons is perfect for battle royale action as you hit the fire and aim buttons in tandem like a pro shooter. Again the Xbox 360 is the canvas on which this caped gamepad builds on, keeping things to basics and colors muted. A no-nonsense gamepad nobody will go wrong with.

Then comes the flashiest of them all. A Nintendo 64 controller getting the animated treatment it seems. Jumping right out of a Pixar animated title like The Incredibles, this concept gamepad will be so much fun to have. To hit those bubbly buttons and maneuver that warship-like analog button is going to be such a blissful feeling.

Last but not least, a gamepad that would ideally go with a modern portable gaming console. Built for a demanding and sophisticated gamer who likes to flaunt those collectible Nike Air Jordan sneakers, the gamepad is one of the most eye-candy iterations of the Nintendo Super NES you would ever see. Everything right from the D-pad to the buttons are so cleanly crafteded. This one I would choose for life out of them all!

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Absolutely quirky Ping Pong Tables let you play in unique styles and with multiple people

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Designed by French creative outfit NEDJ, this series of Ping Pong tables flip the sport on its head, questioning and breaking all the rules… like why must the table look exactly like a miniature tennis court? What if it looked like a golf course or a squash court instead? Or better, what if it was designed for a chaotic game between three people instead of two??

The series of new tables bring an element of fun and surprise to the game, reinventing them in a way that should make even experts feel like curious amateurs. Gone are the days of boring, rectangular tables. These tables range from curved to perforated, and even three-dimensional to create more surfaces for the ball to bounce off of. Consider this also my formal petition to have these tables in the Olympics!

Designer: NEDJ

Broadly, NEDJ’s Ping Pong Tables come in four styles, the Table GOLF (in yellow), Table TRIO (in red), Table REBOUND (in green), and Table TOURNANTE (in yellow). All four tables have their own distinct design based around different styles of playing. The Golf, for example, feels reminiscent of Beer Pong, as opponents get points for shooting the ping pong ball directly into the hole. The Trio, on the other hand, is made for three people. Based on artist Asger John’s invention of three-sided football, the table comes with a hexagonal design that’s split into three equal parts with a Y-shaped net in between. The aim of the game is to be cunning enough to team up to beat the more powerful/talented player, giving them a distinct disadvantage and adding some chaotic fun to the game.

The Rebound table turns the ping pong ball into a parkour artist, having it bounce off different angled surfaces to add new dynamism to the game. To win, you have to anticipate the rebounds and measure your shot to put your opponent in a difficult position. The Tournante, finally, may look like the most simple table of the lot, but requires the most amount of agility. Based on the ‘revolving’ style of gameplay, players have to run around the table, switching sides every two volleys. This means that the game can also involve more than two plays, and up to as many as 6-7 players who keep rotating around the table with every shot. The rounded edges make running around the table a lot easier, and also help develop your aim and ability to spin the ball in the air, so as to keep it on the table!

Short for “Nouvelles Expériences de Jeu” (or New Gaming Experiences), NEDJ is a Paris-based design outfit that’s looking to radically reinvent popular games. The ping pong tables are their flagship series, and the studio’s even done a number on traditional ping pong rackets, adding uniquely quirky new shapes to their catalog. Made entirely in-house, the tables range anywhere from €2,300 ($2521 USD) to €3,000 ($3,289), while a set of 12 racquets costs €1,500 ($1,644).

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LEGO Xbox Series S lends gamers a canvas to showcase their unique identity in real world

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Deeming Xbox Series S as the best gaming console of all time will raise eyebrows of PlayStation 5 fanatics, but for cool futuristic looks, the latter is a better bet, I’ve to admit. The plain rectangular shape of the Xbox gaming console, missing any aerodynamic curves could do with some design upgrades, but we’ve to live with it.

The next best thing is to use Microsoft’s latest and greatest gaming console as the canvas for some LEGO magic. Yes, the flat surface of the Series S is the perfect base for etching those LEGO bricks artistically for cool graphical art if you’re a creative gamer.

Designer: Nak Studio

The design studio has mustered up an Xbox console with one side completely dedicated to showcasing one’s custom LEGO art. This can be a pixelated face, landscape silhouette, album art or brand logo. For reference, Nak Studio has showcased the classic LEGO logo, rainbow, and a smiling face to give one’s imagination wings. For an artistic mind, the possibilities are endless with the pallet of LEGO bricks to create custom artwork.

This adds a bit of spice to your gaming sessions, rather than just looking at the monochrome console during short gaming breaks. A nerdy esports gamer would surely want to display his/her avatar to add zing to things. When it get boring, the bricks can be taken off and replaced with a completely different theme. Match this with the usually themed gaming controllers by Microsoft, ones by custom builders or third-party accessory makers, and you’ve got a rocking gaming setup to brag about.

DIY pros will already be looking at this mock-up Xbox console with keen interest, oozing out with ideas to customize an Xbox Series S, Series X, or even the Xbox 360 to have this LEGO building base. After all, this should not be a difficult thing to emulate for a seasoned builder.

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This tiny dedicated uWu keyboard is a cute and fun addition to your gaming obsession

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For people who use external keyboards for their work and gaming needs, it’s a great time to be alive as we’re seeing a lot of really cool and fun designs that you can mix and match so you won’t easily get bored when you’re staring at your computer screen most of the day. There are even keyboards that are specifically for gaming and now, we’re even seeing keyboards dedicated to just one game. It might seem like a bit too much but for fans of a specific game who play it obsessively, it’s a fun addition to the gaming experience.

Designer: Wooting

osu! is a hugely popular free-to-play game that is pretty simple in its gameplay but also grows increasingly more difficult the more you play it, hence the challenge. There are only a few basic moves as you try to follow the beat and rhythm of the game so you don’t need a lot of complicated accessories. But if you want a keyboard that’s dedicated to a game that you play a lot, then the UwU keyboard is for you.

Basically, it’s a three-keyed board that is meant specifically to play osu! There are three variations that are available in its recently launched founders campaign. The basic model, which comes in a cream base color with a navy stripe and pink highlights, includes the base model board, a braided USB cable, an analogue lekker switch, and four collectible keycaps. The Wooting UwU RGB has RGB lighting and an additional travell case. The last variation is the Wooting UwU RGB Stealth edition which is basically a black colored keyboard.

Obviously, this keyboard will mean nothing to you if you’re not playing osu!, although it is pretty cute on its own. Well, if you find uwu things cute. But if you want to also see what all the fuss is about in this popular rhythm game, then you can start playing it first and then see if the keyboard is something you want to add to your paraphernalia.

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