iSamurai – This Ain’t Your Daddy’s Light Saber!

Remember when Light Saber was first released? It was amazing. The lights, the sounds, the fact that, thanks to the accellerometer it changed as you swung your iPhone… Amazing! For 27 seconds.

Then it was off the iPhone in order to make room.

Well, the next generaiton of "iPhone as sword" apps has arrived and it is a whole new ballgame sword fight.

iSamurai lets you use the iPhone to literally fight another person… let’s take a closer look.

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iSamurai for iPhone uses the iPhone’s WiFi  to make real, two person play, a reality. The game was designed to distinguish between four different attacks and each attack can be countered by the opponent using the correct block. The two devices communicate their actions and countering actions to each other over Wi-Fi in real time and use realistic sounds to indicate whether an attack was successful or blocked.

In other words, this isn’t just about sword sounds, this is about using a virtual sword to create a real combat game. How does it work? Take a quick look at this video to find out…

Release Information…

iSamurai: Two-Player Sword Fight released for iPhone and iPod Touch

Toy Kite Software has launched iSamurai, a two-player Wi-Fi sword fighting game designed to leverage the iPhone’s accelerometers and networking capabilities

Los Angeles, California (June 11, 2009) — Toy Kite Software announces the launch of iSamurai, a two-player Wi-Fi sword fighting game for iPhone and iPod Touch. Developed specifically to take advantage of the iPhone’s accelerometers and networking capabilities, iSamurai is an interactive sword-fighting game, where the two players slash, thrust, and block each other with their iPhones.

Depending on the physical movements of the two players, slashes and thrusts are interpreted by both devices and immediately registered as successful or blocked. When a player swings and the opponent blocks by holding up another iPhone, the ring of steel on steel is heard from both devices. An unsuccessful block results in the defender’s iPhone emitting one of a number of cries to indicate a hit. Toy Kite has posted videos on its web site (as well as on YouTube) demonstrating the game in action. A training "Dojo" is offered so players can practice the different iSamurai moves.

"With iSamurai, we have been able to implement a two-player sword fighting game that uses the iPhone’s accelerometers to determine when a player attacks with his or her iPhone or uses it to block an opponent’s attack," said Robert Hogg, CEO and founder of Toy Kite Software. "The iPhones communicate with each other over Wi-Fi in real time, and if a slash is not instantly countered with the correct block, a hit is scored. With iSamurai, we take the game out of the iPhone’s screen and into the real world – players actually sword fight with their iPhones."

Advanced analysis allows the iPhone to distinguish between four different attacks. Each attack can be countered by the opponent using the correct block. The two devices communicate their actions and countering actions to each other over Wi-Fi in real time and use realistic sounds to indicate whether an attack was successful or blocked. After the battle, both devices report the scores with appropriate images for the winner and loser.

iSamurai includes a single-player mode with four levels of difficulty. Four unique characters: peasant, apprentice, warrior and samurai, yell out different attacks, and the player must quickly defend against them and launch offensive attacks by swinging the iPhone. To get players started, iSamurai offers a tutorial featuring animations of the different attacks. The game also includes quotes from The Art of War by Sun Tzu and from The Book of Five Rings by samurai Miyamoto Musashi.

"As robotics engineers, we were excited about the iPhone’s ability to sense motion," said Arin Morfopoulos, Director of Development at Toy Kite Software. "Using that capability and inter-phone communication over Wi-Fi, we created a game where two iPhones are instantly aware of each other’s motions and respond with the sounds of battle."

System Requirements:

* iPhone or iPod Touch 2.2.1 or later

Pricing and Availability: iSamurai: Two-Player Sword Fight for iPhone is only $2.99 (USD) and is available now exclusively through Apple’s iTunes Store. For a limited time, iSamurai will be on sale for $.99 (USD).  iSamurai 1.0 uses a Wi-Fi connection for two-player mode. iSamurai 2.0 will be a free upgrade for Apple’s upcoming iPhone software 3.0, allowing two players to compete anywhere using blue-tooth communication between their iPhones.