If I had to guess, I’d say Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, a.k.a. the Avengers, make up one pretty exclusive club. Here are some requirements I would imagine are in place:
- A cool name or alter ego
- A color-coordinated outfit and/or skin of a disturbingly strange color
- 2+ years experience fighting bad guys
- Zero concern for collateral damage to city infrastructure while fighting said bad guys
- An in-depth understanding of advanced fighting, flying, and/or weapon skills
- A dark or troubled past
That said, S.H.I.E.L.D. might look past all of these things so long as aspiring agents have a sharp shot when supervillian Ultron is in their sights. With Avengers Vision from Fotorama, kids have the chance to earn their place among the greatest, as they fight alongside Iron Man to defeat this vicious foe. Designed for kids ages 6 and up, Avengers Vision allows players to immerse themselves in the Avengers world with the help of some special virtual reality goggles. Included in the box is a pair of goggles, a blaster, and four Avengers cards. What’s not included are batteries, so make sure you have six AAA on hand to get started.
Syncing the blaster to the goggles is quick and painless, unlike Ultron’s inevitable demise. To start, kids simply press the trigger once to activate an LED light on the blaster. Then, they select a difficulty level by pressing one of three buttons on the side of the goggles. There are easy, medium, and difficult modes available, making this virtual-reality game suitable for kids at each end of the age spectrum. I played on easy mode the first time around, and was more than capable of firing an accurate shot before the the image of Ultron disappeared and relocated. The hardest mode was way more fun, as it often displayed both friend and foe on the lens at the same time, forcing me to think on my feet and make a quick decision. Next, while wearing the goggles, kids can point the blaster forward and fire a shot, which will signal the start of a 90-second round in which images of either Iron Man or Ultron will appear on the goggle lens.
From here, kids can venture through the house as they aim their blaster and eliminate the enemy. They can take cover behind kitchen counter tops, tuck and roll over the hallway carpet, and use couch pillows as shields to bring the game to life. Each successful shot that strikes Ultron lands the player one point, while any shot that mistakenly hits Iron Man will result in a loss of one point. The score is tallied and kept on an LCD display on the back of the blaster.
The Avengers cards act as an added perk to the game. Kids can have a family member or friend place the cards in various locations around the house. Then, over the course of their 90-second round, players can attempt to collect the cards while they shoot the enemy. It’s a simple addition that can easily make the game more complex.
Fotorama sets kids sights towards superhero stardom with this virtual reality game, and it’s certainly good fun. Offering both solo and team play, kids will have a blast (pun intended) fighting alongside Marvel’s greatest.
