UPDATE 2.24.2012, 10:59 AM: Here’s some coverage from Yahoo! Finance, highlighting MushABelly! Click Here to read!
Gravity Jack continues to bring augmented reality to the masses. The company’s most recent partnership with Jay@Play Int’l will bring an interactive gaming component to the toy company’s MushABelly Collectible Plush.
The new MushABelly line of Collectibles featuring over 100 MushABelly Characters, now includes a free three-dimensional (3D) augmented reality game that children of all ages can play on iPhones and iPad 2 devices and coming soon to Android devices. The interactive game, backed by Gravity Jack augmented reality, allows players to launch 3D animated versions of the MushABelly Characters into various targets, to achieve a score, with amazing sounds and unique play patterns each time played. Kids can launch from 1-6 MushABellies at a time from launchers into different targets.
“We have been privileged to be a part of this amazing product launch. As the market for augmented reality grows, we firmly believe that youth will drive the adoption of this new technology. We are excited to be on the forefront of that development,” stated Justin Farris, Product Manager at Gravity Jack (http://www.gravityjack.com).
Gravity Jack’s augmented reality software will allow children to bring their MushABelly Characters to life in real time, play games with them, take screen shots and capture videos, and even post these online. MushABellies feature several interchangeable components, allowing for greater interaction and game challenge, as a child’s collection of MushABellies grows.
“With over 4.5 million original MushABellies sold worldwide we are excited to bring these new enhancements. It’s amazing to see this product come to life. It is truly a one of a kind application and showcases a technology and gaming concept that has never been seen before,” noted Farris.
Augmented reality, often known as AR, is the use of a device such as a smartphone to view a live scene while incorporating digital media content, video and 3D animations in real time. Until recently, augmented reality has only been readily available to custom software firms, able to create and program the technology themselves. The new MushABelly Collectibles will come with Toy Tube Tracker Cards for use with the augmented reality software, available for download on Apple’s App Store. Once MushABelly App is downloaded, children will activate their character, gaining full access to the complete 3D MushABelly gaming component, powered by Jay@Play’s ToyTube Network. Each toy will be available for registration on up to two different mobile devices.
Here’s awesome video coverage from The Morning Show! (Skip to 11 Minutes)