These Electronic Lightsaber Toys Keep Track of Your Epic Battles
A new project on the crowdfunding site Kickstarter could let you fulfill your deepest lightsaber fantasies.
The gaming startup LevelUp has introduced the Sabertron, a computerized, multiplayer light-up foam sword that keeps the score of your sword fight as you duel.
We’ll see how long LevelUp actually gets away with referring to the Sabertron as a “lightsaber” before the Imperial army comes a-knocking, but you’d be hard-pressed to come up with a more appropriate description for its light-up, interactive swords. If you’ve been looking to start your own Jedi academy since the late ’70s, then the crowdfunding project has plenty going for it: namely, some electronics that keep track of how those epic sword battles are going. There’s an accelerometer inside the sword that tracks movement and knows when the Sabertron hits something, while wireless communication between the two swords makes it clear that said thing is another sword and not your opponent.
There’s a small black-and-white display on the sword’s handle that lets you keep track of one of five game modes from “One Hit to Win It” to the never-ending eternal battle of “Hopeless.” Just above that is a red, yellow and green health meter letting you know precisely how well you’re doing.
Future accessories will incorporate meters into all sorts of different wearables, like shields, metal and armor. Future updates will also expand the current two-player mode into much larger battles, appropriate for all your LARPing (that’s “live action role play”) needs.
The swords come in two versions — the aforementioned lightsaber (or, you know, whatever name the company ultimately settles on) and a Medieval sword better suited for your “Game of Thrones” parties. A pledge of $125 or more will get you two swords of your choice when these things start shipping in September.
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