Gamergirl Jaci here, to inform you of something that I have been dying to blog about for a while. It is a bit of digital magic called ankiDRIVE. After watching 2013 Apple Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) Keynote, I knew I had to get this piece of new technology. Anki was released last fall and I actually decided to get it for an out of state friend last Christmas. Recently, I happened to swing by Best Buy and there it was, the one and only ankiDrive screaming my name. After impulsively buying this device I could not wait to get home to check it out.

What is ankiDrive? It’s simple, Artificial Intelligence and robotic cars. It’s a 3D video game in the real world. Remember those Hot Wheels cars you played when you were a kid and how cool they were. Anki is the all grown up version. The cars are a little bigger than a matchbox car and you control with your iOS device, an iPhone, iPod, iPad. Get this, the cars even have their own cool little names.

I purchased the ankiDRIVE starter kit. I also decided to purchase Katal, the blue car, who is now my favorite one to play as. The starter kit comes with 2 ankiDRIVE cars, the silver Boson and the yellow Kourai, charging cases and power cord, race track mat, and a tire cleaner. The box that anki came in makes for a good case to transport anki. There is a slot for the track map, and slots for cars to sit in while in their own little garage. There are also two reserved spots for additional cars if you choose to buy them.

To play anki you will need at least a 4 foot by 9 foot open space. Before you’re ready to race there is a bit of setting up to do. First lay out the race track mat on a smooth surface and charge your cars. The anki cars only take about 8 to 10 minutes to charge so you don’t have to wait an eternity to play this awesome game. Once charging is complete you are ready to choose your car and race!

Download the free ankiDRIVE app and follow the on screen instructions. Choose your sleek little race car, pick it up, put on it on the track, and after your opponent has done the same thing you’re good to go. Other games you have to sit there and micromanage before you get to play. With ankiDRIVE there is no micromanagement, the cars just sync and you are good to go.  In order to play anki, you are required to have an iPhone 4s or later, iPod touch (5th generation) or newer, iPad 3 or newer, or iPad mini or newer for each car you want to control.

AnkiDRIVE is fun for all ages. I raced against my mom and the AI for four races of 15 laps and I did not have to recharge the cars. That is easily 30 minutes of fast paced action without having to think about charging. If my mom likes ankiDRIVE I can assure that you will too. The AI is ruthless smart and cunning. The AI beats me most of the time on easy difficulty. You don’t just have to be fast but you have to out think your opponent as well.

All around, the gameplay is great. AnkiDRIVE is fun and simple with no micromanagement. Who doesn’t like fun and simple? As you are racing being able to hear the sound effects that this game provides makes anki so much more enjoyable. The sound effects really pull you into the game.

This spring Anki released 2 new tracks along with 2 new cars. The new race track maps are Crossroads and Bottleneck. Looking at the Crossroads track on the web i can see its bound to have some serious accidents. The Bottleneck track looks pretty interesting too, hopefully you can maneuver your car into tight spaces and your opponent can’t. There are also four other cars that you can purchase: Corax (black); Katal (blue); Hadion (orange); and Rho (red). That’s six different cars to choose from although ankiDRIVE only supports four different cars on the race track at a time.

Anki is not just a racing game, it is also a battle of the cars. Each car has their own weapons that differ from each of the other cars. As you play you can level up your cars and buy upgrades with the points that you earn. Upgrading is simple, easy, and quick with a touch of a button. This will help you move faster and have stronger weapons to annihilate your opponents.

Anki comes with a one year warranty and they stand behind their product. One of my friends’ cars stopped charging one day. He contacted customer support and they were very helpful. They promptly replaced the car at no cost and he also didn’t have to wait an eternity for the replacement. He had it within a few days.

AnkiDRIVE is amazing. I couldn’t be any happier with the product. Run out and get yourself an anki if your looking for a new gaming experience. I know I will be throwing some anki parties at my house and might post a youtube video for you to check out.

~Jaci