Google’s New Web Game Uses Your Smartphone As Controller

Like most people, I get really, ridiculously excited every time Google does something new with HTML5. Games, interactive music videos, webcam integration… Google clearly knows how to wield the awesome power of the internet.

Now, in their new HTML5-assisted project, Super Sync Sport, Google’s done something that I’ve been unknowingly anticipating since smartphones became a thing: it’s turned your mobile phone into a controller.

Here’s how it works:

Simultaneously using your computer’s Chrome browser and your phone’s, head to Super Sync Sports. It will ask you to verify codes between your computer and phone (no fancy Bluetooth connections here, Captain), pick an avatar, and then you’re off. If you want to race against other people, there’s an option for that–just make sure everybody uses the same authentication code. I’d argue that playing with friends is really the beauty of this Chrome Experiment, much like the absurdly competitive carnival water-gun racing game.

Then, you choose between three difference races: running, cycling, and swimming. You use different swipe-motions on your touchscreen phone (in cycling, for instance, you have to rapidly draw circles with two fingers). It probably looks pretty silly to people who have no idea what you’re doing (I made the excellent mistake of playing Super Sync Sports in a coffee shop) but my biggest concern was that I would literally burn traction paths into my phone, which would probably explode in protest at the end of the game. 

It’s not a perfect model, of course. The controls are still pretty clunky, and unless you’re very adept in using a very specific area on your screen, you’re probably going to have a few laughable input errors during your game. 

Google plans to release more details about the project in the upcoming week, so pay attention to the Developer Google+ page if you’re interested in the mechanics of the game.