Robots VS. Aliens

Inspiration

This game was born from a collision of two massive goals: we wanted to resurrect the soul of the 80s arcade (with all its vibrant colors and addictive loops) while simultaneously bending the technology of Meta Horizon to our will. Refusing to settle for standard mobile controls, we poured everything into our "secret sauce": The Command Sphere. By ditching buttons and letting you interact directly with the ball - rotating it with your finger - we’ve created a tactile experience that feels responsive, intuitive, and satisfyingly physical.

What it does

The sky is falling, commander! A massive alien invasion has breached our atmosphere, and the only thing standing between humanity and total annihilation is you. But you won't be fighting with a standard controllers - you’ll be piloting a squad of elite Robot Warriors using our hyper-tactile Command Sphere.

Here’s the catch: the alien horde is constantly mutating. You’ll face waves of color-coded enemies, and your survival depends on your reflexes. Drag, spin, and rotate the control ball to instantly deploy the matching robot for the mission. Red aliens incoming? Spin to Red! It’s a fast-paced test of wits and fingers.

Saving the world is great, but proving you’re better than your friends is even better. We’ve built six distinct leaderboards into the game. Whether you’re chasing high scores, longest survival times, or perfect accuracy, you can track your stats, crush your rivals, and claim your throne as the top defender on the platform. Yes, this game is super social!

How we built it

The game was built using the Meta Horizon Desktop Editor, Blender, Adobe Substance Painter, Procreate, and 100% TypeScript code. We leaned heavily on the 'focused interaction' feature, as rotating the ball is the core mechanic that provides an intuitive input method and hours of entertainment. We also utilized Horizon Desktop Editor's GenAI tools to achieve a high-quality, cozy aesthetic: specifically mesh generation for 3D assets, texture generation for 2D assets, and SFX audio generation."

Our team consisted of: Metacrafters: Art, 3D modeling, texturing, game concept, concept for level design. voytek.lorenc: TypeScript, sound design, character rigging and animation, game concept, concept for level design. RandomGamesUniverse: Marketing, testing.

Challenges we ran into

Figuring out the draggable ball mechanics was a massive challenge, but the Focused Interaction API saved the day! It took some serious 'thumb gymnastics' and fine-tuning to perfect the balance between dragging and firing, but we think we nailed it. The final result feels responsive, intuitive, and totally satisfying.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We are proud of pushing the boundaries of what an interaction with a Meta Horizon game can look like. Initially, we were not sure if building an entire game around a drag-and-rotate mechanic would work. However, we are now confident that it can indeed be done.

What we learned

This project was a huge milestone for us! It was our first time building an arcade-style game built entirely around Focused Interaction and unique rotational physics. It was a fantastic learning experience that took the mystery out of these advanced features. We are now super confident with these tools and can’t wait to use them to unlock new possibilities in future games.

What's next for Robots Vs. Aliens

We’ve got a ton of new features on the way to ramp up the addiction factor! We are expanding the gameplay so you aren't just blasting aliens - you’ll be hunting for diamonds, too. You can spend your hard-earned loot on bigger weapons, defensive shields, and swanky cosmetics. Plus, keep an eye out for exclusive seasonal skins so you can save the world in style.