Inspiration
Spirit Riders was inspired by Pokémon-style creature collection games. We designed an accessible experience with tap-to-move controls and an automatic camera system that follows the player, eliminating the complexity of traditional navigation and making the game ideal for mobile devices.
What it does
Players explore enchanted landscapes collecting treasures. Each spirit animal has unique dialogue and specific item requirements. Once their trust is earned, players mount their companion and travel along scenic paths with dynamic music, while hearing other riders pass by with immersive 3D spatial audio.
How we built it
We used NoesisGUI to create elegant XAML-based interfaces, enabling fluid inventory and bestiary panels. Unity served as a helper tool for generating graphics and lighting—one of the world's strongest visual features. Blender was essential for creating and editing animations for all 12 animals, giving them personality and life.
Challenges we ran into
The beta state of the animation system in Horizon Worlds presented significant challenges.
Also while the inventory management system remains a work in progress, Spirit Riders showcases a fully realized experience featuring our signature animal collection and riding mechanics. We're proud of what we've built and confident it demonstrates both technical innovation and engaging gameplay within the Horizon Worlds platform.
What we learned
We learned deeply about client-server architecture management in Horizon Worlds. Understanding the synchronization between local and server logic, and knowing which processes should run on each side, was fundamental to our success.
What's next for Spirit Riders
We're excited to expand the number of animals and challenges! We plan to create more complex missions and quest systems that go beyond the current collection mechanics.
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