What happens when you mix a roller coaster ride with an animated film? You get Birdy King Land.
Created by a team of developers and animators at Backlight Studio, it’s jam-packed with charm, detail and life that makes for a wonderfully fun few minutes of virtual reality. When Birdy King Land is first loaded you’ll find yourself floating above a 2D illustration of an island far out to sea. After using the head-tracking feature of the Oculus Rift to focus your gaze on the island you’ll find yourself following the two protagonists of the game along a 2D train track, before the screen fades to black and you’ll find yourself sitting in the sidecar of a moped in full 3D.
This is where the game really comes to life, because seconds after you’ve settled in an animated character comes running out of a burger shop. He’s clearly excited by his purchase, and just as he’s about the take a bite a small bird snaps it from his fingers and makes off down the road. From here the game turns into a fast-paced roller coaster, with you being a passenger with no control over the outcome. There’s some genuinely brilliant moments during the chase, including a close call with a steam train, near misses with other cars, a clear homage to The Pillars of Kings from Lord of the Rings, and a fun section that sees your sidecar become separated from the moped within a gold-capped temple.
Graphically Birdy King Land is a wonderful looking game. Texture work and modelling is strong, with a distinct look that would happily suit a big-budget animated film. Similarly, the animation is fantastic, with expressive faces, great timing and plenty of attention to detail that bring the characters to life. You might only be spending a few minutes with these guys but by the end of the experience they feel like familiar friends. If we have any issues with the game it’s the abrupt changes in speed during the ride, such as when the moped lands on solid ground after a jump, or when it takes a sharp turn. There’s a jerkiness that doesn’t feel natural, and it can break the immersiveness. Some minor tweaks to the timing and motion of the moped would really improve the experience.
As for the Oculus Rift implementation, it’s really impressive. The game offers options for running in direct or extended modes, changing the graphics quality and switching between monitors, and we encountered no issues while experimenting with settings. It runs buttery smooth, has a nice sense of scale and uses both head and positional-tracking to ensure you feel planted in the ride.
If you’re looking for a new vr experience during this quiet period at the beginning of 2015, then Birdy King Land is a fun, albeit short game that’s definitely worth checking out. It’s full of charm and wit, and makes for a great first-time demo for those new to the Oculus Rift. You can grab it by visiting the URL below.