Wipeout in Cardboard 3d Glory

The classic Playstation game Wipeout is a white-knuckle experience; twisting through tracks at high speeds while racing against both the clock and a number of cunning rivals. Going well beyond the screen, German designer Malte Jehmlich has built a cardboard replica on which to race using camera equipped remote controlled cars.

The track is styled remarkably true to the original, with features in the works including speed boost and power-up zones thanks to an array of sensors connected via arduino boards. By using cardboard efficiently, Malte is able to easily reassemble and reconfigure the robust construction. 

Interestingly, the arcade controller and the track were originally in two different rooms, and people sometimes took a while to work out just what is happening. When the car crashes, someone by the track has to manually pick it up and put it back into play… but from the driver’s perspective the situation is very similar to the real game, when a crashed vehicle is reset in the middle of a race.

Be sure to click through for a video of the whole setup, including some very authentic 8-bit music and a look at the controller interface. The masking-tape high score table in one of the earlier shots is a nice touch!

Racer comes to us via Engadget.