Winner

borabora studios, a Cologne and Barcelona-based creative technology studio, has revealed Island Hoppers, the first dynamic game created for the LED floor at BMW Park in Munich, Germany.

The indoor sports and event arena features the world’s first permanent installation of the ASB GlassFloor.

Island Hoppers is a high-energy digital game that offers action-packed fun for players and an engaging show for audiences.

Combining sports tech, interactive entertainment, and immersive fan engagement, the game demonstrates how LED sports floors can transform live events.

Fast-paced floating fun

In an Island Hoppers race, two teams of two players must collaborate, communicate, and move quickly to reach a treasure island in the middle of the interactive LED floor.

Each player starts on a virtual sand patch at the corner of the playing field, with the deep ocean and two floating tiles in front of them. By working together, players must identify which tile appears in both of their sets.

If they select the correct tile, two new ones will appear. If they choose incorrectly, the tile breaks beneath them, and they return to the beginning.

As the game progresses, it becomes harder to spot the visual differences between the tiles. For example, in later levels, these subtle changes include details such as a turtle shell pattern or the number of planks on a raft. This requires teams to hone their observation and communication skills.

A randomised tile-generation system produces an endless number of combinations. Every match is unique and offers a thrilling, replayable experience for both players and audiences.

Unity-powered gameplay with UWB tracking

Developed using Unity, Island Hoppers leverages the powerful game engine to provide an immersive, physics-driven experience on the ASB GlassFloor.

Its key features include:

• Interactive action tiles. With real-time visual effects, including waves, vortices, and animated sharks, for tactile, reactive gameplay.
• Physics-based gameplay mechanics. Each hop, fall, and splash reacts to true-to-life motion, elevating immersion and engagement.
• Player tracking. The integration of KINEXON’s UWB (Ultra-Wideband) tracking system enables precise, real-time player positioning, which is crucial for syncing gameplay with the interactive LED floor.
• Procedural puzzle generation. No two games are ever the same, ensuring that the experience remains fresh and unpredictable.
• Real-time water simulation. Dynamic floating physics mimics realistic ocean behaviour.

Last year, borabora studios shared details of its project in collaboration with AVI-SPL to design and develop the complete digital, visual and audio experience for The Lost World Aquarium at Atlantis - The Palm Hotel in Dubai.

This new attraction immerses audiences in a mysterious aquatic world that combines stunning visuals and interactive storytelling with real scientific marine life and data.