Side-Kick Games unveils title for Samsung's Gear VR goggles

Israel’s Side-Kick Games has unveiled Romans 360, a virtual reality game targeted at Samsung’s Gear VR device.

Samsung announced the virtual-reality goggles product, which combines Oculus Rift technology with Samsung’s own Gear VR technology. The device works by putting a Samsung smartphone into the goggle slots of the Oculus VR headset. The viewer looks directly at the lens that covers the smartphone screen to get a full virtual-reality effect, giving the sensation of walking around inside a 3D-animated world.

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Tel Aviv-based Side-Kick Games has been working with the tech for a while, and it is revealing its first game today. Romans 360 is adapted from the popular Romans From Mars, where you fire arrows at invading soldiers using a ballista projectile weapon.

Samsung showcased the Gear VR at the IFA tradeshow in Berlin. Side-Kick prides itself on being a tech-oriented game company with a penchant for developing titles for new platforms. It was one of the first companies to create motion games for technologies created by PrimeSense, Intel, and Leap Motion.

“Romans From Mars, our flagship game, is expanding beyond the initial smartphone and tablet versions,” said Guy Bendov, Side-Kick CEO, in a statement. “Romans 360 is a testament to Side-Kick’s commitment to producing games which are both ground-breaking technology-wise, and focused on emerging markets. Samsung Gear VR represents the future of mobile immersive gaming experiences.”

Bendov said he is such a fan of the VR tech that he has relocated to Irvine, Calif., near the headquarters of virtual-reality pioneer Oculus VR, which Facebook acquired this year for $2 billion.

Veteran gaming-industry entrepreneurs in Israel started Side-Kick in 2010. The company’s titles have been published by DeNA, Square Enix, Majesco, Funtomic, and others. Side-Kick’s games include DeNA’s Champion Charge, Funtomic’s Kizi Go!, Majesco’s Romans From Mars, and Intel Candies for the Intel Ultrabook.

“I’m extremely excited about the emergence of the new and accessible ‘mobile VR’ platform,” Bendov said. “It brings VR to the masses. It is our commitment to be a leading game publisher on mobile VR platforms.”