“Don’t pay any attention to them. They’re gonna eat our dust.”
Studio Trigger’s beautifully animated and at times surprisingly dark manga-turned-anime Little Witch Academia is receiving its own VR spin-off entitled Little Witch Academia VR: Broom Racing, a magical VR racing experience that allows players to go head-to-head against friends and strangers across a variety of whimsical locations scattered throughout the grounds of the Luna Nova Magical Academy.
“Become part of an all new story told across more than 10 tracks spread throughout familiar areas around Luna Nova,” states developer UNIVRS in an official release. “Pair up with fellow students to be the first to cross the finish line or purify ghosts in single player mode, then join real-world friends via online multiplayer to explore the rich environments of Little Witch Academia in immersive VR.”
Originally scheduled for release this June, UNIVRS now states that the title has been delayed and will instead launch later this year on Oculus Quest followed by PC VR and PlayStation VR in early 2021. Directed by Junichi Yamamoto, director of the beginning and ending cinematics for The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening, LWAVRBR will feature a single-player mode and online multiplayer, as well voice acting form the original Japanese cast.
According to the official release, LWAVRBR will also make heavy use of UNIVRS’ proprietary anti-motion sickness sickness technology to provide the most comfortable flying experience possible.
“UNIVRS’s new technology aims to close that gap by using sensor readings from the VRHMD and controllers,” states the company on its Kickstarter page. “First, they detect your body movement through a system that recognizes when and how you’re moving through your physical space, and then they send that data into the game itself! The software is also designed to learn how you move, so it can adapt to you and allow you to move freely just after a few tries.”
Little Witch Academia’s animated run consists of a 25-episode TV series (available now on Netflix) as well as two additional animated films. The franchise has managed to garner an impressive fan-base and mainstream attention thanks to its unique blend of cute visuals and surprisingly mature themes.
With the addition of LWAVRBR, the Oculus Quest further expands its lineup of anime and manga-inspired titles; others include Spice and Wolf VR, Last Labyrinth, and Tokyo Chronos.
Little Witch Academia VR: Broom Racing arrives on Oculus Quest headsets later this year followed by PC VR and PlayStation VR early 2021. No word yet on an official price.
Image Credit: UNIVRS, Studio Trigger
