Kickstarter gets those passion projects jumpstarted with the help of its dedicated community. We’ve rounded up cool Kickstarter projects, like a multipurpose gaming controller, a couple of indie games, and a jet engine (yes a jet engine) that are nearing their deadlines. If one happens to pique your interest, get in on the early action now before it’s too late.
iMpulse
There are a few reasons to pledge for the iMpulse gaming controller. Since gaming on your tablet or mobile phone was a thing, gaming controllers have flooded the market with accessories. Some controllers have excited gamers, but the iMpulse jumps out among the rest. The design takes a utilitarian approach as a controller that would fit not only in your pocket, but also on a set of keys. It’s small enough to hide away, but wide enough to fit your fingertips. The design of the iMpulse, down to the case serves multiple purposes. As we’ve mentioned already iMpulse can be used as a keychain and controller, but it’s also a remote camera trigger, for taking group photos from afar, a remote key finder, and a remote control to pause, play and skip through a video. Finally if your mobile device is used to kickback on classic video games, the controller supports most, if not all, emulators found on the Google Play and Apple App Store.
Then there’s the iMpulse’s case, which not only protects your portable gaming investment, but also can be used to prop up your mobile devices vertically or angled. The total package for the basic iMpulse controller costs $30, and runs up to $88 for a limited edition controller.
The controller works for iPhone/iPads, Android devices, and even PCs by connecting to these devices through Bluetooth.
The project has already exceeded its goal with over $126,000 pledged, and it ends this Sunday on November 4, 11:01AM PST / 2:01PM EST.
Dysis
Real-time strategy gamers and lovers of first person shooters should get a kick out of Dysis. It’s Minecraft-meets Starcraft-meets-Hawken-meets-Mech Warrior. Dysis has combined the best of all elements from each genre. Players are required to build structures in a Minecraft-like three dimensional environments and mine for resources, used toward building fighting robots. Where it gets interesting is when the player can jump out of the third-person view to the first-person perspective, enabling full control of the robot including the movement and guns.
The models and graphics is a bit rudimentary for our taste, but the gameplay has potential to be enjoyable. It’s only a mere $10 to become a BETA tester, which includes lifetime updates and the final product itself.
The project ends on November 4, at 5:56AM PST / 8:56AM EST.
Impulse
Coincidentally another Kickstarter project with the same name as the iMpulse controller made it into our roundup. It has to be noted that they’re unrelated projects, although they fall under the gaming category. Impulse uses beautiful graphics and gameplay is music-focused.
To play the game, you control an orb that emits a bright light, but this same light is what riles the monsters within. The objective is to shoot beams of light at these animated blocks, while trying to avoid contact. Each time your orb is hit, the dimmer and weaker the orb becomes. It’s an easy concept to understand, but where it really shines is the music that’s played during the fight, controlled entirely by the shots taken at the enemy. Music fans can even add their own collections into Impluse’s gameplay.
The game itself appears to be in its early stages, as the demo didn’t showcase enhancements like different weapons, or power-ups. And because Impulse, according to its creator James Hillary, was inspired by games like Geometry Wars and Rez, we’re hoping to see these extra features in the final game. But even still, for only $10 you might be getting a bang for your buck.
The game will be published on PC, Mac, Linux, and plans on launching to mobile devices, OYUA, and the Oculus Rift.
The project, as of writing, has less than half of the $30,000 goal pledged and ends on November 4, at 9:00PM PST / 12:00 AM EST.
Lingual
Getting a language’s vocabulary to stick to your brain can be exceedingly difficult. The creators of Lingual, a language app in development, will be made available on the Apple App Store as a free app. Lingual gamifies the process of learning the basics of a language using the flashcard methodology to help you memorize basic vocabularies in a language. It’s a fun way to learn a language and makes the process a lot less painful than sitting down with a textbook.
The app will be available in December, granted that it receives Apple’s approval although (we can’t see why it would be rejected), and will support English, Spanish, and Mandarin (Simplified Chinese).
The project ends on November 9, 12:48PM PST / 3:48PM EST.
ACQUATICO Online Ocean Exploration + Underwater ROV Robot
Eduardo Labarca, the creator of ACQUATICO, an underwater robot piloting program, makes a great point: With the advancement in robotics and capabilities of sending a remotely controlled robot to space, why shouldn’t someone be able to take control of an underwater robot remotely?
ACQUATICO gives anyone (for a limited time) the digital keys to a remotely controlled robot that can be used to access to a few of the world’s open waters simply by using your mobile device. And all of this, for Kickstarter backers, can be achieved from the comfort of their homes. For as little as $35 for one session or $99 for an unlimited session for six months, it’s the best bargain for becoming an immediate ocean explorer without the technical know-how and licenses. Places where you can dive remotely with your robot are Monterey Bay, Robinson Crusoe Island, or Aruba.
The project ends on November 7, 9:11PM PST / 12:11AM EST.
Plasma Jet Electric Thrusters
To top it off, there’s a campaign on Kickstarter to back the construction of a plasma jet electric thruster for spacecraft. With NASA on the fritz and private corporations and researchers taking it upon themselves to take over from where the organization has “left off,” HyperV Technologies Corp is developing what’s essentially a jet engine for space travel. Plasma thrusters are in existence and have been sent to space already, but the team of PhDs is confident that HyperV’s electric thrusters “will be better.” The company claims that the engine will be far cheaper to build than those that exist today, and will be able to use a variety of propellants like, “gases, inert plastics, and propellants derived from asteroids, Mars, the Moon,” while being electrically powered by solar panels.
If you’re a science buff and would love to support fellow scientists in their quest to privatize the space industry, this Kickstarter project might be up your alley.
The project ends on November 3, 9:34AM PST / 12:34PM EST.
