Kavinsky (iOS)

Kavinsky is an iOS game from the French electronic house musician, Vincent Belorgey. You'd probably recognize his track "Nightcall" - it was used in the film Drive. His album "OutRun" (named after the Sega arcade game from the 80's which I think there was a copy of that at the local swimming pool, when I was growing up) is an awesome 80's- beat driven 45min that is reminiscent of movie (and video game) soundtracks. I think it sounds a lot like Power Glove and I don't think he'd mind me saying so.

As with the Sega game, this iOS game features the iconic Ferrari Testarossa (which according to Kavinsky's Wikipedia page, he drives in real life). There are levels that you drive in, beat-em up levels, levels where you beat people up to protect your Ferrari and there's a way to pop the graphics back in time for a retro feel.

Also according to the Wikipedia page, Kavinsky "always wears the same pair of sunglasses for live shows" and I am assuming those are the ones that the character in the video game wears, his T-1000 red eyes glaring though.

Apparently the Kavinsky is a character that  Vincent Belorgey thought up, of a guy who crashed his Testarossa in 1986, who then reappears as a zombie in 2006 to make electronic music. And none of that really comes out in the game, it could have really used an in-game comic or something - that would have made it really cool.

You can definitely see (or hear) his love for the 80's video games, movies and pop-culture in everything he does.

Strangest part of this game is the use of the camera, you take a picture of a magazine or CD or DVD case (I appropriately used my DRIVE Blu-ray) and then you see the characters and the car appear virtually on the surface and you play with the camera open the whole time. I've heard of similar technology being used to preview products at home - ie. furniture: you print off a QR-code hang it on the wall where your sofa should go then look through your iPad camera and see a virtual mock-up of the sofa in your living-room. Pretty cool! Never thought that it would be in a game though.

I got a little kick out of playing it, and I will put it on my watchlist to see if there is any content coming soon (as was advertised in the app) - but until then there is no real reason to play it again. I am still not sure if it's a real game, a thinly disguised commercial, or a tie-in product that fits well with the album. hmmm....

Oh and it sounds like his music is going to be on GTA V as well. Fitting. I think his music should also be in the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie.