TITLE: RidePods: First iPhone Game Controlled Using AirPods
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AirPods Become Motion Controllers in Innovative Racing Game
Developer Ali Tanis has launched the first game for iPhones and iPads that transforms Apple’s AirPods into wearable motion controllers. RidePods – Race with Head features straightforward gameplay where players steer a motorcycle through high-speed traffic, but instead of screen swipes or phone tilts, you control the bike by moving your head from side to side while wearing AirPods.
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Technical Requirements and Development
The game exclusively works with Apple wireless headphones supporting Spatial Audio, including AirPods Pro, AirPods Max, and third/fourth generation AirPods. Spatial Audio utilizes the accelerometer and gyroscope in these models to track head movements and adjust audio positioning accordingly. Tanis announced the game’s release on Y Combinator, noting they reverse-engineered Spatial Audio functionality, though Apple does provide developers with headphone motion data access for features like fitness tracking in their apps.
Gameplay Experience and Performance
While RidePods isn’t the most polished iOS/iPadOS game available, it offers surprisingly nuanced controls. During testing with second-generation AirPods Pro and AirPods Max, head-steering felt more natural and responsive than anticipated. The motorcycle responds well to subtle movements, even when using just a single earbud. Our gaming analysis confirms the bike handles precisely with minimal head tilts.
Graphical issues occasionally appear, such as disappearing road textures, and the racing environment consists of a straight track without curves. The experience feels more like a technical demonstration than a fully developed game, but the core control mechanism shows significant promise.
Advanced Control Options
Players can disable Automatic Head or Ear Detection in AirPods settings to use headphones or a single earbud as a handheld controller, though this requires greater movement precision and increases difficulty. The app includes settings for controlling braking and acceleration through forward/backward head tilts, though these functions showed limited effect on actual speed during testing.
Additional features include switching between first-person and third-person perspectives of the riderless motorcycle, plus a recording function that captures both gameplay and selfie video in a single clip for score sharing.
Future Potential
RidePods – Race with Head demonstrates the viability of headphone motion controls for mobile gaming. While not a game most players will revisit frequently, the hands-free control scheme opens possibilities for future applications. The concept could revolutionize casual gaming experiences, potentially enabling completely hands-free versions of classic games using nothing but subtle head gestures.
The game is completely free and available through the App Store, offering an intriguing glimpse into the future of wearable-controlled gaming experiences.
