Digital Trends got a peek at NBA All-World ahead of its launch, and it looks like it could give Pokémon Go a run for its money.
Niantic launched NBA All-World, its basketball-themed, location-based mobile game, on iOS and Android today. Ahead of this release, Digital Trends attended a presentation to learn more about how the sports AR title works.
If you’ve played any of Niantic’s games before, many elements of NBA All-World will feel quite familiar. The mobile game tracks players’ location and encourages them to explore. While doing so, players will find Drop Zones that grant them new gear. Niantic says Drop Zones will often be placed near real-world counterparts, so players can find money near a bank or shoes near a shoe store.
There will also be Player Encounters, where they can face off against current NBA athletes. Niantic tells Digital Trends that classic athletes aren’t currently in the game, but feels that idea “is a good one.”
In Player Encounters, users face off against athletes in one of four minigames: 3-Point Shootout, Beat the Clock, Around the World, and First-to-Five.
