Lenovo’s Jedi Challenges AR game uses your Android phone as its brain

Train like a Jedi, with a little help from Augmented Reality.

Every Star Wars fan wants to participate in the universe somehow. Maybe you want a little BB-8 to follow you around everywhere, maybe you want to chill out in a slimy bar to play some Holochess, but most of you probably want to pick up a Lightsaber and show Kylo Ren who is in charge around here. While you can get your BB-8 on any time you like thanks to the folks at Sphero, those other two things weren’t possible until Lenovo introduced the Mirage AR headset.

Now, with the help of this headset and your phone, you can participate in the Star Wars universe with your own two hands.

Lenovo’s Mirage AR headset uses two fisheye cameras and your phone to provide an inside-out tracking experience where the Star Wars world is projected on the display in front of you. Instead of obscuring your vision, it uses a Tracking Beacon and a Lightsaber-shaped controller to put you in control of three different games. From Lenovo:

• Lightsaber Battles: With their very own lightsaber, fans can train against legendary
  dark side villains like Kylo Ren and Darth Vader.

• Strategic Combat: Players marshal the forces of the Republic, Rebel Alliance, and the
  Resistance against the might of the Separatists, Empire, and First Order in epic battles
  across their living room floors. Players can hone their skills in strategy and tactics as
  they engage in battles that involve X-wings, AT-ATs, battle droids, and even iconic
  heroes.

• Holochess: Perhaps one of the most iconic board games brought to film, Holochess first
  leapt into moviegoer hearts when it was first played on the Millennium Falcon in Star
  Wars: Episode IV – A New HopeTM. It has now been brought to life in Jedi Challenges.
  Fans can direct their holographic alien pieces across the board, wrestling for territory
  and control.

To make all of this work, you install the Jedi Challenges app from the Play Store and connect your phone into the headset with the included cable. You’ll see the lightsaber blade spring from the controller, and be able to interact with the augmented world around you.

Jedi Challenges is going to be available in Best Buy stores starting in November, but you can pre-order now directly from Lenovo. Are you adding this to your holiday shopping list, or is this something you’re getting for yourself as soon as it is available? Shout out in the comments!