Home Gaming What is this? A game for ants?

What is this? A game for ants?

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A CENTER FOR ANTS

I’ve waited my whole life to write a headline like that, just so you know. Yes, this is a game for ants, as in, you play an ant! Maybe you’ve played Goat Simulator, rock simulator, and even Shower with your Dad Simulator too. Are you ready to now try Ant Simulator? I’m not even kidding – it’s an actual thing!

The title was brought to life in less than 48 hours for a game jam – put together by a single person. It garnered so much attention that it is now being developed into a fully fledged product.

Interested to see more? Good! Here’s what Ant Simulator is all about, and what it looks like in its current state (via PC Gamer):

Ant Simulator is a game design to let players experience life as an ant in a fun realistic environment. See how different the world looks from the eyes of an ant! Not only do you play as an individual ant, but you will command a colony from small beginnings and grow into an ant empire!

That looks surprisingly interesting, though the field of view may make certain people feel nauseous. Sorry Zoe, no game for ants for you!

Here’s what features Ant Simulator has at the moment, and what the development studio, ETeeksi, are looking to add in future:

Features

  • Highly detailed and realistic environment
  • Choose among multiple ant species to play as
  • Colony management system
  • Attack and defend against other insects and ant colonies
  • Digging and building
  • Harvesting and resource gathering

Planned Features

  • Procedural level generation
  • Campaign
  • Oculus Rift, ANTVR, other VR headset support

Virtual reality support? Hell no… that will make everybody nauseous!

ANTS

I do genuinely think Ant Simulator will be received well by many if it turns out to be a well polished product. It reminds me very much of Minecraft, and even the more recent ARK: Survival Evolved.

The twist here is that everything is from a perspective of an Ant, though there still seems to be a ton to do beyond exploring. Personally, I would love to defend my ant colony from attackers… it sounds amazing!

What do you think? Is this going to be an interesting title (one you would gladly play), or have you forgotten about it already?

Of course, some of you older gamers might recall another game that simulated the life of ants…

Last Updated: September 7, 2015

26 Comments

  1. Soooo… you start with a small colony and then GROW YOUR EVIL ANT DYNASTY INTO THE GREATEST MILITARY FORCE ON EARTH!?!?!

    I’m not even kidding. I want this. Right now. This may be the ONLY simulator game I’ve ever been remotely interested in.

    Reply

    • Admiral Chief Returns

      September 7, 2015 at 14:52

      Same here dude, FOR THE QUEEN!

      Reply

      • Alien Emperor Trevor

        September 7, 2015 at 14:58

        Heretic.

        Reply

      • Pariah

        September 7, 2015 at 15:19

        Is the Queen a Tag Heuer?

        Reply

      • SargonTheBatpandaOfAkkad

        September 7, 2015 at 15:39

        It wouldn’t be the first time I sallied forth my Horde of brainless minions forth to conquer my enemies for the Queen!

        Reply

    • Kensei Seraph - Terran Ghost

      September 7, 2015 at 14:59

      So that’s what caused the nuclear apocalypse in Fallout.

      Reply

  2. Alien Emperor Trevor

    September 7, 2015 at 14:45

    Of course, some of you older gamers might recall another game that simulated the life of ants…

    [archiveorg msdos_SimAnt_-_The_Electronic_Ant_Colony_1991 width=560 height=384 frameborder=0 webkitallowfullscreen=true mozallowfullscreen=true]

    Oh yes, I remember that – it was a text-based adventure 😛

    Reply

    • RinceThis

      September 7, 2015 at 15:03

      Corner, NOW!

      Reply

      • Alien Emperor Trevor

        September 7, 2015 at 15:06

        Reply

    • Dutch Matrix

      September 7, 2015 at 15:07

      I remember when text based adventures were referred to as books…

      Reply

      • SargonTheBatpandaOfAkkad

        September 7, 2015 at 15:41

        A book could never be described as an adventure. You’re a silent spectator. There is no stimulus for you to engage with. It’s why you read novels about adventure, rather than novels that are the adventure. 😛

        Reply

        • Alien Emperor Trevor

          September 7, 2015 at 15:42

          What about choose-your-own-adventure books? 😉

          Reply

          • SargonTheBatpandaOfAkkad

            September 7, 2015 at 15:48

            I suppose it’s about as much of an adventure as Mass Effect 3. With all your desires, choices, and anticipation boiling down to three equally disappointing endings (perhaps four in the yet to be released Editors Edition).

            But in all seriousness. I see your point. But in reality all you’re doing in those interactive books is reading the same script with slightly different variations in the same places. While this is certainly true for most games, the act of playing is still what I think separates the two. And you would need thousands upon thousands of pages to recreate the diversity of choice in something like the Witcher 3 if you wanted to make that available in interactive book form. 😛

          • Alien Emperor Trevor

            September 7, 2015 at 16:05

            I made a point? Then my silly joke FAILED! O_o

          • SargonTheBatpandaOfAkkad

            September 7, 2015 at 16:09

            Lol as soon as I read it I did think that it was a really good point. 😀

        • Dutch Matrix

          September 7, 2015 at 16:27

          Oh but to one with an imagination, every book is an adventure.

          Reply

    • hairyknees

      September 7, 2015 at 16:07

      LOL

      Reply

  3. HvR

    September 7, 2015 at 14:45

    1991 called, it wants it game back

    Reply

  4. VampyreSquirrel

    September 7, 2015 at 14:46

    Matt… don’t call me old damnit!

    I hope it’s better than SimAnt though… no matter how good it was, it hasn’t aged well 😛

    Reply

    • HvR

      September 7, 2015 at 14:49

      SimAnt was awesome, it was Civilization for Ants.

      WMD lawnmowers, Communist red ants that needed to die, monster spiders, long range colonizing ants with wings …..

      Reply

  5. Dutch Matrix

    September 7, 2015 at 14:53

    Ant Simulator: Brought to you by Pest Control Specialists.

    Reply

  6. Kensei Seraph - Terran Ghost

    September 7, 2015 at 14:53

    If I get to play as a spider and hunt and kill ants only to have a war party of ants come to hunt me down ending in a battle worthy of the true Godzilla then I am definitely interested.

    Reply

  7. DragonSpirit009

    September 7, 2015 at 15:06

    This really looks kinda cool! I’m hoping big things for this game!!

    Reply

  8. Kromas untamed

    September 7, 2015 at 15:30

    Reading this thinking yay a new sim ant!

    Why did I get excited for an updated to a crappy game from 30odd years ago?

    Reply

    • SargonTheBatpandaOfAkkad

      September 7, 2015 at 15:41

      Games has aged well. Those graphics are pretty legit for a title that’s 30 years old! If only Mario had ageds as well as this! Daaaaamn.

      Reply

  9. Ragnar The Vengeful

    September 8, 2015 at 08:47

    Antman mod!!!! This is gonna be AWESOME!!!!!

    Reply

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