Simon, the classic memory-based toy from your childhood that tasks you with following color patterns, is getting a very modern update.
Parent company Hasbro is introducing its latest version of the game this week, called Simon Air. The reboot incorporates touch-free technology to keep players pushing through levels and testing memory skills. Instead of hitting the colors in a sequence, Simon Air requires you to hover over the flashing lights.
The Simon Air has a new stand-up ring design, too. Red, green and yellow sensors are positioned on the top, right and left sides, while the blue sensor sits on bottom of the inside of the device. While the new design brings in a fun new layer to the experience, the downside is its limited portability. It'll be difficult to set the game up in the car; it pretty much requires a stable surface to play.
Simon Air plays like previous iterations: You start at an easy level where colors light up one at a time and then you mimic the pattern by hovering over the colors in the right order. As you pass levels, the pattern strings get longer and more difficult.
This isn't the first time Simon has gotten a high-tech redesign. In 2014, Simon Swipe welcomed a touchscreen component to the game, as well as a few other games beyond single color selection.
Similarly, Simon Air comes with three game modes: classic, where the colors light up one-by-one with no fancy moves; solo, which includes new moves (swoops, crossovers and multi-color selection); and two-player, where two people can sit across from each other and work together to make it through levels. Don’t try to play two-player mode by yourself unless you have four arms or extremely dextrous legs.
The new game is expected to come out this fall for ages 8 and up and will cost $19.99.