Japan the goal for augmented-reality game winners

New Zealand’s first Hado tournament was hosted at Takapuna youth hub Shore Junction last weekend, with locals taking the top prize.

Hado is an augmented-reality game similar to dodgeball. Teams of up to three players attempt to eliminate opposition players by shooting “energy balls” at them, blocking opposition efforts using virtual shields.

Eight teams battled it out at the Northcote Rd venue, with a chance to be considered for the Hado World Cup squad travelling to Japan in October.

Team “Updog”, made up of Sunnynook residents Jakob de Guzman and Richard Peng, and Lavay Arora from East Coast

Bays, won the event.

Alongside the members of second-placed “Pulpy Orange” (an all-female team), and “Peter” in third, they have earned a chance to make the team for the Hado World Cup in Japan.

The teams will form a development squad to train with Shore Junction Creative Technologist Connor Green, with one team and a reserve from another being taken to Japan.

Updog were practising “as much as we could” to prepare for the tournament, often spending whole days at Shore Junction. De Guzman said they’d continue to do so to get to the world cup.

All Updog’s members believe they have a good chance of being selected for the Japan squad, though Peng said they’re “going to continue to work hard” to get there.

“There’s still a long way to go until then.”

Green, who organised the tournament, said he was impressed at the amount of interest considering not so long ago no one knew what Hado was.

“In six months of having the equipment, having eight teams playing in a tournament of this level, it’s incredible.”

Green said he was happy with the engagement and sportsman-like activity throughout a day that ran smoothly.

The tournament was live-streamed on Youtube, attracting 196 viewers.