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One for 2000AD and Dan Dare fans: Let’s Go To Mars! Game Launched

By John Freeman on February 7, 2017

A graphic adventure game focusing on the exploration of Mars has been launched by the Institute of Astrophysics of Andalusia, which should appeal to fans of most SF comics or books – of all ages.

The app, Let’s Go To Mars has been designed for the European project UPWARDS, developed in collaboration with Wild Sphere and Laniakea Management & Communication, and co-funded by FECYT

In this scientific adventure and space exploration, the player will have the responsibility to build the first habit module for the imminent arrival of the first human colony to Mars. Through the exploration of different Martian areas after building a vehicle to move around the planet, the collection of minerals and pieces of previous missions, the player has to build the first human colony on the red planet – and face many dangers of a planet that is more active than most think.

The new application is an initiative of the UPWARDS (Understanding Planet Mars With Advanced Remote Sensing Datasets and Synergistic Studies) project. It has been coordinated by the Institute of Astrophysics of Andalusia (IAA-CSIC) and developed by its Area of Scientific Culture in collaboration with Wild Sphere and Laniakea Management & Communication, and has been funded by the Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology (FECYT) – Ministry for Economy and Competitiveness (MINECO).

The Marskipedia, an encyclopedia with data about Mars, will be built as the game progresses. The player can consult it to solve unknowns throughout the game and with which you can get food, water and oxygen to survive in the arid Martian scene.

“Let’s go to Mars gathers some of the still unresolved enigmas on Mars that we are researching right now in the UPWARDS project,” says Miguel Angel Lopez-Valverde, Coordinator of the UPWARDS project.

“We want to publicize our work on Mars to society and we believe that with this app we do it in a different and fun way, with some surprises and licenses, since we must not forget that it is a video game.”

Martian exploration seems to be on the minds of several game makers. Mars – Simulator RED PLANET, a totally separate project available on STEAM, takes you on a journey into the unknown and gives you the unique opportunity to solve the mystery of Mars. Experience a fully-detailed mission to Mars; land your rover on the red rocks of the fourth planet, collect rock samples and drill for more. Photograph the landscape and transmit the data back to Earth. Investigate mysterious artefacts and discover if water or even life is hidden on Mars. In short – experience the breath-taking natural panorama of this fascinating planet.

• Let’s go to Mars is available with free download for Android and IOS phones and tablets, and in its PC version. For more information and downloads: http://www.upwards-mars.eu/letsgomars

John Freeman

The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.

He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.