Mars Rover Race

INSPIRATION: We wondered: "What if real Mars weather affected racing gameplay?" NASA's InSight API provides live atmospheric data from Mars. We combined this with actual rover specs (Curiosity, Perseverance, Opportunity, Spirit) to create an authentic yet fun Mars racing experience that's both educational and competitive.

WHAT IT DOES: A 1-4 player split-screen racing game where you drive real NASA rovers across Mars terrain. Live NASA weather data creates dynamic challenges:

Temperature affects battery drain and speed

Wind creates lateral drift forces

Dust storms reduce visibility and control

Pressure modifies gravity feel

Features 6 Mars-based tracks (Olympus Mons, Jezero Crater, etc.), each rover with unique stats, checkpoints, powerups, and procedurally generated terrain with Mars gravity.

HOW WE BUILT IT: Built with Three.js for 3D rendering and Cannon.js for physics. Created smooth procedural terrain using Perlin noise with multi-pass smoothing. Integrated NASA InSight API to fetch real Mars weather and map it to gameplay effects. Implemented split-screen rendering, vehicle controls, checkpoint system, and collision detection. Added particle effects for dust, wind, and trails. Total build: ~24 hours.

NASA API USED: NASA InSight Mars Weather API

Endpoint: api.nasa.gov/insight_weather/

Fetches: Temperature, Wind Speed, Wind Direction, Pressure, Sol number

Real-time Mars atmospheric data controls environmental hazards

Free tier: 1,000 requests/hour

TECH STACK: Frontend: React.js, JavaScript ES6+ 3D Graphics: Three.js, WebGL Physics: Cannon.js Terrain: Perlin Noise (noise.js) + custom smoothing algorithms Animation: GSAP Styling: CSS3, Tailwind CSS Audio: Web Audio API Build: Vite, npm Deployment: Vercel/Netlify APIs: Fetch API, localStorage

CHALLENGES: Terrain was too jagged → Fixed with path carving and smoothing

Mars gravity felt floaty → Tuned physics parameters

Split-screen performance → Optimized with low-poly models

ACCOMPLISHMENTS: ✅ Real NASA Mars weather integrated into gameplay ✅ Smooth 4-player split-screen at 60 FPS ✅ Authentic rover specifications and terrain ✅ Educational + fun

Built With

• berry
• react