If you found Flappy Bird to be difficult, here’s another game that will leave you slamming your head on your computer keyboard. This time, instead of having to navigate a clumsy bird through an extensive system of pipes, gamers must safely guide a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket to a lander on the ocean. Sounds easy enough, right?
BECOME A SPACEX FALCON 9 LANDER COMMANDER…WELL, SORT OF
The game, simply called SpaceX Falcon 9 Lander, gives us earth-bound folks an idea of what it may be like to steer and land a spacecraft – at least a very rough idea. SpaceX (Space Exploration Technologies Corporation), the American aerospace manufacturer and space transport services company, headed by CEO Elon Musk, has had some pretty lofty ambitions in the past. One such goal is to develop a reusable Falcon 9 rocket, which would significantly reduce the cost of launching rockets to space. This, however, hasn’t been the easiest task to complete, as Elon Musk can testify to. SpaceX, after all, has failed twice at the endeavor.
It’s easy to understand why too. SpaceX Falcon 9 Lander (the game, not the interstellar spacecraft) is, as Popular Mechanics puts it, “delightfully difficult.” Since its launch, the browser game, developed using software created by the MIT Media Lab, has already gained quite a following – mostly comprised of frustrated gamers (as evidenced by the mass of angry comments).
For those looking to try their luck, users simply need to use the arrow keys to trigger the thruster of the rocket and direct it towards the drone ship landing with a limited amount of fuel. It certainly sounds simple enough until you find out it’s nearly impossible. No really, here’s a slew of user comments as proof:
THE FOUR STAGES OF BEING A GAMER/SPACEX FALCON 9 LANDER
1. FIRST, YOU’LL EXPERIENCE OF BIT OF DENIAL AND A WHOLE LOT OF SELF-DOUBT. IT’S NATURAL:
2. OKAY, OKAY…SO YOUR TECHNIQUE ISN’T WORKING. AFTER SEVERAL FAILED ATTEMPTS, YOU MIGHT GET A LITTLE BIT DARING, CRAFTY EVEN:
3. DON’T GIVE UP BECAUSE IF YOU DO MANAGE TO SUCCEED, YOU’LL BE MET WITH A LOT OF WELL-EARNED STREET-CRED. I MEAN, YOU’RE BASICALLY A ROCKET PILOT:
4. BUT MAYBE YOU REALLY DON’T HAVE WHAT IT TAKES. MAYBE IT’S JUST NOT MEANT TO BE. IF THAT’S THE CASE, THEN YOU GOT TO JUST FACE THE FACTS AND:
