Challenge friends to real-life wizard duels with 'Maguss'

Harry Potter's brand of magic may not exist in the real world, but smartphone applications, electrical engineering and plastic wands sure do. Maguss uses all of these things, plus a badge that acts as a motion-sensing receiver, to bring wizard duels to the physical world. Maguss is on Kickstarter right now, seeking $66,191 to create and ship a kit allowing wannabe wizards to challenge friends to duels in-person and online. Players cast spells by waving the wand in specific motions -- in-person, the motion is picked up by the enemy's badge and smartphone app. Online, players conduct spells at their own badge and the motions are transferred to the rival wizard's app. In either scenario, whoever has the best wandwork wins.

Maguss starts with this simple premise, but the Kickstarter campaign features stretch goals offering a more robust game system. At $120,000, Maguss will add a "complex game mode" inspired by RPGs where players can uniquely level up, join factions, earn a spot on the ranking boards and embark on quests. At $180,000, the Maguss team promises to add GPS tracking and an interactive map to the game, meaning players would be able to find and challenge nearby people to duels. But, for now, the team needs $66,000 to make the standard Maguss magic happen.

Say it with us, Muggles: Accio Maguss!