I stopped at the Billabong headquarters in Irvine on Wednesday for the unveiling of a new arcade-style simulation game, a new app for iPhones and iPads to keep surfers stoked while on dry land.

The new Billabong Surf Trip game allows users to go to select surf spots around the world – everywhere from right here in Huntington Beach, to Teahupoo in Tahiti – to take on waves while trying to do tricks to earn points. At the Huntington spot, the break is described on an iPhone screen as having lefts and rights, and water that can be cold.

Several Billabong riders helped develop the game, including Andy Irons, Taj Burrow, Joel Parkinson and Tiago Pires.

Players can chose from 11 famous beaches around the world. Take on the big waves at Puerto Escondido, to the perfect waves at  Jeffreys Bay. Each spot simulates the same characteristics of that break in the game, and developers worked directly with surfers to try to figure out how to make it as realistic as possible.

There’s 18 tricks players can try to pull off, and players can chose to be male or female, wear a wetsuit or trunk it, or custom-make their characters. Surfers paddle out, duck dive, and spin around when they see a set coming in.
At the unveiling, Billabong team rider Maya Gabeira checked it out, screaming “I just got barreled!” after pulling off the move.

Game publisher Chillingo teamed up with Billabong to produce the game, and game developer Biodroid spent about a year creating the game, using mathematical equations to mimic waves and movements.

Even I was able to pull off a floater.  The app is definitely something I’ll be ordering, something to keep my mind on the surf when conditions are less than ideal.
Billabong Surf Trip is expected to hit the market at the end of the month, and the price is still to be determined.

“Combining the simulation-style game with an arcade feel is the ideal approach to introduce new folks to the sport as well as engage surfing fans, said Graham Stapelberg, Billabong USA vice president of marketing, in a press statement. “Our Billabong A-Team Surfers were delighted to contribute insight for the game development and were amazed at how closely the details of Billabong Surf Trip matched their experiences in the ocean.”

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