Knockout League (Quest)
Available on Oculus Quest for the first time, Knockout League is a VR boxing game for arcade fans. It ditches the realism for a goofy single-player experience, but that doesn’t mean you can be sloppy. Punching and careful dodges are still crucial to success, and you’ll face fights of varying styles. You’ll need to master your boxing skills in order to win.
Fitness Potential
Like any VR boxing game worth its salt, Knockout League makes use of 1:1 punch tracking on Quest. If you can physically throw a punch, you can do so in the game. This means that you can tire yourself out quickly if you don’t pace yourself. There are also training modes where you can build up your skills in various boxing categories.
Developer/Publisher: Grab Games
Release Date: October 17, 2019
Compatible With: Oculus Quest
Price: $19.99
Link: Knockout League (Quest)
Dwarven Defender
It actually released very late last week, but Dwarven Defender was too perfect a choice to pass up. The game is a twist on tower defense where you must go directly into groups of enemies to give them a pounding. You must defend spires against enemies in classic wave-based horde fashion, and you can enhance your abilities with magic. It’s the perfect choice for blowing off some steam.
Fitness Potential
Dwarven Defenders is all about using the tracked motion controllers to defeat enemies. You can swing your weapons to hit them directly, or even hurl them from a distance. Doing this, we just hope you don’t actually let your controllers fly. You can even dual-wield hammers to take out several enemies at the same time, so both arms can get a workout. The variety of dark and light environments should also keep things fresh as you break a sweat.
Developer/Publisher: MC Games Studio
Release Date: October 11, 2019
Compatible With: HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, Valve Index
Price: $7.99
Link: Dwarven Defender
Spectro
Who needs a mediocre remastered Ghostbusters game when you can battle the creepy ghouls in VR? Spectro is a ghost-hunting game built from the ground up for virtual reality. It contains rogue-like elements, including randomly generated levels. This means you will always get a different experience, including new challenges to complete.
Fitness Potential
The action in Spector is fast-paced, with you using a device to suck up the ghosts via tracked motion controllers. Depending on the situation, you could find yourself dealing with several of them. Projectiles can fly at you, as well, and you can swing your arms to knock them back at enemies. For those with motion sickness issues, you can still enjoy it via teleportation-based movement.
Developer/Publisher: Borrowed Light Studios
Release Date: October 15, 2019
Compatible With: HTC Vive, Oculus Rift
Price: $19.99
Link: Spectro
Wands (PlayStation VR)
Want to conjure magical spells but don’t have real wizarding abilities? In Wands on PlayStation VR, you don’t need them! The game pits you against other players in magical duels, complete with more than two dozen spells to use. You can also play against AI enemies in order to improve, and there are even “wand loadouts” for the most dedicated players.
Fitness Potential
Wands requires you to routinely shift your aim using PlayStation Move controllers in order to hit your targets. They will move quickly, as well, so good reflexes and fast aiming ability will be tested. In survival mode, you’ll have your endurance put to the test, but other players’ own abilities will be the key challenge in Wands.
Developer/Publisher: Cortopia
Release Date: October 15, 2019
Compatible With: PlayStation VR
Price: $19.99
Link: Wands (PlayStation VR)
Snowman
Don’t worry: Snowman on Oculus Rift isn’t based on that terrible Michael Fassbender movie. In this action game, you defend yourself against waves of snowy ice creatures with firearms. You have several different powerful weapons to choose from, and the enemy charge at you like in classic arcade shooters. They can come from all directions, so you’ll have to be on your toes.
Fitness Potential
Like in most VR shooters, you’ll make use of the tracked motion controllers for aiming. Enemies rush at you so you will need to be quick on the draw. You can also dual-wield weapons to hit two enemies at the same time, which will test your hand-eye coordination. After a few minutes, you’ll start to feel the burn.
Developer/Publisher: XOCUS
Release Date: October 17, 2019
Compatible With: Oculus Rift
Price: $9.99
Link: Snowman
