During last week’s VR Game Roundup, we saw several new shooters, a fresh spin on Pong, and Space Dance Harmony. This week lacks many big-name releases, but there is a surprising amount of intriguing titles coming out. This week’s most notable virtual reality releases include an adaptation of wheelchair basketball, a game where you make ramen for customers, and a new multiplayer shooter called Hyper Dash.
WCBVR
Kicking off this week’s VR Game Roundup is WCBVR, which is an accessible title centered around wheelchair basketball. The Early Access title is also free, so there are no barriers to checking it out. There are two different modes: Freeplay, which has you shooting baskets at your leisure, and then Timed, which has you racing against the clock to try to set a high score.
Fitness Potential
This is an awesome title that makes virtual reality basketball accessible to a larger audience as no movement is needed besides your arms. For its intended audience, it will deliver a healthy arm workout that is a lot of fun as they shoot hoops and move around the basketball court.
Developer and Publisher: The IMG Studio
Release Date: February 25, 2021
Compatible With: Oculus Rift
Price: Free
Link: Oculus Store
Naau: The Lost Eye
Perhaps the coolest looking title to release this week is Naau: The Lost Eye. This action-adventure title has some puzzle elements and takes advantage of physics-based gameplay. You’ll have quite a few combat abilities at your disposal including using a boomerang, a crossbow, and melee combat to fend off enemies. This looks quite polished despite entering Early Access, and the game will continue to get more polish over the next four months until it fully releases.
Fitness Potential
It’s quite an interactive experience, so your arms will constantly be moving during the more active parts. However, there’s also plenty of exploration and puzzles to solve, so don’t expect the intensity you’d get from a fitness game. Focusing more on melee combat and more active weapons than just a crossbow will get you to burn more calories while playing, though.
Developer and Publisher: Studio Gamebit
Release Date: February 25, 2021
Compatible With: Valve Index, HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, and Windows Mixed Reality
Price: $22.49 (#24.99)
Link: Steam
Hyper Dash
Out on nearly all platforms is the multiplayer shooter Hyper Dash. This VR shooter is entirely team-based and features many different modes including payload, domination, control point, and deathmatch. Mobility is a huge factor as you can grind rails and dash around the levels to get an advantage on your foes. There are also offline modes and bot play if there aren’t many players online at the moment.
Fitness Potential
One of the biggest issues with VR multiplayer titles is if they have a vibrant community or not, and that always remains to be seen on a new release. So, the amount of replayability largely depends on that. As far as pure fitness goes, a lot of stuff like grinding is automated, so you’re mostly just turning around and using your arms to shoot your dual guns. It won’t be a heavy workout.
Developer and Publisher: Triangle Factory
Release Date: February 25, 2021
Compatible With: Valve Index, HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, Oculus Quest, and Windows Mixed Reality.
Price: $19.99
Link: Oculus Store (Quest), Oculus Store (Rift), Steam
Counter Fight ICHIRAN
Fitness Potential
You will be moving rapidly with both arms as you attempt to get meals ready. There’s no real leg movement here, but it could potentially build your core a bit as you are bending over and leaning towards different cooking utensils. However, this is a more casual title, so don’t expect to get a huge workout in.
Developer/Publisher: Tricol Co., Ltd.
Release Date: February 25, 2021
Compatible With: Valve Index, HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, Oculus Quest, and Windows Mixed Reality.
Price: $14.99
Link: Oculus Store, Steam
RevolVR 3
The third game in the RevolVR series looks to be the best one yet. These arcade shooters are predicated on being easy to pick up and play, plus they take full advantage of room-scale play. That means you’ll be able to dodge out of the way of gunfire and duck behind cover to gain an advantage. With single and multiplayer modes, there is plenty of variety here.
Fitness Potential
RevolVR 3 is really the workout you make it be. If you are just standing around and shooting enemies then you won’t be getting much of a workout at all. However, if you take full advantage of its movement and are ducking and diving then you’ll be working up a sweat in no time.
Developer and Publisher: Never Bored
Release Date: February 23, 2021
Compatible With: Valve Index, HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, and Windows Mixed Reality.
Price: $14.99
Link: Steam
All-In-One Sports VR
Finishing this week’s VR Game Roundup is All-In-One Sports VR, which offers 10 different virtual reality sports. While they aren’t as polished as individual titles, you’re essentially getting each sport for $3 a pop. The 10 sports include bowling, archery, baseball, basketball, badminton, billiards, bowling, boxing, darts, golf, and table tennis. It’s an Early Access title, so expect some rough edges and know that multiplayer is currently supported in all games except boxing, baseball, and table tennis.
Fitness Potential
All-In-One Sports VR looks to be a solid low-intensity workout similar to games like Wii Sports as you get a simplified take of popular sports. It might not have the depth and intensity of full games based upon the sports, but variety is the draw and it certainly succeeds in that regard. It’s expected to exit Early Access after three months or so.
Developer and Publisher: Appnori Inc.
Release Date: February 25, 2021
Compatible With: Valve Index, HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, and Windows Mixed Reality.
Price: $20.99 ($29.99)
Link: Steam
That marks the end of this week’s VR Game Roundup. In the comments below, let us know if you are checking out Hyper Dash or any of the other new releases!
