It was exciting to put on an Oculus Quest 2 virtual reality headset for the first time. Suddenly a living room turned into another place. It’s an experience everyone should try. However, it quickly becomes clear that you need to buy some apps or games to really get the most out of them. I’ve looked through some of the most popular experiences to confirm whether or not it is worth trying out. Each of the items listed below are fun and provide a glimpse into the compelling uses of VR.
I didn’t expect fitness to be the most fascinating app category. However, fitness games are a great way to work out at home. The Supernatural app experience is great because it combines music and physical activity, but it has some limitations.
As I delved further into VR, I realized that there are also a few must-have accessories. There are plenty of add-ons and accessories (earbuds, carry case, and extended battery) that might be worth buying in the long run, but there are some items you should probably have on the first day.
Orzero’s adjustable headband has a rotary knob for quick adjustment of the fit.
ORZERO
The most important accessory is a more comfortable strap for the Quest 2 glasses. The included stretchy headband may work for some people, but it’s difficult to fit perfectly. Without an exact fit, a VR headset can easily wear your eyes and head. It is also difficult to change the standard strap between different people trying it on. All in all, it’s just the weakest part of the Quest 2 design.
Even Oculus itself understands that the headband that came with the headset may not be the best as it sells an alternative one. I haven’t tried the first-party accessory, but I suspect it works fine. The problem is that it’s expensive. When you search Amazon, there are dozens of third-party headbands, each of which works similarly. I tried the Orzero adjustable headband and it worked great.
The Orzero is wider at the back to cradle your head better. It also has a rotary knob that can be used to adjust the fit very quickly. If there is more than one person in your household this device will be exciting, and making it easy to move from person to person will add a lot to the enjoyment.
Buy from Amazon.
The anchor dock for Oculus Quest 2 contains rechargeable batteries for the controllers.
ANCHOR
When you need to charge the Oculus Quest 2 for the first time, you realize that it will be annoying. There are a few reasons for this, but most of the time the headset requires frequent charging and the device contains a few separate parts.
Every time you put the Quest 2 and its controllers on the couch or near an electrical outlet to charge it, it creates a messy mess. Instead, some sort of dock will do wonders for your sense of organization and clutter. Anker makes a docking station that contains rechargeable batteries for the controllers and charges all parts in a neat and organized manner. During my first month on the Quest 2, the AA batteries in the two controllers held their charge well, but never having to replace them would be a nice benefit.
The anchor dock has been hard to find since it was released in December 2020. It’s a popular item. So, if you don’t mind not adding a charger to the stand, there are several other ways to store your headset and controllers. The KIWI VR booth is one of these alternative options.
Buy from Oculus and Amazon.
These controller handles and straps improve the design of the included straps.
CNBEYOUNG
Replacing the included hand straps may seem unnecessary at first, but it’s very worth it – now or in the future. The current straps are awkward and hang like bracelets on the wrist. If you put them around your wrists in front of the headset, they’ll fling around and tap on everything. If you try to put them on afterwards, it will be difficult to find and tighten the strap with your eyes closed.
These cnbeyoung controller handle covers eliminate these issues by redesigning the strap. They rest against the handle of the controller and stretch over your hands when necessary to avoid fooling around with covered eyes. As an added bonus, the silicone case is nice for keeping the controllers as grippy as possible. The standard straps that come with the controllers are fine, but these improve the design significantly.
Buy from Amazon.
You can extend the VR experience to everyone in the living room by casting the content displayed in the headset onto a TV screen using a Chromecast.
GOOGLE
A Chromecast dongle by itself has nothing to do with the Oculus Quest 2. It’s a Google TV adapter that in most cases will allow you to stream content from your phone to the big TV screen. In this virtual reality context, everyone else in the room can be a spectator of the action you see in the headset.
The problem with VR is that it’s a lonely experience. Two people cannot wear a headset at the same time. One solution is to show other people what you are seeing so they can have fun too. The Oculus app transmits what is displayed in the headset to a phone. However, if you have a Chromecast, it can cast it to your TV instead of the phone.
I would argue that you should have a Chromecast on day one. The excitement will likely subside over time once people have had a chance to use the headset, and broadcasting will be less necessary. For the first few days, however, everyone wants to see what’s going on and why you’re moving the way you are. Plus, a third-generation Chromecast is only $ 29.99, and the top-of-the-line Chromecast 4K is only $ 49.99.
Buy from Best Buy.
Beat Saber is the VR equivalent of GuitarHero and it’s fun.
BEAT SABER
Beat Saber’s calling is immediate. GuitarHero and Rock Band ruled video game consoles for a number of years, and Beat Saber uses the same gameplay, but within VR. You face a long, neon conveyor belt-like path that pulls cubes in your direction. Your job is to swing the lightsabers attached to your hands in the direction each cube indicates, so as to cut it up as soon as it reaches you. Everything is timed to match the music, so having a sense of rhythm is very important in mastering Beat Saber.
The game features decent original music that is ready to use right out of the box. The real catch is the ability to buy familiar and popular songs from BTS, Linkin Park, Timberland, Imagine Dragons, and others. Note that adding all of the available songs can make the total price of the game much more expensive than the original purchase price of $ 29.99.
Buy from Oculus.
Supernatural has trainers to guide you through every workout.
SUPERNATURAL
The answer to the question is supernatural: What is VR good for anyway? The fitness experience lets you swing your arms, do squats, and stretch your body like you were on an exercise class, except you don’t have to leave your living room. Supernatural uses movements similar to games like Beat Saber: you hit bullets flying towards you in synchronized patterns. The difference is that coaches are there all the time and guide your training.
Supernatural isn’t exactly a game, but it sure feels that way. There are familiar songs to cheer you up during your workout and statistics at the end to keep you motivated. I tracked my activity with an Apple Watch while using Supernatural. This increases your heart rate and makes you move. The great thing about training in VR is that it forces more precise movements than trying to follow a teacher on a television. The experience is free to download and try, but it is definitely a premium experience that costs almost $ 200 a year. Gyms aren’t available for now, but that just means VR workouts are possible.
Buy from Oculus.
Sports Scramble combines different sports equipment for a unique experience.
SPORT SCRAMBLE
If you saw Nintendo’s Wii mania when it was first released, you know the importance of a sports game that includes bowling and tennis. Sports Scramble includes tennis, bowling, and baseball games, and each one gets you right into the action. While any sport can be easily played the traditional way, the core of the game really comes with the word scramble.
The unique aspect of this game is that it mixes equipment from many different sports. If you play baseball, you may need to throw a golf ball, soccer ball, or frisbee. During a tennis game, your club can switch to a cricket club or a golf club. The varied equipment prevents things from getting too serious and provides additional fun that can hardly be experienced in the real world.
Buy from Oculus.
FitXR is a boxing workout, but it also includes a mode for practicing your dance moves.
FILE
FitXR is another fitness experience that involves hitting objects that are floating towards you. This time, however, it is used for boxing and provides a full upper body workout. I had never done a boxing workout before trying FitXR so I wasn’t sure what to expect. To start, you’ll learn how to do a forward strike, an uppercut strike, a side swing, and pull both arms up to block. FitXR really wants you to feel it, too, because if you don’t swing hard enough to hit the objects that are coming your way, you won’t get full credit. By the end of my first 10 minutes, all parts of my arms were activated and my heart rate was higher than when I started.
The other half of FitXR is dance. You follow the guidance of a 3D avatar while moving your arms and legs to earn points. Personally, I found this aspect to be a lot less enjoyable than boxing. However, it’s nice to have multiple types of exercise.
Buy from Oculus.
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