This month I’ve been spending a lot of time working out in VR for fitness experiments. You’ll have to wait until the results are published on TechRadar in mid-March, but you don’t have to wait for the Meta Quest 3 games and apps I recommend in February 2024.
While there are some workout-oriented options on this list (there will be a few more in March’s column), I also find time to explore the horror-filled world of Stranger Things with a VR 3DS emulator. It’s done.
If you’re looking for more VR software recommendations, check out Meta Quest 3 games and apps played in January 2024. This includes Wallace and Gromit at The Grand Getaway and a VR BlackPink concert. Or check out the best VR games. Check out the list on our sister gaming site TRG.
CitraVR
This VR 3DS emulator may still be in beta and must be sideloaded for use with the Quest headset. I explained why CitraVR is more than just an emulator in a previous feature, but it’s worth it. See if you have a 3DS and a cartridge where you can legally dump ROMs. Best of all, it’s free.
Please note that not all 3DS ROMs work well with CitraVR and may require some trial and error with the settings.
I usually prefer using VR to play exclusive immersive titles like Asgard’s Wrath 2, but this app and the Xbox Game Pass VR app are exciting in their own way. I would never say no to more flatscreen games coming to the Quest. Especially with emulation, you can enjoy classic PlayStation and GameCube games on a huge screen that would melt my 8-year-old brain.
Stranger Things VR
I love Stranger Things. I think this is not only his best Netflix show, but also the best TV series released in the last few years. However, I’ll be the first to admit that I was a little worried about the projects that would come from it.
Will they add to the mythology and bring meaningful additions to the Stranger Things story? Or will they just make the story more difficult to follow than it was to keep up with the Kingdom Hearts games of the time? Feel like a shameless money grab? Try forgetting that you need 5 different consoles and having to go to London’s West End to get a VR headset for your Netflix subscription Is it the top?
I had a lot of fun watching the stage play Stranger Things: The First Shadow – it’s a theatrical masterpiece that’s worth seeing, whether you’ve seen the Netflix original or not – and Stranger Things VR is not so much It won’t be magical, but it will still be a lot of fun for fans.
Similar to the stage play, Stranger Things VR focuses on Henry Creel, also known as Vecna, but rather than the deep backstory of his childhood, Stranger Things VR focuses on the first three seasons of the show (before he was born) It explains what he was doing. He played the main role in season 4). This experience takes place over nine chapters and should take several hours to complete if you watch them all.
Also, again like the stage play, the VR game manages to find the right balance between providing meaningful insight without making you feel like you need to understand Season 5.
A very light spoiler for Chapter 2 (which takes place right after the short introductory tutorial, so it’s only about 10-15 minutes into the experience), but it does reveal that the alliance between Vecna and the Upside Down monsters won’t be as strong in the VR game. It becomes clear. One. The moment Vecna shows any weakness, distracted by Eleven reaching Upside Down to find the missing Will Byers, the terrifying monsters pounce and assert their superiority. Ready to prove. Something Henry Creel would never let happen.
Vecna’s powers include anger, which I felt was appropriate for the character, but I wish the chaos could have been a little more controlled. Although it was easy to send the shattered debris flying in the general direction of the target, aiming precisely proved difficult. Yes, there’s the “slightly disappointing” factor, but I no longer have to carefully aim at everything the Demogorgon and other Upside-down horrors throw at me while I’m restrained, and I can focus on living out my fantasy of power. Like, I wish there was a little more aim assist.
I also wish some of these action-packed segments were longer and full of monsters, perhaps showing more of Vecna fighting the Upside Down before the Mind Flayer finds her. This can be done with a lot of experience. It feels like an interactive cutscene. Although the cutscenes are extremely scary and immersive, they draw you into the horrors you would normally only be a bystander to.
My only complaint is that I wish there was an arachnophobia setting. We know this game is meant to be a horror experience and that Vecna has an affinity for spiders, but due to her fear of the eight-legged creepy crawlies, she can barely hold the headset for some parts of the game. I couldn’t keep wearing it.
After completing the story, there are two mixed reality modes that Meta Quest 3 players can enjoy with full-color passthrough.
In Murray’s Worries, put down your controller and explore other worlds through portals you open in your home, using questionable Russian technology and telekinetic abilities for a hand-tracking-focused experience. Masu.
Vecna’s Arcade is a more classic horde mode. Vecna is sending a horde of monsters after you. Your goal is to survive as long as possible and get a high score.
supernatural
Of all the dedicated VR fitness apps I tested this month, Supernatural is my favorite. Our 4 different sessions give you a thorough, full-body workout while having fun.
Flow is a more cardio-focused exercise that encourages you to dance to the music while slashing blocks with a baton, squatting, and lunging from side to side. It’s a lot of fun, but I personally prefer boxing training, where you do squats and side dodges while working your lower body and core, while hooking one jab, uppercut, and orb after another.
Additionally, there are Meditations and Stretches that allow you to find mindful moments while soaking in beautiful scenery, prepare your body for a workout, or relax after a high-intensity session.
All of these sessions are delivered by one of Supernatural’s coaches, who are fitness experts involved in the entire workout creation process. This involves recording yourself working out while actually doing the same routine.
Although they aren’t physically in the room with me, they provide constant encouragement, stories to share about a particular track or what fitness means to them, and whenever I’m starting a bad habit. Their clairvoyant ability to call out to them. Creeping (breathing through your mouth, not lifting your arm properly when hooking, etc.) can make you feel like you have a personal trainer.
This will help you push yourself. I feel like if I don’t give it my all, I’m not only letting myself down, but I’m letting down my coaches Leanne, Doc, Mindy, Mark, Dwana, and Ranil.
Even more helpful is music. With a huge selection of licensed tracks to work out to, from Disney to Metallica, Dua Lipa, Kendrick Lamar, and more, you’re sure to find something you’ll love. As we have already mentioned, the environment you are taken to is much more stimulating than training in a regular home gym. I always enjoy boxing while looking out at the Alps.
If you have a VR headset and want to step into the world of VR fitness beyond the incidental workouts you get from playing regular VR games, I highly recommend Supernatural.
With 3 intensity levels and a wide range of accessibility features, it’s the perfect place to start, whether you’re a fitness novice with limited mobility or a workout enthusiast looking to spice up your routine.
o shape
OhShape is a VR rhythm game that has been out for quite some time, but I only recently introduced it.
Just like in the classic game show “Hole In The Wall,” you have to pose to match the shape of a gap in a virtual wall that flies towards you. The only difference? These walls fly towards you much faster than in the show and in time with the music, making the poses more like a dance. If you increase the difficulty level, it will fly at a considerable speed.
Some barriers you have to duck behind or sidetrack, while others you have to hit to break because there are no holes to slip through. Additionally, if you want to add an extra challenge and earn more points, there are also floating coins that you can try and grab during your routines.
While not quite as training as Supernatural and a bit more chaotic, O-Shape is perfect for active recovery days when you’re not looking for something super hard. It’s also perfect for those looking for a fun-first VR title, where staying fit is more of a byproduct of playing than the main objective.
If you have a Meta Quest 3 or Meta Quest Pro, you can take your workouts into mixed reality and turn your home into an OhShape dance floor.
