In the most reductive of terms, VR is simply strapping a headset to your face. Inside, small high-definition screens show you a computer generated 3D game. The position of your head — sometimes your body and hands — translate into the game.
Thanks to the power of contemporary smartphones, to experience virtual reality has become as simple as downloading an app and fixing it to your head with an inexpensive headset.
However, there are other systems and means to enjoy more advanced VR games and experiences. Some sophisticated, requiring a little tech savvy, others less so and practically plug-and-play.
So without further ado, we’ve trawled the digital storefronts and strapped ourselves in to bring you a list of most intriguing, exciting and sometimes pant-wettingly frightening VR games on the market.
And as if that weren’t enough, we’ve also split them out by their respective platforms (from PC, to console and smartphone) and detailed the tech and what you need to get going with the best VR games yourself. Enjoy!
If you want to know more about upcoming VR games, please continue here.
Lone Echo
What is it? An utterly immersive thriller that places you in the robo-perspective of Jack, a synthetic support ‘bot aboard the ominously named Kronos 1 mining station. Assisting Olivia, the station’s Captain, you jet pack and mantle your way through an ever-escalating situation that threatens everything in the vicinity.
Why is it one of the best VR games for Oculus Rift? A fully realized space station with remarkable interactivity and jaw-dropping cosmic vistas sprawling before you are but a couple of reasons. Add to this an ingenious method of traversal that eliminates the issue of motion sickness that often plagues VR games.
Bonus VR game goodness: The developers of Lone Echo also created a VR multiplayer arena game that uses Lone Echo’s excellent movement system. Normally sold separately, it’s free until October 2oth!
Where to get this VR game?
- Oculus Rift: oculus.com
Wilson's Heart
What is it? Launched to much acclaim — even featuring on Conan O’Briens’ Clueless Gamer segment — Wilson’s Heart places you amidst a black-and-white mystery-thriller, set in a 1940s hospital.
Narratively driven and highly stylized, you traverse the hospital making use of your in-game hands (the Oculus Touch controllers) to manipulate objects and unravel the plot at which you find yourself the center.
Why is it one of the best VR games for Oculus Rift? Wilson’s Heart uses the immersion given with wearing a VR headset to great effect, with monochromatic visuals a part of its charm. That’s good enough for inclusion on our best VR games list, but the voice cast including Peter Weller, Rosario Dawson, and Alfred Molina is a fun little bonus too.
Where to get this VR game?
- Oculus Rift: oculus.com
TO THE TOP
What is it? A quick way to get over your fear of heights, that’s for sure. Utilizing a new means of ‘locomotion’ — buzzword of the moment for VR, and one of the great challenges of VR gaming: how exactly do you move your digital body when you yourself are, in the real world, sitting or standing in one spot.
To The Top’s answer is simple and, to the gamers reading who’ve been around the block once or twice, familiar.
Following color coded paths (a la Mirror’s Edge), you use your digital hands to pull yourself along a variety of scenarios (much like The Climb), leaping from path to path like it were no troubling thing. This means things get fast, quick.
Why is it one of the best VR games for Oculus Rift and Vive? This new release makes it onto our best VR games list for the sheer, frenetic fun of it. Time’ll whiz by as quick as you can climb, and any game that lets you lose a sense of time and space is doing its job well.
Where to get this VR game?
Elite: Dangerous
What is it? Imagine a future where we all have a personal spaceship. And the entire Milky Way galaxy fully explorable with each solar system brimming with planets you can land on and spaceports to do trade in. That is pretty much what Elite: Dangerous is. An overarching plot that is influenced by all players (the game is massively multiplayer and always online should you choose), which keeps things fresh and interesting.
Initially a standard screen experience, an update added the ability to strap on a virtual reality headset, turning it into one of the best virtual reality games out there.
Ambitious and technically magnificent — hardly surprising, considering the achievements of co-designer David Braben, a pioneer of 3D gaming in the 1980s.
Why is it one of the best VR games for Oculus Rift, Vive and OSVR? Elite: Dangerous offers the ultimate challenge for space dreamers longing for interstellar travel. For a game of this list of the best VR games though, it has a very steep difficulty curve, with little to no explanation of the game’s deeper mechanics (which to some, makes it all the more alluring).
Where to get this VR game?
- Oculus Rift: oculus.com
- HTC Vive: Steam
- OSVR: Steam
Rock Band VR
What is it? Described by makers Harmonix as “the most authentic high-energy rock’n’roll simulation ever”, here you take to the stage as a lead guitarist, backed by a virtual band before a cheering crowd of hundreds.
To players of past Rock Band or Guitar Hero games, the format is familiar, but this time the immersion gets turned up to 11 as the virtual reality headset transports you to packed out dimly lit venues.
Why is it one of the best VR games for Oculus Rift? For music fans with a modicum of rhythm, this is one of the best VR games for its easy going, pick-up-and-play nature. But as with previous guitar rhythm games, the tougher songs on a harder difficulty can be a nightmarish challenge. Bring your thick skin though, perform poorly and the crowd will notice.
Where to get this VR game?
- Oculus Rift: oculus.com
Rick and Morty: Virtual Rick-Ality
What is it? Cult Adult Swim cartoon Rick and Morty becomes your latest play space in this room-scale VR game. You play a clone to titular character Morty and using virtual reality’s ability to let you interact with everything as if it were there carry out a laundry list of tasks.
That description alone doesn’t quite do this justice, however. What you’re really buying into here is the chance to experience the show’s creator Justin Roiland’s humor up close and, since you can grab, poke and toss anything in the game around, personally.
Why is it one of the best VR games for Oculus Rift and Vive? The ultimate in fan service — namely fans of Rick and Morty — Virtual Rick-ality makes the best VR games list for offering the detail and connectedness of an existing TV universe.
Where to get this VR game?
- Oculus Rift: oculus.com
- HTC Vive: Steam
Best VR Games Tech: Oculus Rift
The first consumer VR headset to launch, and the one that most people are likely to have an awareness of. Owned by Facebook, the Oculus Rift has big backers and has come a long way from its Kickstarter origins.
To get the most out of this PC VR headset, you’ll need a relatively powerful computer with dedicated graphics card. The full specification requirements are listed on the company’s website.
But despite the PC requirement barrier of entry, the Oculus is widely considered to be the easier option for high-end virtual reality gaming.
Its games can be purchased through the official Oculus store online, or via other 3rd party game platforms like Steam.
The basic bundle for the Oculus includes all the things you need to start VR gaming immediately. There’s the headset itself, plus a Constellation tracking sensor which tracks your physical movement into the games.
Additionally, there is a basic touch remote control to interact in VR, plus an official Xbox One controller — a traditional gaming controller more suited to sit down playing, rather than on-your-feet active games.
Dedicated touch controllers are available separately. These give you virtual hands to interact in with in the VR games that support them.
Check price of Oculus Rift at Amazon:
Euro Truck Simulator 2
What is it? Simultaneously the worst and the best of the VR game concept. The worst, because of all the infinite possibilities such technology could transport us to, one of the better examples is, quite simply, sitting in a truck and driving. The best, because despite the seemingly uninspired task at hand, the game is actually rather excellent.
You sit in a real truck, drive real roads and break real laws if you’re not too careful. All with the burble of the engine and the rolling European countryside for company. Relaxation at its best.
Why is it one of the best VR games for Oculus Rift and Vive? Euro Truck Simulator 2 makes the best VR games cut for being the only game here to let players kick back, relax and do some truckin’. On the other hand, it also offers a challenging simulator should the player choose to engage.
Where to get this VR game?
Google Earth VR
What is it? Not strictly a virtual reality game per se, but it might as well be for the superhuman omnipotence it grants you. All of Earth becomes your sandbox to fly about, even going down to street level for a simulated stroll. Digital tourism at its best.
Why is it one of the best VR games for Oculus Rift and Vive? Scratching the itch of wanderlust longing, Google Earth VR makes the best VR games list for offering a real-world sense of wonder to the VRscape.
Where to get this VR game?
Fantastic Contraption
What is it? A physics puzzler with a simple premise: move a pink blob across an area to its home, a larger pink blob. To do this, you must build a… well, fantastic contraption in order to do so.
Snapping together sticks and wheels in your virtual workspace, you construct a variety of fit-for-purpose vehicles that limp across the line under their own shoddily constructed volition.
Why is it one of the best VR games for Oculus Rift and Vive? For those with an itch to create, the concept is simple, colorful and charming. Reason enough to include on our best VR games list.
Where to get this VR game?
Best VR Games Tech: HTC VIVE
The second giant of high-end VR gaming, HTC’s move into the new and unknown VR peripheral biz might have seemed an unusual step at first glance. But, made in collaboration with Valve Corporation — the creators of the massive PC gaming platform Steam — the result is a sophisticated VR experience that arguably outperforms all the competition for immersion.
Currently the most expensive of VR headsets available, the HTC Vive’s party trick is that it’s built from the ground up for room-scale VR.
Games for the Vive can be purchased mainly through the Valve’s game distribution platform Steam.
Considered technically fiddly to set up, the headset comes bundled with Base Stations that are wall mountable tracking sensors. These establish your VR boundaries, and assist in tracking you, the VR headset and the controllers your are holding.
With this in mind, there are more considerations in the placement and setup of your equipment. An area approximately 1.5m x 2m should be cleared, with the Base Stations mounted high in opposite corners to track you. In addition to this, the position of your PC powering it all should be very close to the play area, since you will be tethered by a 5m cable.
Handily, unlike the Oculus the Vive comes bundled with its sophisticated touch controllers, so you’ll have hands in VR games the instant you fire one up.
Check price of HTC Vive at Amazon:
The Gallery
What is it? Drawing on diverse influences such as 1980’s adventure movies and classic mystery game Myst, this exploration game puts you in your very own supernatural mystery.
The Gallery goes to great efforts to naturally immerse you. There are no game-interrupting pop-ups, cut-scenes and similar detritus of modern gaming. And there is no map — you are an explorer in the unknown.
Why is it one of the best VR games for Oculus Rift and Vive? The Gallery poses an impressive sense of place, which is why it made the cut to our best VR games list. Bear in mind it’s the first episode of a series, so the whole experience will be over quicker than most “full” games.
Where to get this VR game?
Kingspray Graffiti
What is it? Along with Google Earth VR, this one pushes the definition of what a game actually is. In Kingspray, you are given the lawless freedom to graffiti walls as far as the eye can see, consequence free.
From differing nozzle caps and the pressure you apply, you can achieve startlingly lifelike results. A level of finesse is required to manage the realistic dripping.
A multiplayer mode allows for four people to collaborate (or mess around throwing bottles and boxes at one another), and for an extra level of realism, you can throw some tunes on a boombox, set the game to night time and paint by torchlight.
Why is it one of the best VR games for Oculus Rift and Vive? Giving creative types a grungy outlet, Kingspray is a unique entry on our best VR games list. The wall textures, environments, and paint mechanics look so good, you’d be forgiven for thinking you’re actually there.
Where to get this VR game?
- HTC Vive: Steam
- Oculus Rift: oculus.com
The Climb
What is it? We weren’t going to say it, but it’s too cheesy to not use — of all virtual reality games, this one climbs to new heights (sorry — not sorry).
Giving you the perspective of a fearless climber in a variety of stunningly rendered locations. The goal is to use the touch controllers to jump, shimmy and scramble up sheer cliff faces and bridge such colorful mountain obstacles as crashed planes and unsecured ladders.
Why is it one of the best VR games for Oculus Rift? For offering an alluring slice of virtual tourism with a smattering of adrenaline rush gameplay, The Climb makes the cut as one of the best VR games.
Where to get this VR game?
- Oculus Rift: oculus.com
Best VR Games Tech: OSVR
Open Source Virtual Reality is a newer player in the VR game space, and while in part a competitor to the Oculus and Rift, it also holds the potential to blow the doors to VR wide open to other hardware producers, and in turn us end users.
There is no one particular OSVR headset — rather it is a platform for developers and hardware makers to create their own to standards that mean all are interoperable. This is something that has been lacking from PC-driven VR, which is a shame given freedom of choice and flexibility being in the nature of PC gaming.
Games compatible with OSVR can mainly be found on Steam.
At the time of writing, there is only one OSVR headset in existence — the Vuzix iWear — but others are expected to follow suit.
Superhot VR
What is it? The digitalized lovechild of John Wick, TRON and The Raid. Dropped amid a variety of scenarios, this virtual reality game leaves you with the simple premise of “Dodge bullets. Take out your enemies. One step at a time.”.
Superhot’s party trick comes in how you move in this VR space. Time only proceeds when you physically move, meaning every bullet you move to dodge gives your enemies time to re-position.
Why is it one of the best VR games for Oculus Rift, Vive and PlayStation VR? Video games’ ability to transport you to other worlds and feel like something you, most likely, are not is a pretty special quality. Superhot makes you feel like a bad-ass, dodging bullets and bar fighting your way out of situations. And for that, it is on of the best VR games.
Where to get this VR game?
- Oculus Rift: oculus.com
- HTC Vive: Steam
- PlayStation VR: PlayStation Store
I Expect You To Die
What is it? Putting you in the perspective of a spy in a variety of madcap situations, you need to bungle, panic and fumble your way past the perils of international espionage.
This means dodging lasers, dealing with ticking time bombs and generally foiling the nefarious plans of Dr. Zor and his evil Zoraxis corporation.
Similar in style to the handful of humorous ‘simulator’ titles out there, this presents an inventive spin on the formula.
What is it one of the best VR games for PlayStation VR, Oculus Rift and Vive? There aren’t enough spy games in the world, let alone ones that throw madcap situations at you thick and fast, so I Expect You to Die comes as a breath of fresh air. For that reason, it makes our best VR games list.
Where to get this VR game?
- Oculus Rift: oculus.com
- HTC Vive: Steam
- PlayStation VR: PlayStation Store
Farpoint
What is it? The launch game for PlayStation 4’s new PSVR Aim gun-shaped controller which, much like the Move Controllers, inhabits the virtual reality with you. Stranded on a rocky planet and hunted by Starship Troopers-esque giant spiders and other ugly beasties, you shoot your way out of the situation.
Seeing a digital gun in your hands twist, shake and line up for aiming down the barrel is an extraordinary experience, giving a sense of presence that is quite intoxicating.
On the other hand, having a thumbstick to move your character around freely (which is liberating for such a physically involved game) can lead to fleeting moments of motion sickness.
Why is it one of the best VR games for PlayStation VR? Debuting (and bundled with) Sony’s PSVR Aim controller, you’d expect a good demonstration for the new hardware. Which is exactly what Farpoint offers. Slick-shooting and intense action as gigantic creepy crawlies bear down on you make it a solid inclusion as one of the best VR games around.
Where to get this VR game?
- PlayStation VR: PlayStation Store
Batman: Arkham VR
What is it? The chance to don the cowl and do some sleuthing around Gotham City and the criminal-infested Arkham Asylum. Placing you as Bruce Wayne in a roughly feature-length detective story, you can come face to face with iconic characters from the Batman universe.
A bunch of sections designed to let you play with the caped crusader’s most iconic tools give as near as we’re ever going to get to actually being the billionaire vigilante.
Why is it one of the best VR games for PlayStation VR, Oculus Rift and Vive? You play as Batman. Which, on paper, should make it the very best VR game in existence. But (it’s a small but) this is a slower episode of Batman, opting for the super-intelligent detective side more than the than the skull cracking crime fighter aspect.
Where to get this VR game?
- PlayStation VR: PlayStation Store
- Oculus Rift: oculus.com
- HTC Vive: Steam
Thumper
What is it? On the rails gameplay that is off the wall for visual impact and speed. You control some kind of space beetle, hurtling along a track thumping to the beat of numerous obstacles as they pass you. Keep to the rhythm and you successfully attack the many bosses that litter your path.
Flashy vistas roll by at a constant 90 frames per second, meaning super smooth gameplay that’s easy on your eyes.
Why is it one of the best VR games for PlayStation VR, Oculus Rift and Vive? More on the casual end of the spectrum, the gameplay mechanics are simple and the rhythm toe-tapping. But don’t expect this to mean it’s easy — which is why its one of the best VR games.
Where to get this VR game?
- PlayStation VR: PlayStation Store
- Oculus Rift: oculus.com
- HTC Vive: Steam
- OSVR: Steam
Best VR Games Tech: PS4/PS4Pro
The first home games console to broach virtual reality, Sony’s PlayStation brand added a remarkable notch to its belt with the successful launch of the PSVR.
To power the headset and pipe the games — physically purchasable from real world stores, or digitally downloadable on PlayStation’s digital storefront — to your eyes, you need a PlayStation games console. For this you have two options: the standard PS4 (including its svelte variation, the PS4 Slim) , or the recently released PS4 Pro.
The former can run PSVR games well enough, but the beefed up PS4 Pro boasts better hardware on the inside.
The benefits of the PS4 Pro are twofold. Firstly, it can play normal non-VR games smoother than the standard, with partially upgraded visuals (and is even capable of upscaling many games to 4k resolution). This also means PSVR games can run smoother.
The more powerful the hardware you use to run the games, the better the performance and, more crucially, the better your experience inside the headset. The last thing you want is a choppy, stuttering image inches from your face.
Check price of PlayStation 4 Pro at Amazon:
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
What is it? The latest in the long-running survival horror franchise, Resident Evil 7: Biohazard continues the last few games’ departure from its zombie origins, instead favoring parasitic monsters for its unique brand of gut-wrenching thrills.
As is the tendency of survival horror games, things don’t go to plan for you. Cue hours of plot twists, bodily mutilation and general dread as things go from bad to worse.
Of all the virtual reality games in this list, this one is unique for being a traditional AAA game developed from the ground up with VR in mind.
Why is it one of the best VR games for PlayStation VR? A treat for Resident Evil fans, and perhaps even horror fans in general. Letting you experience the craft of a finely tuned horror series from 1st person VR perspective is a no-brainer for inclusion as one of the best VR games going.
Where to get this VR game?
- PlayStation VR: PlayStation Store
Rez infinite
What is it? Originally released on Sony’s PlayStation 2 console, this cult classic gets an injection of virtual reality goodness.
Tantalizingly simple, and in some ways similar to the aforementioned Thumper. In Rez Infinite you simply align your target with the polygonal, particle effect enshrouded enemies and let rip, as your character constantly glides on through digital space.
Why is it one of the best VR games for PlayStation VR? For giving players the chance to play a cult classic in buttery smooth VR is reason alone for inclusion as one of the best VR games. That the gameplay is simple, the musical beat hypnotic, and the impression it leaves on you indelible all help too.
Where to get this VR game?
- PlayStation VR: PlayStation Store
DiRT: Rally
What is it? The original DiRT: Rally re-imagined from the ground up for virtual reality.
It released on PC before but comes to PlayStation VR as one of the best driving experiences there is to be had.
You control a modern roster of rally cars across the world’s premier rally stages. Race, drift and try not to crash. Better still though, this VR game’s creators added an inventive co-op mode, which allows someone else in the room to play the role of co-driver.
They see a mini-game, displayed on the TV obscured from the VR player, mashing buttons in a game not dissimilar to Rock Band. The better they play, the better the co-driver call-outs the driver receives in their VR headset.
Why is it one of the best VR games for PlayStation VR and Oculus Rift? There are few racing games that take you off the track and pit you against wild and challenging terrain. And fewer still that throw VR into the mix. For doing just this and letting you see the mud spray and rain thrash the windshield, DiRT gets a spot on the best VR games list.
Where to get this VR game?
- PlayStation VR: PlayStation Store
- Oculus Rift: oculus.com
Best VR Games Tech: PSVR/Camera/Move
The PS4 console alone obviously isn’t enough for experiencing virtual reality games at home though. For that you’ll need the PSVR headset itself and a PlayStation Camera.
A smooth, injection molded block of white and black plastic with glowing blue strips, the experience of wearing one is surprisingly comfortable. You can adjust the set’s position to ensure you get a good view of the screen inside.
You can play many games using the PlayStation’s bundled DualShock controller, much like you would playing a game on TV. But for more involved virtual reality games that support them, you can give yourself hands in game with PS Move controllers.
Two sticks with glowing balls on the end, these are sold separately. As is the PlayStation Camera which, rather frustratingly, is a required to set up the PSVR in the first place. Without this last piece of the puzzle, you will only be able to view content (games, movies and the like) in a simulated theater mode, on a virtual big screen.
Check price of PlayStation VR at Amazon:
Statik Institute of Retention
What is it? Reminiscent in style of first-person platformer darling Portal, in Statik, you sit, under observation, in a room. The twist — and meat and potatoes — of the gameplay lie in manipulating your hands, which are bound inside a mysterious box.
Using trial and error on your PlayStation controller, you must decipher what each button does to manipulate the puzzles on the outside of the box, often using visual cues in the room.
Why is it one of the best VR games for PlayStation VR? The only game on this list of the best VR games to tie your hands up, in a kind of knowing nod to the fact you’re holding a game controller as you play. A neat mechanic that works well toward immersing you in the game.
Where to get this VR game?
- PlayStation VR: PlayStation Store
Star Trek: Bridge Crew
What is it? Every Star Trek nerd’s (ourselves included) fantasy. You and four fellow players in virtual reality take one of four different roles on the bridge of the U.S.S. Aegis. As Captain, Helm, Tactical or Engineer, you coordinate your efforts to effectively maneuver, explore and fight in your hulking starship.
Team up under the command of the captain, all while maintaining the balance of power between systems. As an added bonus to fans of the original series, crews can take control of the original-era U.S.S. Enterprise.
Why is it one of the best VR games for PlayStation VR, Oculus Rift and Vive? Fans of Star Trek and people looking for a team-building, co-operative experience — this is the best VR game for you. To get the full experience you’ll need 3 friends who also have access to VR headsets.
Where to get this VR game?
- PlayStation VR: PlayStation Store
- HTC Vive: Steam
- Oculus Rift: oculus.com
Bound
What is it? A stunningly realized dreamlike world, in which you – the graceful, helmeted protagonist – dance, twirl and glide your way through a series of levels designed to make ballet look like the only way we should be moving.
Bound was originally released without virtual reality support, but the developers took the time to add it in a meaningful way. This means that rather than simply fixing your perspective, you must actively look about to discern the path the take (rather than a play through on TV, which frames things so that the path is obvious).
Why is it one of the best VR games for PlayStation VR? Those hankering for a more cerebral experience to their gaming would do well to check out Bound. Here the game is less of a challenge, and more a feast of eye candy, an uncommon characteristic that makes it one of our best VR games.
Where to get this VR game?
- PlayStation VR: PlayStation Store
Best VR Games Tech: Xbox VR?
It would appear that game console rival to Sony’s PlayStation — Microsoft’s Xbox — isn’t resting on its laurels. Xbox officials have gone on record saying VR is something the company is exploring for the future.
And with this in mind, they will also be releasing the next version of their current Xbox One console later this year.
Codenamed Project Scorpio, the console is a dramatic step up in computational power, much higher than that even of the PS4 Pro.
Pair this knowledge with Microsoft’s experience lately with augmented reality developing it’s Hololens AR headset, and its partnership with Oculus Rift (be it directly, bundling its controllers with Rift headsets, or indirectly, as part stakeholder in Facebook, which is itself the owner of Oculus Rift) — and it wouldn’t be too wild to connect those big dots.
With a powerful new console on the horizon and a growing list of VR games that prove the medium is more than a gimmick, we expect something from Xbox regarding VR before the year’s out.
Check price of Xbox One at Amazon:
StarBlood Arena
What is it? Much like the fast paced arena shooter games of the late 1990s and early 2000s, you’ll need quick reactions and a gung-ho attitude to do well in StarBlood Arena.
As one of an eclectic roster of alien characters piloting a nimble spacecraft, you compete to eliminate one another in a Universe-wide televised illegal blood-sport event.
Why is it one of the best VR games for PlayStation VR? For delivering an old-school slice of vibrant and frenetic gameplay Starblood deserves a spot on the best VR games list. A game for those with quick reactions and a competitive nature.
Where to get this VR game?
- PlayStation VR: PlayStation Store
Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes
What is it? Likely the last thing you’ll ever do with the friends you play with, and one of few multiplayer virtual reality games on this list.
As the VR player, you must defuse a ticking time bomb. Simple.
Not so simple, however, are the instructions to do so. These are spread out over a 23-page manual, that your compatriots must relay to you based on your description of the multiple puzzles spread out across the surface of the bomb.
Why is it one of the best VR games for PlayStation VR, Oculus Rift, Vive and Gear? Keep Talking makes the cut for being one of few VR games to make playing in VR inclusive to the outside world. Non-VR players are essential.
Where to get this VR game?
- PlayStation VR: PlayStation Store
- HTC Vive: Steam
- Oculus Rift: oculus.com
- OSVR: Steam
- Gear VR: oculus.com
Mekorama VR
What is it? A charming puzzler beloved on Android, Mekorama recently got the VR treatment in this Daydream compatible version. In it, you control a little robot, “B”, stranded in a world filled with mechanical puzzle dioramas.
Using the Daydream remote, you point out a path for B to navigate its way around blocky, Minecraft-like towers peppered with caves, sliding platforms and all kinds of obstacles to overcome.
Best of all, you can download countless user-created levels that were designed in the game’s own level editor.
Why is it one of the best VR games for Android? With a likable little character swaggering its way through the levels and endless playability with user-created stages, it’s a robust mobile VR title.
Where to get this VR game?
- Android (Daydream): Google Play Store
Minecraft Gear VR
What is it? Parents of most teenagers these days will know Minecraft, and its block-building omnipotence. It’s simple to play, but in terms of what you can actually do in it, the imagination is the limit. Build a castle, wrangle wild horses or just mine — it really is a contemporary phenomenon comparable to LEGO.
Why is it one of the best VR games for Gear VR and Oculus Rift? The ultimate accessible game, there’s a reason Minecraft is the second most sold video game in the world, ever (some 100,000,000 people can’t be wrong). So, with VR compatibility, we’d be remiss to exclude this charming world-builder from our best VR games list.
Where to get this VR game?
- Gear VR: oculus.com
- Oculus Rift: oculus.com
Best VR Games Tech: iOS/Android
With the advent of sophisticated smartphones in most people’s pockets, each packed with sensors capable of positional tracking and packing HD screens, it makes perfect sense that VR should be a feature.
Apple doesn’t technically push or support virtual reality on its iPhone devices, however that hasn’t stopped enterprising app developers from taking advantage of the iPhone’s sensor data and incorporating it into iOS games. All you need is a 3rd party headset that your iPhone will fit into, and an app loaded onto the phone and you’re golden.
Google, on the otherhand, has actively made efforts to kickstart virtual reality. Firstly with its Cardboard platform — a set of standards that mean apps that take advantage of it all offer the same split screen experience and work with the variety of official and 3rd party VR headsets.
Perhaps a signal of Cardboard falling flat, Google then relaunched its VR efforts alongside its recent Pixel smartphones. Known as Daydream. This new platform seems to be an attempt to mature the virtual reality experience. Only officially partnered phones are compatible with Google’s one, own-brand soft-felt headset, which comes with a Bluetooth wand controller.
The one major downfall of smartphone-based VR games is the means of control. When you can access the touchscreen, controlling a game is simple. But with the phone strapped to your face — depending on the headset — you are restricted.
To get the most out of smartphone VR games, its probably best to get yourself a Bluetooth controller. We’ll talk about these more below.
Vanguard V
What is it? Similar in gameplay to Rez — further up in this list — but instead of pulsing your way through digital space, Vanguard V has you flying about in real space. Just above Earth, to be specific, and then right down inside it to the molten core.
Smoothly slipping between out of control satellites as they crumble to pieces, you blast asteroids and the parasitic aliens that threaten the planet.
Why is it one of the best VR games for Android, iPhone and Gear VR? For fans of fast-paced action and chiptune music (the soundtrack is pretty fine if that’s your kind of thing), Vanguard V gives mobile VR players a pocketable blast of an experience. A worthy player on the best VR games list.
Where to get this VR game?
- Android: Google Play Store
- iPhone iTunes
- Gear VR: oculus.com
VR Street Jump
What is it? A smartphone VR rendition of 8-bit classic Frogger. There has been an explosion in games remixing and porting old-school games, but this particular VR game adds the panache of virtual reality in a fun way.
The tension is real, as you attempt to hop across streets filled with high-speed vehicles, jumping one lane at a time into the gaps between them.
Why is it one of the best VR games for Android and iPhone? This Frogger-like gets a nod on our best VR games list for being quick and easy. The pillars of a good mobile game, VR-ified.
Where to get this VR game?
- Android: Google Play Store
- iPhone: iTunes
Chair In A Room
What is it? A dark tale in which you awake in a gloomy room, with nothing but a flashlight and notes around the space to help unravel the circumstances of your situation. Billed by the creators as a horror, the creepiness cranks up massively as the story unravels.
Why is it one of the best VR games for Android, Vive and Gear VR? Chair in a Room makes the ‘best VR game’ grade for being one of very few games to offer a sophisticated and — most importantly — actually creepy, mystery on mobile VR.
Where to get this VR game?
- Android: Google Play Store
- HTC Vive: Steam
- Gear VR: oculus.com
Best VR Games Tech: GearVR
One of the world’s largest smartphone producers, Samsung has also tried its hand at VR. It partnered with Oculus to leverage its experience developing a virtual reality content platform.
As such, the experience on offer with Samsung’s Gear VR takes a more curatorial approach than the Wild West of Android and iOS’s app stores.
To access this candyland of VR games though, you’ll need to drop some dollars on the Gear VR headset itself.
In addition to this, if you don’t already have one, you’ll need one of Samsung’s high-end Galaxy smartphones (from the S6 and newer — excluding Note handsets, with the exception of the Note5). No other smartphones are officially supported.
Though as a result of the partnership and tight control, this means your overall experience will be simple and pain-free, with little to no tinkering or setup required.
At its most basic, you can purchase the headset alone, but there are bundles out there that include an official Gear VR touch controller.
Check price of Gear VR at Amazon:
End Space VR
What is it? A classic first-person arcade-style space fighter. You pilot a ship in The Union, tasked with battling The Resistance in progressively more difficult battles in deep space and in orbit around suns and planets.
Why is it one of the best VR games for iPhone and Gear VR? With visuals that nod to classic PC games like Star Wars’ X-Wing and Tie Fighter and gameplay reminiscent of N64 darling Starfox, End Space makes the grade as one of the best VR games for serving an accessible space shooter with a hint of nostalgia about it.
Where to get this VR game?
- iPhone: iOS
- Gear VR: oculus.com
Proton Pulse
What is it? It was inevitable that once VR came around, that one of the games to feature would be one that goes back to the roots of it all. Not unlike Pong,
Proton Pulse fuses the vibrancy and blockiness of TRON with Pong — plus a smattering of Atari classic Breakout — leaving you amid a frantic battle of paddle smashing to break blocks.
Why is it one of the best VR games for Android, iPhone and Gear VR? For giving retro arcade fans a modern interpretation of games past, Proton Pulse blasts its way onto the best VR games list.
Where to get this VR game?
- Android: Google Play Store
- iPhone: iTunes
- Gear VR: oculus.com
- HTC Vive: Steam
- Oculus Rift: oculus.com
Best VR Games Tech: Headsets/Gamepads
If you’re not a Samsung owner using Gear VR, you’ll need a headset to use your phone for VR.
There are plenty out there. Some better than others, so a degree of caution is recommended.
Handily, most are inexpensive — such as Google’s official Carboard headset, which is actually made from cardboard. Fundamentally they are all just a variation on the same design.
Ideally the headset should include the ability to adjust the distance between your eyes and the lens, since not all faces are created equal. That and some kind of external button, for selecting and activating things inside the VR games should be a consideration, too.
Unless, of course, you opt for a bluetooth game controller. Recommended for the more complex mobile VR games on the list, you’ll thank yourself for the precise control and movement one gives.
As with the headsets, there are gamepads at all pricepoints. Pictured above is an Elegiant headset bundled with a controller.
InCell VR
What is it? Shrunk down to the cellular level, you race along sinuous threads of organic matter. To progress, just avoid the harmful cells in your path, and attempt to absorb the good cells.
Interestingly, the structures and mechanisms in the game are inspired by real biological cellular functions, so there’s even the chance to learn a little bit along the way.
Why is it one of the best VR games for Oculus Rift, Android, Vive, iPhone and Gear VR? For being one of a small number of games on this list to feature on most, if not all platforms (including iPhone), this simple and accessible endless runner makes it onto our best VR games list.
Where to get this VR game?
- Android: Google Play Store
- iPhone: iTunes
- Gear VR: oculus.com
- HTC Vive: Steam
- Oculus Rift: oculus.com
BAMF VR
What is it? Timing is everything in this teleportation platformer. Using the VR headset, you look around your devilishly composed setting — often a cavernous room with rotating platforms, sometimes spooky caves with an unnerving soundtrack. Looking around the room, you teleport to try and navigate your way to safety.
Why is it one of the best VR games for Android? The gameplay is slow and methodical, so there’s little barrier to playing other than your spacial awareness and logic skills. An interesting puzzler and a worthy inclusion on the best VR games list.
Where to get this VR game?
- Android: Google Play Store
Flats
What is it? Don’t let the colorful visuals fool you — this multiplayer shooter is all about outgunning your opponents. Played alone against successive waves of AI controlled enemies, there’s also the opportunity to take the fight online, competing against other Flats players.
Why is it one of the best VR games for Android and iOS? An outlet for mobile VR players with a competitive streak, Flats is the only mobile VR shooter to make the best VR games list. Practice your skills offline, then take it online to test your aim against other real world players.
Where to get this VR game?
- Android: Google Play Store
- iOS: iTunes
Mario Kart Arcade GP
What is it? Mario Kart, arcade style? Yes, this gamer‘s dream is now a reality. At the Shinjuku VR Zone in Japan, lucky arcade-goers can strap on a HTC Vive headset, climb into a special seated rig and compete for themselves in the Mushroom Kingdom. Motion tracking armbands allow you to throw the power-up items at foes yourself. It’s all kinds of awesome.
Why is it one of the best VR games? It’s Mario Kart! Multiplayer! VR! Probably the best racing experience / best VR game ever.
Where to get this VR game?
- Shinjuku VR Zone, Tokyo, Japan.
Das Boot
What is it? To coincide with the 2018 release of its TV show reboot, fans of the oppressively anti-war U-boat movie of the same name can dance a little dance with the news that they’ll be able to live through the terror and submersible warfare themselves. Or at least so we surmise. There’s little gameplay information at this point, but a VR Das Boot game is coming.
What makes it promising? Das Boot is a cultural phenomenon, decidedly anti-war and set in the middle of one inside one of war’s most merciless machines. Handles with a deft touch, it could be a masterful use of the VR game medium.
Available: tba
Doom VFR
What is it? The first videos Bethesda presented at E3 2017 were impressive: Be prepared for a fast, dark, and intense rail shooter.You will not be able to explore level freely – the fast paced action might be too intense for most stomachs. Instead, the programmers will teleport you to different spots in the game, where demons hordes will wait for you.
This Doom episode was made especially for VR, it is not a remake of an older title. It‘s also got an interesting twist: You play the consciousness of a dead scientist, who’s able to possess machinery including combat robots.
What makes it promising? It’s more than a mod – it’s a new development for virtual reality headsets. Could be one of the best VR action games in 2017.
Available: End of 2017.
Fallout 4 VR
What is it? At E3 2017, Bethesda showed off some impressive footage of Fallout 4 VR, which is currently in development for the HTV Vive. The controllers will enable you to dual wield; also, you can access your Pip-Boy like a retro sci-fi wearable. Combat, crafting, and building will be fully re-imagined for VR. But it’s still not clear if the whole game will be transferred to VR.
What makes it promising? Does “VR” plus “Game of the Year 2016” add up to “Best VR Game”? Currently, there’s not enough information available to make that call.
Available: October 2017.
Moss
What is it? Think VR game based on “The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time”, but with improved storybook graphics, and you’ll get an accurate picture of Moss. Quite possibly the game Disney should have made, it’s actually the result of some ex-Bungie developers who are redefining VR platforming with a storybook elegance.
What makes it promising? It looks modern, yet the puzzle-heavy gameplay seems to be nicely old school. Could be one of your choices for the best VR adventure game, especially if you’re into classic gaming.
Available: tba.
Skyrim VR
What is it? It’s a remake of the Elder Scrolls classic “Skyrim” for your VR system – get ready for dungeons and dragons (and the occasional arrow in the knee). Skyrim VR will include the official add-ons –Dawnguard, Hearthfire, and Dragonborn.
What makes it promising? Even if the game is more than 5 years old, it’s still worth your time. When it comes to epic RPGs, this could become the best VR RPG game available.
Available: November 2017.
License: The text of "41 Best VR Games for PS4, Oculus Rift, Android, Vive, iPhone" by All3DP is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.