People have been making exercise games for centuries, frequently referred to as “sports”. As we moved away from hunter/gatherer societies, the skills that were once essential eventually became entertainment, frequently with a competitive edge. For those of us not making a living from sports, our more sedentary lifestyles necessitates seeking out fitness opportunities, whether at a gym, a dojang, online workouts, or virtual walking challenges (which can be stacked with Pokemon Go or similar games)… we are fortunate to have so many options.
A couple months ago, a friend mentioned the Oculus Quest 2, a virtual reality headset, and I had absolutely no interest in it… until a couple weeks later, when a co-worker regaled us with tales of his weekly virtual reality boxing matches. As it happens, that weekend I was shopping at Costco and realized they sell the system, and it was something I could use my annual credit card rebate (which is tied to my Costco membership) towards.
It’s essentially a gaming console, and priced accordingly, so it wasn’t something I wanted to buy without trying it. I reached out to the friend who initially mentioned the system and invited myself over to try it. His system is set up to cast to his television, so I was able to watch what he was doing, and then work through the First Steps app that trains users on the Oculus. He didn’t have a boxing app that worked (the one that was installed wanted a subscription), but he introduced me to Beat Saber.
I can’t begin to tell you how dangerously addictive Beat Saber is. The basic solo game has you holding two lightsabers – different colors – and slicing “notes” that come towards you as the song plays. Most notes have arrows indicating which direction you need to slice them, and all of them match the color of one of your sabers; it counts as a miss if you slice with the wrong color or in the wrong direction. There are also blocks that you need to avoid by stepping to a side or ducking, so you’re constantly moving and hoping the cats don’t pick that moment to walk between your feet. And bombs… just don’t touch those at all.
In addition to the albums included with the app purchases, Beat Saber has additional songs and albums that can be purchased, including partnering with some big names like Lady Gaga and Imagine Dragons. Songs can be purchased individually or at a discount album price. I haven’t reached that point yet, as I’m still playing with the various difficulty settings and optional features like the smaller notes and 360 degree play.
I also installed the boxing game my coworker recommended, along with a perennial favorite, Fruit Ninja, and while they’re fun, Beat Saber holds my attention more while giving me a good workout.