VR rhythm game Synth Riders will be seeing a small price hike this week with the arrival of its latest update.
Developer Kluge Interactive took to Reddit to confirm that the game will move from $19.99 to $24.99 when its free Spin Mode update arrives on Thursday, July 16th. You can still pick the game up for its regular price ahead of the new mode’s launch, though.
“Even though Synth Riders is fully released on PCVR and Quest, we’ve never stopped extending and improving the game,” the developer reasoned. “In the last six months, we’ve added 7 new songs and introduced features such as in-game calorie tracker, playlists, Practice Mode, and more.”
It’s true that Synth Riders has seen a steady supply of free updates over the past half-year. And Spin Mode will add much more, including levels with 90, 180 and 360 degree play options, another song, profiles you can share and even a brand new difficulty level. Plus, the game will remain a cross-buy purchase for Rift and Quest users, too.
Synth Riders is a rhythm game that has you snagging orbs with your hand as you grind along sci-fi environments to some groovy beats. It’s one of a number of VR rhythm titles that has come into its own during the global pandemic, with active gameplay that helps players keep fit. A PSVR version of the game is still in the works, but no word on a release date for that one just yet.
Will you be picking up Synth Riders before its price goes up? Let us know in the comments below!
A bundle on Oculus Quest drops the cost to get both OhShape and Synth Riders down to $27.99 as the developers behind the games launch a new song in both titles.
The new track is called Delight by Jamie Berry and is available now in both rhythm VR games. In case you’re unfamiliar, OhShape and Synth Riders both have fitness element to them with notable differences from the rhythm leader Beat Saber. In OhShape you try to fit your body into the cutout shapes in walls flying toward you while Synth Riders features a system where you dodge walls, hit targets and ride a rail system in solo or multiplayer.
The developers behind the games are also announcing a “Collab Delight” contest which asks players of both games to compete for high scores in the new song. Winners will be announced on July 1st and you can sign up for the contest here.
Here’s a trailer for the new song:
You can also check out the Duo Pack on the Oculus Store here. The price may vary by region but it should be a roughly 30 percent discount compared with the full price of both games. The new free song is rolling out to players on the Oculus Store and Steam as well.
We’ be curious to see how this new kind of collaboration is received by the communities for both games, and how popular the contest ends up being.
Will you be competing in the contest? Let us know in the comments below.
If you like a healthy dose of energetic gaming then Oculus Quest can easily fulfil those requirements. Today, two of the headset’s rhythm-action titles Synth Riders and OhShape have joined forces to bring players together for a community competition, using a brand new map which is available on both.
Head to the Oculus Store and you’ll find Synth Riders and OhShape are currently bundled together in a Duo Pack, with a little discount to tempt players. To mark the event, developers Kludge Interactive and Odders Lab have jointly released a free song called Delight by Jamie Berry.
The track was hand-mapped and choreographed for both videogames by each team to showcase how each one can offer a different experience. Additionally, they’ve launched a “Collab Delight” contest where players can either pair up or compete on their own for the best high scores in the new song. Prizes for the winners include Amazon Gift Cards so if you’re interested then signup here. The contest runs until Tuesday 30th June 2020 6pm PST, the winners will be revealed during a special co-developer stream on 1st July, 2020
“We think this collaboration is the beginning of a great way to explore synergies between our games and our communities, and it’s been great to tag-team it with our friends at OhShape. We are always looking to push the boundaries of the VR rhythm genre and are proud to be the first to bring a collaborative approach to our updates,” said Arturo Perez, CEO at Synth Riders in a statement.
Synth Riders‘ gameplay can easily be compared to dancing where you have to hit targets and dodge walls all in time to an array of music styles. It features a solo mode as well as a competitive multiplayer. OhShape, on the other hand, was inspired by the Japanese TV show “Hole in the Wall”, where you have to match shapes with your body to pass through blocks and punch walls.
The Synth Riders and OhShape Duo Pack for Oculus Quest is available now for $27.99 USD, providing a 30% discount. For the latest updates to either videogame and current Oculus Quest offers, keep reading VRFocus.
If you like a healthy dose of energetic gaming then Oculus Quest can easily fulfil those requirements. Today, two of the headset’s rhythm-action titles Synth Riders and OhShape have joined forces to bring players together for a community competition, using a brand new map which is available on both.
Head to the Oculus Store and you’ll find Synth Riders and OhShape are currently bundled together in a Duo Pack, with a little discount to tempt players. To mark the event, developers Kludge Interactive and Odders Lab have jointly released a free song called Delight by Jamie Berry.
The track was hand-mapped and choreographed for both videogames by each team to showcase how each one can offer a different experience. Additionally, they’ve launched a “Collab Delight” contest where players can either pair up or compete on their own for the best high scores in the new song. Prizes for the winners include Amazon Gift Cards so if you’re interested then signup here. The contest runs until Tuesday 30th June 2020 6pm PST, the winners will be revealed during a special co-developer stream on 1st July, 2020
“We think this collaboration is the beginning of a great way to explore synergies between our games and our communities, and it’s been great to tag-team it with our friends at OhShape. We are always looking to push the boundaries of the VR rhythm genre and are proud to be the first to bring a collaborative approach to our updates,” said Arturo Perez, CEO at Synth Riders in a statement.
Synth Riders‘ gameplay can easily be compared to dancing where you have to hit targets and dodge walls all in time to an array of music styles. It features a solo mode as well as a competitive multiplayer. OhShape, on the other hand, was inspired by the Japanese TV show “Hole in the Wall”, where you have to match shapes with your body to pass through blocks and punch walls.
The Synth Riders and OhShape Duo Pack for Oculus Quest is available now for $27.99 USD, providing a 30% discount. For the latest updates to either videogame and current Oculus Quest offers, keep reading VRFocus.
Can’t choose which VR game to burn calories to? This new VR Fitness Bundle has you covered.
Now available on Steam for $51.17, the VR Fitness Bundle includes three games to get you moving. First up is BoxVR, a music rhythm game that has you punching orbs to the beat. With a wide range of set workouts and multiplayer support, this remains one of our favorite ways to keep fit in VR.
Also featured is Synth Riders, another stylish music game that has you throwing shapes as, again, you grab orbs from out of the air. Whereas BoxVR is more focused on punching, though, Synth Riders has you moving your arms in different directions. It’s a fun take on the genre.
Take heart, though, the final game is not music-based (sorry, OhShape). In fact it’s a rather curious choice; Schell Games’ Until You Fall. Now available in Early Access, this is a roguelike VR sword battling game with permadeath. We wouldn’t say fitness was the game’s primary focus, but it’s certainly a fun way to spend a little energy.
This bundle is only available on Steam. We think it would make a great fit on Quest but Until You Fall isn’t available on the platform yet. Schell Games does plan to bring it to the headset, though, so maybe we’ll see it one day.
All told these games would set you back $63.97 individually, so you’re making a tidy little saving of $12.80 right now. Act fast, though; Until You Fall is currently discounted itself, so that price will likely soon rise.
What would you include in a VR fitness bundle? Let us know in the comments below!
Over the last couple of weeks, four fit friendly Oculus Quest videogames were updated to include YUR.watch. A virtual fitness watch that, after signing up, shows you heart rate, squats, and lets you level up by burning calories.
VRFocus covered Synth Riders when the update happened because it was much bigger than just YUR. The developers added live Sunday fitness classes (which you should try to check out), increased multiplayer room capacity, and added an endless mode for those long workout sessions. All in an effort to keep people fit while they’re trapped indoors.
Now I’m not a… healthy man, by the normal definition. I was never drawn into virtual reality (VR) for the workout potential, or to get a sweat going. No, the main attraction for me was feeling like a badass without having to change out of my pyjamas.
Luckily, Sairento VR: Untethered doesn’t care what I’m wearing as I backflip, shoot, and fling knives at hordes of virtual samurai. But I was still sceptical about YUR. To be honest, it was actually the interface that convinced me to try it.
The virtual watch is just… there. Unobtrusive, subtle, and it expands with a simple flick of the wrist. It feels futuristic in a way that VR always should, so I signed up.
And I regret nothing.
Seeing your heart rate and burned calories is great, but what really caught me with YUR is the gamification. You level up and unlock watches as you play, and I started finding that I went out of my way to exercise. I was shocked too. Instead of opting for guns, I started leaning completely into swordplay and slashing my way to better health.
I tried the YUR.watch in Racket: Nx and Synth Riders. I discovered that just having it there made me change how I played – I made an effort to push the workout further. Maybe it was the gamification, maybe it was just seeing a calorie count, but it was exactly what I needed in this time of isolation.
I am eagerly waiting for YUR.watch to reach other games on the platform, and just having it as an option will make everyone more conscious of just how much they’re flailing for good.
But, if you’re as impatient as me…
Using YUR in every game
While YUR has officially rolled out its watch in the above four games, it’s actually been accessible on a lot of platforms for a while now. Sadly, the actual virtual watch is only widely available on PC VR, meaning you can monitor your Combine killing calorie burn in Half-Life: Alyx if you’re so inclined…
On your Oculus Quest, however, you can use SideQuest to add in an interface that goes across every videogame or experience you play. So I started experimenting.
Beat Saber was a natural first choice and proved exactly as good a workout as you would expect. Rec Room paintball was a decent workout too, and Lies Beneath wasn’t bad – but it was amazingly immersion breaking.
I’ll be the first to admit that some tests were a little misguided…. It turns out that the one squat you get from sitting down at the start of Epic Roller Coasters isn’t going to be earning me a few extra years anytime soon, but hey – worth a try.
If you’re at all on the fence about trying YUR, or if you’re antsy about staying healthy while quarantined, give one of the above four games a try and hopefully it will do to you what it did to me.
And if you’re looking for other games that will get you sweating through your pyjamas, check out VRFocus’The 10 Best Fitness Apps For A VR Workoutfrom earlier in the year. Feel free to share the videogames where you get your best workout below.
Using a VR headset as a workout tool while you’re self-isolating? You can mix things up a little this weekend with live fitness sessions for Synth Riders.
Starting tomorrow ‘Synth Sundays’ will feature professional trainers and Twitch streamers Carize and HeyFalcon playing the VR rhythm game for you to dance along to. They’ll lead sessions that you can join in the game’s multiplayer mode. You can also join in on Twitch if you don’t want to be in VR.
Synth Sundays starts on April 1 at 1pm PST. That’s 4pm if you’re on the east coast or 9pm if you’re in the UK.
The sessions start following the release of Synth Riders’ Fitness Update. This includes the brand new YUR.watch, which we covered earlier this week. It’s essentially a virtual fitness device that keeps track of calories burned across games, so you can have a varied VR workout. It’s also available in games like OhShape and SairentoVR and doesn’t cost a penny to use.
Synth Riders is a Beat Saber-esque rhythm game that has you dancing to music by touching orbs with the corresponding hand. We’re pretty fond of the game, and it’s a good way to keep fit while staying indoors.
Also part of the update is a non-stop play mode (great for keeping your heart rate going), avatars in multiplayer lobbies, the ability to scale for a bigger play area and an increase in multiplayer room limit from five to ten. There’s also a new free song in Phoenix, by Raizer.
Will you be tuning in to Synth Sundays tomorrow? Let us know in the comments below!
With everyone having to stay at home at the moment due to the coronavirus (COVID-19), popping out only when absolutely necessary, finding ways to stay fit indoors has never been more important. Virtual reality (VR) has proven to be a fun way to keep active with a range of suitable titles available including Synth Riders. Developer Kluge Interactive recently announced the YUR.watch Fitness Tracker and will soon introduce another feature, Synth Sundays.
Synth Sundays are weekly workout classes with professionals, Carize and HeyFalcon, pro Twitch streamers and trainers. They’ll lead training sessions via open rooms in Synth Riders’ multiplayer mode beginning this Sunday, 5th April at 1pm PST (9pm BST). Early bird players will be able to join the trainers, host their own workout sessions or watch the event live here.
In addition to Synth Sundays, the Fitness Update for Synth Riderswill expand the multiplayer limit from 5 to 10 players per room, add a non-Stop play mode for a continuous workout, offer a larger play area modifier for more body movement, enable players to be represented by avatars in the lobby and gift players bonus song “Phoenix” by Raizer (FiXT Label).
Players will also be able to use the new YUR.watch feature, a virtual watch which makes it easier to monitor heart rate, squat count, calories burned and record progress.
“We are glad to be working with YUR on a solution that can help our players stay active during these uncertain times, when a lot of the traditional fitness options are not available. We believe that “Synth Sundays” will be a great way to connect our players together for workouts and social interactions which are now only possible in a multiplayer VR experience,” said Abraham Aguero Benzecri, Creative Director, Kludge Interactive in a statement.
Kluge Interactive has more updates in store including an “Electro Swing Essentials” DLC which will offer songs from Parov Stelar, Jamie Berry and Electric Swing Circus as well as plans to bring Synth Riders to even more platforms including an optimized version for VR arcades. The Fitness Update is out now and as further updates are released, VRFocus will let you know.
The cord-free, standalone Meta Quest system is one of the best options for VR fitness, exercise and workout routines. Here are our picks the best Quest 2 fitness and exercise apps to get your blood pumping.
[This article was originally published in March 2020. It was edited and updated in March 2021 and again in February 2022.]
The following list is in no particular order, however there are two general categories of apps on the list.
The first category is apps that are specifically designed for working out in VR — usually with specifically designed sessions that you follow for a workout session.
The second is incidental workout apps — apps and experiences that weren’t designed specifically for working out, but can be used in such a way because they get the blood pumping enough when played at a high intensity.
Despite all these new additions, the basic premise has always remained the same — it’s features rhythm-based boxing, dance and HIIT routines that gives you points for speed and accuracy. In July last year, the app also added a bunch of notable artists to its music catalog, including Calvin Harris and Tiesto.
FitXR is free to download on the Quest Store, with a subscription-based service in place for access to workouts. There’s a 7-day free trial for new users.
Let’s not beat around the saber – initially, Supernatural started out as a fitness-focused Beat Saber clone. Notes fly at you in time with music, which you have to hit in-time using bats and occasionally you’ll be forced to squat to avoid obstacles. However, the service has since added new boxing workout as well, expanding its offering of guided coach workouts.
Every 24 hours, there’s a new workout playlist/routine for you to run through. The aim is to get you sweating with big arm swings and quick squats. The better you perform, the harder the routine will get, thanks to Supernatural’s adaptive difficulty.
Supernatural is free to download on Quest, but is only currently available in select regions. Access to workouts uses a subscription pricing model, with a free trial period for new users.
One of the newer entries on the list, Les Mills Bodycombat is an attractive option for those looking to avoid a subscription model.
The app is brought to you by the Les Mills brand, which has gyms globally as well as a substantial online workout offering. The Quest Bodycombat app adapts one of these online workout classes into 30 boxing workouts for VR, available as a one-off purchase.
You’ll be punching and squatting to the beat of the music, with the option to select a playlist between five and 20 minutes. It’s not the most original VR workout option, but it gets the basics right in a polished experience available for a one-time price.
If you’re looking to pair a physical fitness machine with a virtual workout, then Holofit is one of two apps that lets you do so. The app pairs your headset with compatible bikes, elipticals and rowing machines, allowing you to use your physical machines in a virtual location.
However, even without any machines, the app also has HIIT, fat burn and time-attack programs that see you recreate skiing, running or cycling using movements with the Touch controllers.
Holofit is available on Quest via a yearly or monthly subscription model with a 7-day trial for new users.
VZFit
Another option for connecting physical machines and fitness trackers, VZFit uses Google Street View to let you virtually exercise anywhere you want. The app has Strava and Fitbit support, alongside connectivity with “most smart bike devices and trainer sensors.”
There’s also full body workouts and support for an optional cadence sensor, which you’ll have to buy separately, that allows you to connect a stationary exercise bike that’s missing smart bike functionality.
VZFit is available for Quest with a 7-day free trial and $9.99 monthly subscription.
Beat Saber was definitely never intended to be used as a workout app, but there’s a significant amount of people who use it for just that. A couple of levels on Expert or Expert+ in Beat Saber will get your heart rate pumping like there’s no tomorrow.
Beat Saber is available for Oculus Quest for $29.99.
Synth Riders is, yes, another VR rhythm game and while it takes some visual notes from Beat Saber and other entries in the genre, the gameplay is quite different. You’ll hit floating spheres to the rhythm of the music, and move your hands in circular or curved motions to follow tails that fly off each sphere. It’s similar in concept to other rhythm games, but with its own spin.
The game has implemented a variety of fitness-focused features, such as a calorie counter and a fitness update that arrived earlier this year and included live VR workout sessions, guided by a trainer.
Jamie described this game as “Beat Saber for your body” and said it was a “genuinely authentic fitness game.” It’s not a workout in the traditional sense, but it will get your blood flowing as you throw your body around to the music, fitting and moving yourself into all different shapes.
With the intensity ramped up, you might end up burning calories faster than some of the other fitness games on this list.
Pistol Whip might seem like a strange entry for a VR exercise list at first, but play a couple of the levels on harder difficulty and you’ll quickly see how Pistol Whip could qualify as a workout. The ducking and constant quick movements will have your glutes and quads burning after a long session.
While not designed as a fitness app, Until You Fall is a VR roguelike that will have you hacking and slashing in heart-racing melee combat. At its most intense, the game should offer you something comparable to a light upper body workout. That being said, its roguelike mechanics means it’s more game-y than other entries on this list. If you’re looking for something fun to play that also gives you a bit of a workout along the way, Until You Fall might be best.
There are a number of boxing games available on the Quest, but The Thrill of the Fight uses mechanics that aims to be more of a true-to-life simulator in a boxing ring, as opposed to a workout-first approach to VR boxing. A few rounds in the ring and you’ll be sweating profusely. We definitely prefer this one over Creed VR on Quest.
Oculus Move isn’t a VR workout app, but rather a feature that will let you track your progress, workouts and calories burned while in VR. It was announced in 2020 at Facebook Connect and should work Quest-wide on all of your apps. It’s a good option to natively track your fitness and workout sessions in VR across all activity on Quest.
Oculus Move can be enabled in the Quest system settings.
What are you favorite Quest exercise apps that keep you active in a VR workout session? Let us know in the comments.
VR rhythm game Synth Riders might not be as popular as the juggernaut that is Beat Saber, but it just beat it to one important feature: multiplayer support.
Synth Riders this week got a free update for both its Oculus Quest and PC VR versions. Headlining the patch is a cross-platform multiplayer mode for up to five people in which players can have a dance off for the top spot. Multiplayer supports both the game’s original list of songs and custom songs too, and you can even use modifiers like ‘Sudden Death’ to up the stakes.
In Synth Riders, players throw shapes by grabbing orbs out of the air in time to a beat. It’s a slightly groovier take on the VR music genre, and one that can now be enjoyed with friends.
It’s a feature we’ve been eagerly awaiting in Beat Saber ever since multiplayer was announced in mid-2018. And developer Kluge Interactive knows it; in a prepared statement, Creative Director Abraham Aguero Benzecri said: “We are excited to be one of the first VR rhythm games with multiplayer support, it is a tribute to our community!”
Spicy.
Elsewhere, the game’s entire user interface has been redesigned to be more streamlined, there’s new sound effects, a new song and a new visual stage. Plus PC VR users get new custom-designed avatars. DLC songs are also on the way, so there’s plenty to look forward to for Synth Riders.
Will you be checking out Synth Riders’ multiplayer support this weekend? Let us know in the comments below!
The full list of YUR.watch compatible titles are:
I tried the YUR.watch in Racket: Nx and Synth Riders. I discovered that just having it there made me change how I played – I made an effort to push the workout further. Maybe it was the gamification, maybe it was just seeing a calorie count, but it was exactly what I needed in this time of isolation.
On your Oculus Quest, however, you can use 
“We are glad to be working with YUR on a solution that can help our players stay active during these uncertain times, when a lot of the traditional fitness options are not available. We believe that “Synth Sundays” will be a great way to connect our players together for workouts and social interactions which are now only possible in a multiplayer VR experience,” said Abraham Aguero Benzecri, Creative Director, Kludge Interactive in a statement.
