Category: VirZOOM Arcade

Posted on

Get Fit While You Play, With the VirZOOM VR platform

It’s something we’ve all wanted at one point – a way to play games and get fit. A way to truly enjoy burning calories, all while building up high scores. Well lucky for us VirZOOM want to do just that, and their VirZOOM virtual reality (VR) fitness platform might be the best way to feel the burn in VR.

To get the full VirZOOM experience you’ll need the VirZOOM Bike and VZ Sensor. The kit all works with the Gear VR, so this experience is already within the grasp of thousands of VR users – those looking for a more high-end experience can use Oculus Rift, HTC Vive or PlayStation VR head-mounted displays (HMDs).

VirZOOM’s founders have all the necessary experience to make this work – Eric Janszen has 25 years of experience in the technology industry, and is an avid cyclist, while Eric Malafeew is former Chief Architect at Harmonix Music Systems.

The only question now is whether the equipment is worth the cost. The VirZOOM Bike costs $399 – the price might be worth it, as the handlebars are equipped with buttons for gameplay, in addition to heart rate sensors.

If the bike is out of your price range, the VZ Sensor might be more what you’re looking for. The Sensor attaches to any ordinary exercise bike, and can track pedal speed and direction – but you’ll need an extra controller to be held in at least one hand to play most videogames this way.

But if you purchase either the VirZOOM Bike or VZ Sensor, you get seven arcade games to play with. The VirZOOM Arcade is available on Steam and PSN, and will soon launch a much lighter package of only two games on Gear VR, though all seven will be available by October 2017.

To buy the VirZOOM Bike or VZ Sensor, take a look at the VirZOOM website.

For all the exercise peripherals you could want for your VR device, stay on VRFocus.

Posted on

5 VR Games To Keep You Fit On World Physical Activity Day

5 VR Games To Keep You Fit On World Physical Activity Day

It’s World Psychical Activity Day and, being the videogame-loving couch potatoes that we are, that sounds like hell. But exercise need not be a plodding bore that introduces you to risky elements such as ‘fresh air’ and ‘sunlight’; you can get an excellent workout inside your VR headset too.

In fact, some people have already lost massive amounts of weight by just playing some of the more active VR games out there. This isn’t some Wii Sports or Wii Fit false promise, VR is the real deal. You’re really performing every mighty swing in a sword fight or blow in a boxing match, and it can be exhausting.

So if you’re looking for a great way to keep fit this Activity Day, make sure to check our list of five games that will get you there.

Audioshield/Soundboxing

Music games might not be as popular as they once were, but VR brings new life to them with active gameplay that keeps you fit. Both Audioshield and Soundboxing have you punching orbs to a beat as they fly in toward you. It’s a little like punching pads in a kickboxing session, only groovier. Soundboxing in particular helped Job Stauffer lose 50 (now 60) pounds over the past few months.

Paulo’s Wing

Paulo’s Wing is more than just a wave-based combat game made inside Google’s Tilt Brush; it’s also utterly exhausting. You fend off imps with a sword and shield, and the harder you hit the more damage you’ll deal. This results in you swinging your arms like a mad man until you’re drenched in your own sweat without the strength to continue.

Unseen Diplomacy

Triangular Pixels had the rather brilliant idea of turning Vive’s roomscale tracking into an obstacle course under the disguise of a secret agent infiltrating a super secret base. Unseen Diplomacy has you crawling through virtual vents, squeezing past laser grids, and mashing your hands on keyboards. It’s all in an attempt to save the world but, by the end of it, you’ll have lost your breath too.

Virzoom Arcade

If you’ve got an exercise bike then Virzoom’s collection of free minigames designed to work with its technology that links your kit to you PC is a must. Here you can drive a tank, race a car as a dog (really) and more, all by pushing your pedals around. You might forget where you are only to take your headset off and find yourself sitting in buckets of sweat. Lovely.

Knockout League

Boxing is one of the best sports to keep you fit, so why not just box in VR? Better yet, why not box against an octopus? Or a pirate? Knockout League makes stepping into the ring a pure joy, with none of the bruises and concussions that usually come with it. It helps the game just got an update to add new fitness features.

Tagged with: , , , , ,

Posted on

Start Pedalling as VirZOOM Arcade Rolls onto PlayStation VR

If you want to burn a few calories while in virtual reality (VR) one of the few ways to do it is with the VirZOOM bike controller. This allows users to control their speed through pedalling, which in turn should help to reduce the effects of simulator sickness. Today VirZOOM has announced that’s compatible VR software, VirZOOM Arcade is now available to PlayStation VR owners.

VirZOOM Arcade is a series of continuously evolving exercise videogames designed to motivate users to pedal through various VR experiences. There are five titles in the arcade to choose from: Pegasus, fly the winged horse across a wide open landscape, but remember to eat apples along the treetops to have enough energy to keep flying; Cowboy, has players riding a horse in a western themed town, with bandits to lasso before they get away; Go Fast Car, a sort of F1 style racing title; Apache Helicopter, pedal a helicopter gunship down the river collecting fuel, shooting at turrets as they shoot at you; and Tank: Enter Winterstan, a multiplayer tank game.
The arcade also features five different workout modes: Quick-play, Timed Workout, Custom Workout, Award Challenge, and Hotseat to get the heart rate pumping.

VirZOOM Arcade VR Sports

“PlayStation VR is a welcome addition to the stable of VR systems that VirZOOM supports,” said Co-founder and CEO Eric Janszen. “We are equally pleased to add VZ Arcade to the library of superb content that’s available for PSVR with its ground breaking combination of high quality and affordability.”
“VirZOOM offers terrific multiplayer VR sports designed for exercise and control with the VirZOOM bike,” said Co-Founder and CTO Eric Malafeew. “We’ve worked with Sony from the beginning to ensure the best experience on PS4 and are proud to offer it today to all PSVR owners.”

VirZOOM Arcade is free to download for PlayStation VR but you’ll still need the VirZOOM bike to use the software. It’s currently available for order for $399.95 USD  on virzoom.com and other leading retailers.

For all the latest news on VirZOOM, keep reading VRFocus.