The Armclaw Experiment
Sure, they say Marvel’s Spider-Man on PS4 lets you feel like the titular hero, but what if you could swing on the webs in VR? In The Armclaw Experiment, you get the next best thing. Set in an open city, you’re free to soar through the air like a bird. You latch onto nearby buildings and propel yourself forward in one of the most freeing uses for VR to date.
Fitness Potential
As the name implies, The Armclaw Experiment is all about swinging your arms above your head. You’ll reach out while using the tracked motion controllers to grab buildings and keep your momentum up. You can challenge your skills by grabbing the collectible stars located around the city, but you are able to go at your own pace.
Developer/Publisher: MZ Games
Release Date: April 3, 2019
Compatible With: Oculus Rift, HTC Vive
Price: $4.99
Link: The Armclaw Experiment
Beat Miner
We’re not sure who had the idea to combine a mine cart game with rhythm mechanics, but that’s exactly what Beat Miner is. As you race forward in your cart, you must break the blocks you see to the beat of the music. In addition to the pre-made levels in arcade mode, there’s also a custom mode that lets you design your own challenges. Any song you own can be included in the game, and there are multiple height levels so kids can enjoy the game, too.
Fitness Potential
In Beat Miner, you’ll continuously be hitting blocks you encounter using hammers. This is via the tracked motion controllers, and with multiple difficulty levels, you can increase the intensity. This can not only make the game more challenging, but also offer a more vigorous workout during your play sessions. Performance stats also let you track how you’re doing compared to your local friends.
Developer/Publisher: MZ Games
Release Date: April 3, 2019
Compatible With: Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, Windows Mixed Reality
Price: $9.99
Link: Beat Miner
Paper Fire Rookie Arcade
If you have what it takes to save an entire town from destructive fire, then Paper Fire Rookie Arcade will be your perfect training tool. A VR Arcade version of the game Paperville Panic, you have access to water guns and axes to work your way through an apartment building and save the day. There are also bosses, however, so you have to be on your toes at all times!
Fitness Potential
Paper Fire Rookie Arcade is kind of a first-person shooter, as you aim your water weapons around and take down baddies. However, with the axe-swinging mechanic, you can also get an arm workout. You’ll have to work quickly to get the fastest time. Levels will only take a few minutes each to play, so it’s ideal for shorter sessions in between large workouts.
Developer/Publisher: Ultimerse
Release Date: April 1, 2019
Compatible With: Oculus Rift, HTC Vive
Price: $6.99
Link: Paper Fire Rookie Arcade
Bow to Blood: Last Captain Standing
Do you have the skills to become the champion of a death-filled reality show? In Bow to Blood: Last Champion Standing, the alternative is your demise. You control an airship and must pilot it across the arena, taking out enemies you see with your weapons along the way. Your ship can be customized, and you have access to a crew to complete tasks as you attempt to stay alive.
Fitness Potential
There are several moving parts to Bow to Blood, but when you get involved in combat, you’ll have to quickly aim your tracked motion controllers to shoot at enemies near and far. The game is randomized, so your opponents will always be different. This will force you to change up your moves, and a hard difficulty is also included.
Developer/Publisher: Tribetoy
Release Date: April 3, 2019
Compatible With: Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, PlayStation VR
Price: $17.99 to $19.99
Link: Bow to Blood: Last Captain Standing
Real Al’s Humanity Academy
Some might not feel like they’re themselves on occasion, but others are literally inhuman robots pretending to be people. In Real Al’s Humanity Academy, you need to master the art of being human by completing a series of bizarre and wacky mini-games. These vary from completing heists to searching through floating numbers, and an unlockable “endless” mode lets you compete against your friends’ scores.
Fitness Potential
The mini-games vary wildly in Real Al’s Humanity Academy, but most of them are using the tracked motion controllers to do something physical. This might be quickly sifting through objects or swinging a small racquet, or just stuffing gold bars into your bag before making a getaway. Regardless, you have to move as humanly as possible!
Developer/Publisher: Brett Moody, Keanan Pucci, Matthew Ricci/Affinity Studios LLC
Release Date: April 1
Compatible With: HTC Vive
Price: Free
Link: Real Al’s Humanity Academy
