Until recently VR was a wild initial investment requiring a beefy PC and expensive hardware but the quest came along and changed the dang game for us filthy casuals. I’m sure just like many of you out there the impact of standalone affordable VR has been quite literally life changing. So lets go on a journey together visiting these 5 Quest apps that changed my life.

I am going to start with gaming. Fumbling through the early pile of clunky smartphone VR devices like google cardboard the dream was to put myself inside an actual video game preferably from one of my favorite genres ala the first person shooter. And the first game for me that made this a reality and blew my mother flippin mind was SuperHot VR. 

Having never played the flatscreen version I really had no idea what to expect but the free quest demo opened my eyes (and maybe my heart) to what VR immersion really could feel like. Of course the environment is simple but its effect of placing you in a whole new world (hashtag aladdin) was game changing for me. After that game I have honestly stayed exclusively VR. I mean I even have a series X people and I never play it. (whats wrong with me) 

Next up lets talk about our bodies… I’m talking about fitness you freak!

Thrill of the fight brought joy to working out. I wish I knew what it was but for some reason even though you know he isn’t real you still want to knock your opponent made up of zeros and ones the mess out. 

No matter how tired you are in real life something kicks in to push you to land that big time blow to win the fight. This game has made me the most sore I have ever been after a workout and has exposed me to muscles I never knew existed in my body. (I’m talking to you teres major and minor) This game hates my shoulders.

Personally I hate endurance training exercises you know like running or whatever but with Thrill of the Fight I don’t realize that I’ve thrown 150 punches in 3 minutes without stopping because its flat out fun trying to beat up a virtual character you projected your childhood bully onto.

Bottom line if you want to lose weight and push your fitness level, this game will do it. I’ve lost weight, gained muscle and just overall feel like a healthy human from this one game. Best $9.99 i've ever spent.

Now onto our minds. A way to handle daily stress besides is to enter into a meditation app. My mindfulness app of choice is maloka. 

For one Maloka is free and inside the app you not only can take part in guided meditations and sound baths (its like a shower for your ears) but you grow your own island and spirit character.

It gamifies mindfulness, keeping you wanting to come back for more calm and leveling up your island. I won’t lie I’ve dropped into Maloka on my lunch break to help escape some early morning stress and to prepare for the rest of the day and no joke it worked! 

Pro tip if you have kids this a great way to wind down at the end of the day after they go to bed, plus your partner will be thankful for a more calm and stress free you! Even if you are wearing your headset in bed…

Life change app number 4 is the FireFox Reality Browser. It sounds silly but its true. I had heard of the term web 3.0 but I never really understood or experienced it until downloading the FireFox browser onto the quest.

 

FF reality showed me the ease of popping in and out of virtual reality. Right on the homepage everyday there are new 3D sites I could explore and fun little games to like this flappy bird recreation.

This browser also opened me eyes to the world of 3D video, more specifically 180 stereoscopic video. The 3D effect of these 180 videos really makes you feel like you are in the room. 

There is a depth in the videos that honestly I can’t describe. A great example of this is wes anderson’s special vignette from Isle of the dogs. Its truly just something you have to experience to appreciate. Web 3.0 is gonna be wild, just watch out for NFTs. Seriously

Lastly, I want to talk about connecting with other people. And no I’m not talking about Horizon rooms or VRChat, I’m talking about the hitting the links and the 18 hole putt putt battle that is walk about mini golf.

This game absolutely blew me away when I first played it. It was actually the first game I bought as a recommendation from a friend. Through Walkabout I have reconnected with friends I hadn’t seen in years and it honestly just feels like you are at a putt putt course in heaven with your friends. 

Since there is an activity with a goal the conversation just seems to flow. This game alone led to my wife buying a quest 2 so that we could have virtual date nights. 

Just two american kids in the same house but separate rooms on a date. Thats how that classic john mellencamp song goes right?

 Honestly with a toddler its hard to get out on a date but walkabout is a beautiful escape for connecting with your significant other. Heck even the bachelor can’t create a putt putt course filled with ice cream, and candy. Good luck ABC.

Well those are my 5 apps that changed my life what are yours?

Getting a new quest? Get $30 free store credit on me by using my oculus quest coupon code: https://www.oculus.com/referrals/link/QuestQuickie/