Do you want to experience an enhanced reality that you couldn’t otherwise live? Here are the best virtual reality experiences featuring the Oculus Rift, Samsung Gear VR, and HTC Vive. These 17 VR experiences are among the coolest you’ll definitely want to try!
1 – Fly! Be Free!
The exhilaration of flying like a bird has fascinated humanity for centuries. Now, with virtual reality, you can experience the thrill of flight like never before. Among the best virtual reality experiences is Birdly, developed by Zurich University’s Interaction Design Program. This unique setup goes beyond the typical VR headset by allowing users to simulate a bird’s flight posture. Lying on a padded, cross-shaped apparatus, users wear a headset and control their “wings” through the device’s flaps. The hydraulic mechanism tips forward or back to match the virtual flight’s movements, while a fan adjusts speed based on your flying speed. It’s one of the most immersive VR experiences available today.
Birdly has been showcased worldwide, at events like the Sundance Film Festival, allowing the general public to experience flight. Keep an eye out for when Birdly might come to a location near you!
2 – Go Extreme Mountain Biking
If you’re seeking adrenaline, extreme mountain biking in virtual reality is one of the best virtual reality experiences to try. By hopping on a stationary bike and wearing a VR headset, you can simulate the thrill of downhill mountain biking. For this setup, you’ll need a stationary bike compatible with VR software, a high-end VR headset like the Oculus Rift, and an extreme mountain biking app.
Two great bikes for this experience are the Ebove B1 by Activetainment, designed for VR with realistic tilting movements, and the more affordable VirZOOM, which works with PS4 and PC. Pair these with apps like MTB Freeride or Widerun, and you’ll be on your way to a virtual biking adventure!
3 – Fly a Virtual World War II Fighting Plane
For those fascinated by aviation, flying a virtual World War II fighter plane is among the best virtual reality experiences. With the right hardware and an Oculus Rift, you can enjoy lifelike flight combat simulations that go beyond any arcade game. One popular choice is War Thunder, which natively supports the Oculus Rift and provides a 360-degree head-tracked experience. To complete the setup, consider a flight stick like the $2,000 MaxFighter Extreme or the budget-friendly $33 Extreme 3D Pro Joystick.
4 – Life-like Shooter Games
If shooter games are your preference, VR can take them to the next level. Games like Bullet Train from Epic Games and Zombie Shooter offer some of the best virtual reality experiences in the shooter genre. With VR, you can feel haptic feedback from different weapons and look around freely in a 360-degree environment, making these games incredibly immersive.
5 – Ride Real-Life Roller Coasters
Experience the thrill of a theme park from your living room with VR roller coaster simulations. No Limits 2 allows users to ride virtual roller coasters, offering one of the best virtual reality experiences for thrill-seekers. Compatible with the Oculus Rift, this game lets you choose from various coasters and even build your own.
6 – Virtually Visit College Campuses
Exploring college campuses without the travel is now possible, thanks to virtual reality. Youvisit offers virtual tours of thousands of international colleges and universities, allowing users to walk around and enter buildings using an Oculus Rift or Google Cardboard. It’s a practical application of VR, making it one of the best virtual reality experiences for prospective students.
7 – Volvo HoloLens Showroom
Step into the future with Volvo’s HoloLens Showroom. Using a HoloLens headset, potential car buyers can interact with a holographic car, adding or changing features as desired. This mixed-reality experience allows users to visualize cars in a way that wasn’t possible before, making it one of the best virtual reality experiences in the automotive industry.
8 – Visualize a Home or Building Before It’s Built
For architects and home buyers, visualizing a building before construction is one of the best virtual reality experiences. Companies like Arch Virtual create immersive VR applications using digital blueprints, allowing users to explore and examine spaces before they exist physically. This technology has been used for projects like the Sacramento Kings Arena, showcasing the potential of VR in architecture and real estate.
9 – Visit Virtual Real Estate
VR also offers practical applications in real estate. Platforms like VR Global and Youvisit.com allow prospective buyers to tour homes virtually using Oculus or Samsung Gear VR headsets. This technology makes house hunting more efficient, making it one of the best virtual reality experiences for real estate.
10 – Switch Genders and Enter Someone Else’s Body
The Machine to Be Another project from BeAnotherLab offers one of the most unique virtual reality experiences by allowing users to switch genders or enter someone else’s body. Using Oculus Rift, participants can see through the eyes of another, promoting empathy and understanding. This experimental use of VR is undoubtedly one of the best virtual reality experiences for those looking to explore new perspectives.
11 – Create 3D Art Like Never Before
With VR, artists can create in ways never imagined before. Tilt Brush, compatible with HTC Vive, lets users paint in a 3D space, offering one of the best virtual reality experiences for creatives. From realistic to abstract art, the possibilities are endless.
12 – Skydiving!
Skydiving simulators in VR, like Volo Airsport for Oculus Rift, offer the thrill of jumping out of a plane without the risk. These simulations provide one of the best virtual reality experiences for adrenaline junkies who want to experience the sensation of freefall.
13 – The Surreal World of the Cirque du Soleil
With Samsung Gear VR and the Cirque du Soleil Kurios app, you can virtually be onstage for a performance of Cirque du Soleil. This immersive experience surrounds you with performers and fantastical creatures, making it one of the best virtual reality experiences for fans of live performances.
14 – Watch a Movie on a 60-Foot Screen
For a unique movie-watching experience, try using Samsung Gear VR to project movies onto a massive screen with Netflix in VR. This virtual theater experience, known as The Void, gives the illusion of watching films on a giant screen, offering one of the best virtual reality experiences for cinephiles.
15 – Virtual Racing
For racing enthusiasts, games like Project Cars and Assetto Corsa provide some of the best virtual reality experiences. These games offer realistic graphics and intense racing action, making you feel like you’re on the track.
16 – Virtual Off-Road Experience
Get up close and personal with treacherous terrains in a virtual off-road experience. Using the YouTube app or Cardboard, visit the Nitto Tire YouTube page for a VR ride with Shannon Campbell. It’s one of the best virtual reality experiences for those who love adventure.
17 – Hit the Waves While Surfing in Tahiti
Surfing is another activity perfectly suited for VR. GoPro offers a Facebook-enabled virtual surf experience that immerses you in the waves of Tahiti. This experience is among the best virtual reality experiences for those who love the ocean.
