I don’t know how successful it’ll be at furthering the proliferation of portable virtual reality, but if you’re one of those who are interested in picking up the Samsung Gear VR then Oculus has been working hard to create something to pique your interest.
It’s basically a virtual arcade space called Oculus Arcade, and it’s available now for those looking for content to consume with the Samsung Gear VR. The Gear VR is the Oculus-built VR tool for Samsung phones, although Samsung’s Australian site only appears to be selling the Innovator edition for the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge right now.
In any case, that hasn’t stopped Oculus from putting together some VR content for the international launch of the Gear VR. There’s a string of different games, including something involving Adventure Time, but the one that caught my eye was the Oculus Arcade. “In a throwback to old-school gaming, you can now play more than 20 classic games like Pac-Man, Sonic the Hedgehog, and Gauntlet in a virtual arcade,” Oculus wrote on their website.
The full list of games is as follows:
Altered Beast (1988)
APB (1987)
Defender (1981)
Ecco the Dolphin (1992)
Galaga (1981)
Gauntlet (1985)
Gauntlet II (1986)
Golden Axe (1989)
Joust (1982)
Pacman (1980)
Phantasy Star II (1989)
Rampage (1986)
Root Beer Tapper (1983)
Shinobi III (1993)
Sonic the Hedgehog (1991)
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (1992)
Sonic Spinball (1993)
Spy Hunter (1983)
Streets of Rage (1991)
Streets of Rage 2 (1992)
Virtua Fighter 2 (1994)
You’ll be able to play each game for 20 minutes before the arcade asks you to pay per cabinet. The Oculus Arcade is available now, so once you get your hands on what will probably be the cheapest version of Oculus’s technology, you’ll be able to enjoy some coin-op classics straight away.
Comments
12 responses to “Oculus Wants You To Play Ecco The Dolphin, Pac-Man And Sonic In A VR Arcade”
It would be awesome if you were standing at a proper joystick, but how do they envision you controlling it?
That was my first thought, too. I think they intend you to use this? http://www.samsung.com/au/consumer/mobile-phone/mobile-phone/accessories/EI-GP20HNBEGWW
My second thought was a VR MAME that would allow you to import custom cabinet skins for each game
A VR MAME would be much better. If you watch the video on http://www.roadtovr.com/oculus-arcade-beta-review-video-samsung-gear-vr-virtual-reality-arcade/ you have to pay per game.
Not really the best use of VR they really should work on VR pinball where the different perspective will actually be used.
I’d probably take a pass on this, but could definitely get on board a VR pinball table. Instead of the screen scroll just look at the ball… and the tilt mechanism wouild work great too
*Reads first few words of title* Oh my god they’re making a new Ecco the Dolphin game?
*Reads rest* Oh 🙁
… Can I just play them without the dopey gimmicks?
It would be awesome if they released a companion portable joystick like the Atari 2600’s. The one you held in one hand and controlled with the other… ah memories.
Also, isn’t Samsung’s VR hardware a direct competitor of Oculus? How is this happening?
Oculus and Samsung are working together for VR, it makes sense, the Samsung product is cheap if you already have a Samsung phone, and the Rift fills the more expensive niche and for people who don’t already own a Sammy.
However, it is starting to piss me off that Oculus are segmenting their own customer base by not sometimes making Samsung VR titles that are not also available on the Rift.
Gah, that’s bad indeed. If they are going together that far, why not make a fully-committed partnership instead of fragmenting the userbase.
Very ready player one
needs more TRON
I just want to BE pac-man, man. Chomping pills and ghosts.