If you’ve been wondering why everyone’s been talking about some sort of Disney McDonald’s sauce for the past few weeks the answer is: Rick and Morty. Justin Roiland’s cartoon series brilliantly mashes up high-concept sci-fi with lowbrow humor to create an Internet-breaking phenomenon.
Next week, the franchise is getting its very own VR video game in the form of Virtual Rick-ality from Owlchemy Labs — our winner for breakout VR studio in 2016 and the creators of the beloved Job Simulator. Owlchemy has an incredible knack for making the simple delightful in VR and we can’t wait to see what they do with Justin Roiland’s mind-bending franchise.
We’re only days away from Virtual Rick-Ality’s release and that should be just enough time for those who have never seen the series to watch it through a few dozen times. Or, if you have those things some people call “responsibilities” we’ve gone ahead and compiled a list of the five best Rick and Morty Episodes featuring virtual reality themes or concepts.
Check it out or — burp — don’t we couldn’t — urrrb — care less (I actually worked very hard on this please read it. I’m just trying to be a Rick but I know in my heart I am a Morty. My pog collection is insane).
1 – Mortynight Run – Season 2, Episode 2
Rick and Morty venture to a galactic arcade where a game called “Roy” let’s you live out the entire life of an average carpet salesman in VR. Morty couldn’t even break 60 years. What a chump. Watching Morty try to return back to his normal life after spending over half a century in another man’s shoes is one of the series most hilarious/heartbreaking moments.
2 – M. Night Shaym-Aliens, Season 1 – Episode 4
Rick is trapped in a virtual reality simulation by a group of scamming aliens intent on learning his secrets. David Cross guest stars as the head scammer. My man!
3- Rixty Minutes – Season 1, Episode 8
Best known for its improvised, inter-dimensional television segments (Fake Doors!), this episode also features the Smith family’s use of a special headset that allows them to see their lives with different decisions. However, like most inventions Rick shares with his family, the device does more harm than good.
4 – Total Rickall – Season 2, Episode 4
There’s no VR hardware in this episode but the feelings of confused reality caused by these memory-bending alien parasites is still a good representation of the perception-altering capabilities of VR. We might get to a point in the near future where we have to carry spinning tops in our pockets to even remember we’re in VR at all.
5- The Rickshank Redemption – Season 3, Episode 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uyHp4FdPBT4
The episode that broke the internet and re-introduced us all to Szechwan sauce also features the ultimate in VR future-tech: a device that lets Rick journey inside his own brain…and others. Let’s all meet down at Shoney’s.
—
Which of these episodes is your favorite moment of Rick and Morty VR insanity? Let us know in the comments below. And check back next week for our official Virtual Rick-Ality review.
