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Motorbike could be the first 'Angry Birds' of VR

Motorbike could be the first 'Angry Birds' of VR

When I was a kid, I loved Hot Wheels. I would spend hours setting up tracks around the house and rolling the cars down them. There was something oh so satisfying about getting the cars moving fast enough to actually make it through the ‘loopty-loops’ (yes, this is what I called them as a kid). As an adult the Hot Wheels and tracks are long gone but the desire for quick, simple, pointless fun still exists.

Ever since I got my DK2 I have been voraciously devouring as many demos as I possibly can (although I am limited at the moment by my older MacBook) and have loved every second of it. But there is one game that has pulled me back slightly more than the rest so far, if only because its so easy to pick up and play for ten minutes; and that game is MotorBike.

Motorbike-VR

Produced by baKno games, Motorbike is a casual game that puts you in control of a motorcycle rider from a third person perspective. For me, this is a perspective utilized by far too few games, being able to look down the track, lean in and examine obstacles ahead, it gave the game a really fun, playset-like feel that was completely unique to the VR experience. This effect is also complemented by fantastically vibrant visuals, and great, if limited, environments to play in (fingers crossed they add a level on the moon with different gravity) as well as offering a number of player and bike models to choose from.

motorbike-vr-desert

Currently, you can play on over 100 pre-made tracks in the four environments (Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter) that are available. But those are just the tip of the iceberg, as an in game track creation and sharing system allows for players to build the tracks of their dreams (which is tons of fun). There is already a huge library of user created tracks that I am sure is only going to grow larger as more people try the game. In addition to all that there is also an online mode that allows you to compete against other players! (I’m always pumped to see VR being used as a social experience)

Motorbike-VR-Editor

The game plays incredibly smoothly as well, the controls are extremely simple which is great especially if you are demoing to someone who isn’t used to finding the keyboard with a Rift on. By its nature the game is one of those that you won’t necessarily grind on for hours on end – unless you’re like me and tap into your inner Hot Wheels kid with the track editor – but rather peck at and return to over and over again.

It really captured that Angry Birds-like addictiveness over short periods of time for me (although I haven’t gotten to the point where I am playing it on the toilet… yet). The sheer amount of content and potential content in this game is more than enough to keep me, and undoubtedly others, coming back over and over again.

Motorbike been one of the most fun games I’ve played on the Rift, even if it isn’t the most original (TimeRifters gets that title for me, but thats potentially another post). And apparently, I am not the only one who thinks so. Currently the game has a healthy 4.8/5 rating on Oculus Share, and has drawn rave reviews. You can download a demo of the game for Windows or Mac directly from baKno’s website, or from Oculus Share. If you love the game as much as I do, you can also purchase a full version for only $4.95.

Virtual reality has the potential to really change the world across every vertical, but sometimes its also great for escaping into something fun for a few minutes; and in today’s world, where time is so precious, there will always be a place for games like Motorbike.

 

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