VR could make gaming more accessible than it’s ever been before.
But, in the industry’s nascent stage, it is fair to say accessibility isn’t always the top priority for some developers. Most games, for example, require two hands to play, when many could be just as easily played with one if they added some control shortcuts.
So we thought it was about time we rounded up some of the best VR experiences you can play with one hand. For the most part, these are games that simply don’t require two handed interactions rather than apps that were specifically built for one hand. Where necessary, we’ve also outlined the limitations of playing with one hand, but overall we still think these are worth a go.
Superhot – Rift/Vive/Index/Quest/PSVR
Superhot is probably about as close to a VR classic as it currently gets. Fortunately, it’s also one of the easiest VR games to play with one hand. In this first-person action game, time moves only when you do. So not only can you wield a variety of pistols, knives and projectiles with one hand, the game will also move at a pace that suits you. In fact, we wouldn’t even say this made the game any harder.
Batman: Arkham VR – Rift/Vive/Index/PSVR
The Dark Knight’s debut VR adventure remains one of the most polished and immersive VR experiences you can have nearly three years on from launch. In Arkham VR you put on the cowl and detective your way through a narrative-driven adventure. The game is much more interested in puzzles and scene-setting, with light interactions that won’t feel too unnatural if you rely on one hand. It’s about as friction-free as one-handed VR gaming gets.
Beat Saber – Rift/Vive/Index/Quest/PSVR (Not all songs/Expert only)
VR’s most popular game includes the welcome addition of a one-handed mode. You can ditch the color-coded gameplay and start swiping away at every beat in front of you. There are two drawbacks here, though. Firstly lots of the songs released since Beat Saber’s initial launch don’t support one-handed mode. More importantly, though, you can only play songs on Expert. That’s a pretty steep learning curve if you’re jumping into the game for the first time, but you can use no fail modes to help you practice.
Star Wars: Vader Immortal Episode 1 (Lightsaber Dojo Only)
Sadly Vader Immortal’s story mode requires two hands at specific points to progress. But the game’s robust wave-based combat mode can thankfully be played with one hand. 40 waves of combat await you here and, believe us, it’s no slouch. To conquer the laser-firing, sword-swinging droids you’ll need to keep your wits about you and learn how to block and retaliate with force. This is one of the most enjoyable one-handed VR experiences you can have, though you can’t remove the appearance of the second hand.
A Fisherman’s Tale – Rift/Vive/Index/PSVR
InnerspaceVR’s wonderful little puzzler is an accessible and thoughtfully paced adventure. You solve some truly mind-bending challenges by interacting with yourself in a sort of weird Russian doll VR simulator. This offers some of VR’s most amazing sights and trippy challenges, all of which can be enjoyed using one hand.
