The selection has grown significantly since we first assembled this list in early 2015, so we’ve exped improved our picks. ether you want games, 3D video content, or other fun curiosities to dig into, these apps should amuse you for some time. And nearly all of them are free, to boot. (Remember: the split left/right images merge into one 3D experience when you use the headset.) The Earth demo is especially neat, although very lo-fi: you can fly around cities, which are roughly rendered have flickering textures, making it unintentionally dreamlike. Tour Guide lets you view Versailles with narration, Exhibit shows off cultural artifacts that you can see from all over, plus you can view any videos or photospheres you have saved locally. Cardboard (Free) It’s kind of amazing, given how speedy straightforward the process is, plus you can add a little bit of narration or background noise for atmosphere. Imagine capturing an immersive look at an old home before moving, a beautiful vacation locale, or an event you never want to forget—simply fire up Cardboard Camera relive it all over again whenever you please. Cardboard Camera (Free) And the app has added a fair bit more since being one of the earliest Cardboard stouts: there’s a mini-documentary about a Syrian refugee camp, a VICE News doc about the Millions h in New York City, U2 Muse music videos, more. l of it is free, too. VRSE (Free) It’s a simple concept, but for a game that relies entirely on head movements, it’s a lot of fun. Credit that in part to the super crisp, vibrant graphics, which expertly depict the depth of each stage really show the benefit of gaming in VR. But mainly, oton lse is just a classic, tried–true gaming premise that’s smartly tuned for headset play. And it’s a blast. oton lse ($1.99) You’ll find a hful of clips inspired from the film, including sights of rolling droid BB-8 the Millennium Falcon, all viewable in 360 degrees by looking all around you. They’re very short don’t really serve an important narrative purpose within the film or universe, but it’s a neat way for fans to get a first taste of Star rs in VR. Star rs (Free) ed, only supported videos have the free-look depth, it’s a rather select few videos that are compatible at this time. But there’s really interesting stuff on there, the list is only going to exp— anything that isn’t specially encoded can still be viewed in Cardboard via a digital wall projected into your makeshift headset. YouTube (Free) For example, you’ll see the ris vigil to the November 2015 terrorist attacks that gripped the city, as citizens describe why they visited; or follow three refugee children in a documentary about the worldwide crisis. It’s not always “fun” subject matter, like most VR stuff tends to be; but with content this powerful, you won’t want to look away. NYT VR (Free) It’s easy to see why it makes for an engaging VR experience, it truly is effortlessly entertaining. You don’t have to tap anything or use a controller: it’s all about subtly shifting your gaze as you fall, which you’ll do to avoid smashing into buildings or try to rack up a chain of score boosts. It looks great, it’s a lot of fun, it’ll also test your balance if you opt to play sting up. Bonus! Caaaaardboard ($2.99) The pulsing, slightly haunting music adds drama to this quick quest, which looks great helps you not only learn about the configuration of the solar system, but also the comparative sizes of each planet /or moon. You can even purchase optional narration, if you please, which can only make this star cruise even more appealing. Titans of Space (Free) The sights are often spectacular, whether it’s exploring Yosemite, scoping out the Miniatur nderl model railway in Germany, or viewing other famous familiar sights from all around the world. You can even share your own photo sphere captured in the moment, check out other user creations around the map. Street View (Free) And the locations help make the performances memorable. ite his b perform “Dead aves the Dirty Ground” in the outdoors Red Rocks Amphitheatre while a thunderstorm pummels the stage, with lightning in the background ite even slipping falling in the rain. The other songs were shot at Fenway rk in Boston, which itself proves a majestic setting to look around freely while lights flash raucous music plays. ck ite: THIRD-D (Free) Visually, it’s the best thing I’ve played on Cardboard: everything moves fluidly, with lots of effects pulsing lights hooking you into the world. There isn’t much to the gameplay here, however, as you’re simply staring at threats to shoot them out of space— even then, it didn’t feel like the shots always came when I expected them to. But it’s an enrapturing demo that I’ll play again again until the full version eventually releases. Vanguard V (Free) ile surely much less creative immersive, it’s still really neat to see 3D paintings come to life in front of you have the ability to view them from any angle. For now, the viewer app just has examples, but it looks like you’ll be able to tap into online galleries for user-created works once the Vive is released. Tilt Brush Gallery (Free) It’s designed to freak you out, you better believe that having a headset on your face amplifies the effect—even when you’re expecting an eerie surprise. Based on how effective Sisters is, you can bet that the ay Store will have many more lightly interactive VR scare sessions like this in the future. Sisters (Free) r of rds builds a small scene around “The Kiss,” a Siegfried Sassoon poem written during rld r I, acts out the floating text’s grim subject with a rifle a few soldier silhouettes. tching the bullet whiz from the chamber to its target as you spin around helps drive home the message in a very visible way, the app shows a lot of promise for what could be done with more elaborate works. r of rds VR (Free)
