Gadgetory

If it looks like an exercise bike, that’s because it is. Boston-based VirZoom buys its bikes from a Chinese manufacturer, and transforms them with sensors and software into a virtual reality motion controller. Positional tracking via a PlayStation Camera tracks your head movements, while the handle bars remain fixed. That means you lean left and right to change direction while moving and use triggers near your hands to interact with objects. And of course, the faster you pedal the bike, the faster you move inside the game. VirZoom is essentially the first company to try and crack locomotion in VR without wiring you up with a vest and gloves and setting you loose in a wide-open room, where you’re prone to bumping into things or run the risk of falling flat on your face. I should note that the VirZoom should be avoided if you’re prone to motion sickness. VR from the likes of Sony and Oculus is now at a point where it’s diminished many of the disorienting side effects of having a screen encapsulating your face, but the feeling of moving in VR while pedaling is an altogether different sensation that tricks the brain in unique ways. Using VirZoom in combination with PlayStation VR brought me right up against my discomfort threshold, but it never crossed it. So if you can handle reading on a bus, you can most likely handle VirZoom. That said, it’s a can be an exhilarating experience to match physical exercise with in-game play. The three mini-games I played using the VirZoom weren’t great; the graphics were sub-par and the mechanics resembled age-old arcade games. But they're perfect experiential test cases for the company’s product. I lassoed bandits while riding a horse, flew through a canyon on a winged animal, and raced at high speeds in a multiplayer car game. All the while, the feeling of touching the ground after soaring through the air and speeding up and slowing down by changing my pedal movements left me shocked at how well even low-res games can replicate the sensations of the real world. It’s also a great workout. I was sweating after the first 10 minutes, and it left me with an appreciation for Sony’s VR design, which covers your forehead with a comfortable spongy material. I could easily see the VirZoom being a more outlandish way to stay in shape for the VR enthusiast who hates going for a run. VirZoom wants developers to build better games for its platform, and it’s selling a $10 a month subscription service. The company says that gets you new games down the line and updates to current titles, as well fitness tracking information and online multiplayer. Whether developers can create more compelling titles remains to be seen. But VirZoom will be compatible with PlayStation VR, the consumer Oculus Rift and HTC’s Vive headset when the devices all launch some time next year, so it’s casting a wide net. For about $200 for the first 300 units sold and $250 at retail, the VirZoom is not exactly cheap. But for the price of about five months at the gym, you get a crazy fun way to stay in shape and play VR video games.