The Oculus Quest VR headset is an accessible way to experience everything virtual reality has to offer. The self-contained system is also the very first of its kind. Most VR headsets require a PC or console for power. Although, Quest is a standalone unit — and a versatile one at that. It strikes a brilliant balance between the ability to run all of the top VR experiences without needing to connect to another device.
Additionally, setting up and managing the Oculus Quest can be done through a smartphone. Intelligent room-sensing capabilities mean you can jump in or out of VR at will — no extensive setup necessary.
What is Oculus Quest?
Meta Oculus Quest 2 is a virtual reality headset packed with hundreds of games, apps, entertainment, and experiences. It’s leading the market as one of the most accessible VR headsets currently available, thanks to its standalone functionality — no PC required (just a smart phone!).
Oculus offers highly immersive graphic experiences thanks to 1832 x 1920 resolution screens for each eye, with supported refresh rates up to 90 Hz. Oculus hopes to pave the way and become a household staple in the future of virtual reality gaming, socialization, entertainment, and more.
How does Oculus Quest 2 work?
Oculus Quest’s biggest advantage is its self-containment. You do not need to connect it to a PC to access its vast array of games and experiences. All you need to do is set it up with a smart phone to manage the Oculus from your mobile device. Make sure the headset is charged with the included cable and power supply, put a pair of AA batteries in each touch controller, and you’re ready for VR action.
The Oculus is great for travel and untethered entertainment, but you can also hook up to your PC to access exclusive titles and more.
Here are some of the most unique things you can do with your Oculus VR headset.
15 Things You Can Do With The Oculus Quest 2 VR Headset
Go rock climbing
The Climb 2 is a surprisingly strenuous rock climbing simulator for Quest. It might sound silly until you’ve tried it, but the game actually proves to be quite a challenge. Figuring out how to grab and hold onto ledges, ropes, and zip lines takes a lot patience and focus that differs from the average VR game. If you’ve ever wanted to go rock climbing, with much lower stakes, The Climb 2 is a ton of fun.
Stream TV, movies, and videos
Oculus Quest supports platforms like Netflix, YouTube, Prime, and others. Each has an exclusive app which optimizes the viewing experience. This means you can watch all of your favorite shows, movies, and videos in a distinctive new way.
Plus, apps like Bigscreen simulate a virtual living room where you can hang out with friends, watch movies, play games, stream 50+ channels of TV, and even remotely collaborate for productive purposes.
Watch a concert or sporting event
Venues by Facebook, exclusively for Oculus Quest, brings live concerts, sports, comedy shows, and more, straight to your VR headset. You can choose to be part of the action with other users in realtime, or you can opt for solo mode to have a more personal experience. The app is currently in early access, so be sure to keep an eye out for major updates and improvements along the way.
Get your body moving
Who said video games were a sedentary activity? One of the most popular uses for VR headsets like the Oculus Quest is working out. And Supernatural is applauded as one of the best workout apps for virtual reality. Featuring hundreds of trainer-led workouts set to thousands of songs, VR is an excellent way to stay in shape from the privacy of your home.
Connect with new people
One of the most amazing aspects of virtual reality is how it stages social interaction in never-before-seen ways. Online multiplayer games have existed for some time. However, they never have allowed a player to truly embody a character for the purpose of interacting with others. VRChat allows just that, hosting a huge community of gamers, content creators, musicians, artists, and anyone else seeking fun connections in a one-of-a-kind universe.
Experience a theme park
For anyone who missed the opportunity to see Stars Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland — or who just wants to avoid the crowds —Star Wars: Tales from the Galaxy’s Edge brings the magic straight to your home.
This action-adventure game puts you in the role of a droid repairperson on the outskirts of Black Spire Outpost. This is the same setting as Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland.
Relive iconic retro games
Myst debuted on Macintosh in 1993. The first-person interactive puzzle game set players on a mysterious island where they had to click and drag their way through the world, with little to no background story or direction.
Myst became a surprise hit and was the best-selling PC game until The Sims in 2002. Now, you can relive Myst in a whole new way, with modern graphics, using the Oculus VR headset.
Explore the world
Have you ever wanted to walk the Great Wall of China or visit the pyramids of Egypt? Wander teleports users anywhere in the world instantly. See the globe in vivid 3D as closely as you can without leaving the comfort of your couch.
Have a cookout with friends
One of the best multiplayer cooking games on Quest is Cook-Out. It’s an endearing experience where you and up to three friends try to assemble sandwiches as fast as you can. Set in a “cook’s cabin of a fairytale forest,” you’ll have a grill and all the fixings in front of you to prep orders for hungry customers. As levels progress, players will have to fight off ornery visitors in addition to keeping the orders moving.
Browse the web
Firefox Reality is a free app for the Oculus Quest that brings the internet to users in immersive 3D detail. Text is sharp, videos pop like never before, and all the web has to offer becomes interactive in a completely new way.
Relax and unwind
Fortunately, VR isn’t just about games and entertainment. When it’s time to relax, there are virtual experiences for that too. TRIPP is a popular guided meditation app voted the best of its kind by Men’s Health in 2020. Others like Nature Trek VR immerse you in gorgeous, serene landscapes where you can control the time of day, the weather, and even discover animals in their natural habitat.
Get creative
Virtual reality isn’t exclusively for entertainment. You can exercise your creativity with apps like Vermillion, which immerse you in painting studios complete with high-quality virtual art supplies. Likewise, you can design and create worlds entirely your own with the popular SculptrVR app. Additionally, you can experience each and every stage of making ceramics with PotteryVR. There are dozens of creative apps available for Oculus Quest when you want to challenge yourself with something different.
Link it to a PC
We love Oculus as a disconnected VR powerhouse; that just isn’t the norm (yet), and most consumers will be more than satisfied with the Quest 2’s capabilities as is — especially for the price. However, Meta didn’t include the Quest Link feature for nothing! With a separately sold cable, you can connect the Quest 2 to your gaming PC to unlock even more graphically immersive games with enhanced features and playability over the standard Quest hardware.
Experience shooters in a whole new way
Fans of shooters and FPS are intimately familiar with the thrill of an engaging combat video game. Virtual reality takes it to an entirely new level, placing you in your character’s boots and leaving you to dictate the rest. One of the most iconic FPS series of all time, Medal of Honor, has its own title available for the Meta Oculus Quest 2 — Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond. Enjoy the single-player campaign and competitive online multiplayer in more detail than ever before.
Embark on the historic Apollo 11 mission
Apollo 11 VR was a launch title on the original Oculus Rift. Completely redone for the Quest 2, this unique experience places you front row on the Apollo 11 mission. You can live the event through a combination of archival audio and video, in addition to graphic recreations of spacecraft and locations. The result is an interactive virtual reality experience that is both educational and entertaining.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Oculus most used for?
The Oculus is most often used to play virtual reality games. Although, you can use the Oculus for more practical uses such as working, studying, and lifelike or imaginative simulations.
What can you do on the Oculus for free?
There are a variety of Oculus VR games that are available for free. These include Google Earth VR, Face Your Fears, Jurassic World: Apatosaurus, and PokerStars VR.
What else do you need with the Oculus?
When you purchase the Oculus Quest box, it will come with all of the elements you need to get started. This includes In the Oculus Quest 2 Box, you will get theVR Headset, charger plug, USB C charging cable, two wireless controllers, two batteries for the controllers, and a glasses spacer.
How much is the Oculus with games?
The Oculus Quest 2 is available for purchase starting at $399.99. The Oculus with a number of preinstalled demos including Beat Saber, Creed, Journey of the Gods, Space Pirate Trainer, Sports Scramble. To receive the full game (or others), you will need to download.
Conclusion
The Oculus Quest VR headset is as versatile as it is easy to use. Far more than just another gaming rig, Quest is a platform dedicated to providing a wide range of experiences, from working out and meditating, to seeing concerts and navigating the globe.
Best of all, anyone can purchase an Oculus Quest 2 VR Headset and dive straight into the action. There is no barrier to entry in the revolutionary world of Oculus.
Max McAllister
Max McAllister is a Los Angeles-based recording/mixing engineer and blog contributor. His work has been featured on a Billboard #1 Hip-Hop Album, and he’s won a collective TEC Award in Audio Education Technology for his efforts on the Produce Like A Pro team. Outside of music, Max enjoys gaming and rooting for the Lakers.