For those wanting to experience virtual reality but don't know what VR headgear to purchase, one can start with the very basic of them all, the Google Cardboard.
A few of the best Google Cardboard VR apps are:
- ARTE 360 VR is a video VR application that let its viewers travel around the world and see many beautiful places. One can watch the L'Elisir D' Amore opera, Michangelo's Majestic Marble Mountains and Exploring Mont Blanc. One can also dive under the sea-covered ice, into the coral reefs, or with the sharks and more. ARTE 360 VR is free to download.
- YouTube also offers 360-degree videos aside from the normal videos that many are familiar with. A wide variety of immersive VR videos are available to choose from, which include a virtual tour of the Sydney Opera House, a solitary confinement cell, the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, Google's own Data Center, a roller coaster ride and a whole lot more. The YouTube app is free.
- Vrse is an app for a collection of short films that includes music videos, comedy shows, documentaries and more. This is in collaboration with Vice, Saturday Night Live, U2, The New York Times and others. The app features a binaural sound that greatly adds to a true 360-degree VR experience. So do not forget your headphones.
- GoPro VR is the app for videos taken with GoPro cameras and lets one experience the thrill and exhilaration that daredevil sports enthusiasts experience. Watch them as they do their Tahiti surfing, Skicross Word Cup Final, sand dune jumping, base jumping and more. There also other 360-degree videos that cover a lot of topics and subjects, from fashions shows to virtual tours of architectural greats. Free to try.
- Hardcode is a VR game that offers a third-person perspective and lots of bad guys to kill. It is an enjoyable game especially when friends join in, locally. It is free to download but may require in-app purchases. Also, a game controller will be needed to play the game.
- Insidious VR is a promotional material for the film, but the intense VR experience one will get from this app is non-existence. Get a chance to take a tour of the afterlife in a horrendous way, as Elise Rainier (actress Lin Shaye) shows the place. It is free to download.
- Lanterns offers an experience of a lantern festival. Though it is very basic, several flickering lanterns as they move along the river and through the air against a mountainous backdrop add a lovely effect. It is free to experience.
- Proton Pulse is good game for the Google Cardboard, a Space Pong in 3D. A three-dimensional brick breaker game that offers a feast for the eyes when the energy ball starts destroying the wall that surrounds the M.O.A.I. core. The game offers 50 levels and costs US$2.00
- Sisters is a suspense-horror game that will let one experience the feeling of an unwelcome guest. Someone or something doesn't want to be disturbed, but don't forget the headphones before starting to play the game.
- Relaxation VR is another peaceful app for the VR cardboard, especially after playing a horror game. One can visit the 12 Apostles, the limestone stack in Port Campbell National Park in Australia, the Rock Pools also in Australia, and Dream Beach in Portugal. The sightseeing can be paired with a guided Yoga Nidra meditation, in male or female voice, or very relaxing music.
There are several more VR apps available on Google Play for the cardboard viewer.
