I’m getting Switch vibes all over again!

I’m 34 years old, and been gaming since I was lucky enough to have a Spectrum ZX as a kid. From Alex Kidd built in on the Master System, playing Sonic on the MegaDrive, Mortal Kombat and Mario Kart sessions with friends on the SNES, Goldeneye tournaments on the N64, LAN parties with Unreal Tournament and Quake 3, all night Halo sessions, spending days in huge open worlds like GTA or Skyrim... as I’ve got older I’ve found myself playing fewer and fewer games (and more to the point, finishing less single player games).

As I got older, I had less time to invest in playing video games. Other hobbies like BJJ/MMA took over, and finding time to spend with my partner was a priority over sinking a few hours into exploring Fallout’s Wasteland.

When the Switch came out 2 years ago, I found myself beating games for the first time in forever. The easy “pick-up and play” style and being able to throw it in a backpack meant that I could get a quick session in on my commute, or on the sofa. The joycons meant I could play Mario Kart or Rocket League at the park with friends. My wife and I can play Snipper Clips or Keep Talking... without having to have a gaming set up in the Living room at home.

Now, with the Oculus Quest, I’m getting a similar vibe. No huge rig taking up space. No time to set up. Need to stop? Just take it off and resume instantly later. Can throw it in a bag and take with me to family/friends on the off chance we might want to use it. The screen casting and speaker mean it’s a social occasion even when only one person is in VR (we all sat around and watched a friend play Virtual Virtual Reality, shouting suggestions and laughing at the action, much like we did when The Stanley Parable came out years ago).

I know the experiences in the store at the moment are short, but I’m actually finishing games again - as I can pick up and get 15-20 mins in little pieces throughout the day, like whilst my partner gets ready for bed.

Really impressed with this headset, and though it’s not my first experience with VR (DK1 owner, and launched the UK’s first non-gaming VR experience on the Oculus in 2014), I’m very excited to see where the next few years of untethered VR take us.