Go officially bananas with the most popular Quest VR game
VR phenomenon Gorilla Tag finally gets an official full version for Meta Quest (2). The free VR game has more positive store reviews than Beat Saber.
This Christmas, there should be an unusual amount of monkey business among new Quest 2 owners. The most frequently and very positively rated quest game Gorilla Tag will get a full version on December 15.
Since February 14, 2021, players have been chasing each other through the forest in Gorilla Tag. The success is all the more remarkable since the game was only available through so-called sideloading from the unofficial Sidequest store most of the time.
Monkeying around in VR
On March 12, 2022, the free VR game received an Early Access release in Meta's Quest demo store App Lab and became a real hit. With 46,000 ratings (87%, with five out of five stars), the game is even ahead of the long-running Beat Saber (45,240 ratings, 79% highest score), which is probably the most well-known VR game in the world.
The main reason the classic catch game for up to ten participants is so popular is its eccentric, creative movement scheme with flailing arm movements. It is used for running, climbing, and jumping, and quickly gives new players tremendous muscle soreness. Buttons or joysticks can't be used for movement - each player must wildly wave their arms around.
With the VR controllers in hand, you push yourself forward with your arm movements to sprint and climb through the twisted jungle, just like on the racetrack. You also climb trees with your hands. However, for sensitive players, motion sickness could be a problem when making fast movements from the first-person perspective.
The primarily young audience also uses the title as an online meeting point. Adults should therefore be prepared for a childish soundscape. The "Return to Monke" meme may have further fueled the popularity among youngsters. No game embodies the tongue-in-cheek return to an animal-primitive environment as appropriately and immersively as the screeching forest run as a primate.
As early as December 2021, Gorilla Tag reached a record 1.5 million players. In August 2022, developer Kerestell Smith (a.k.a. Another Axiom) even counted over 4.5 total players. Meanwhile, his former solo project has grown to a team of 15 developers.
They regularly provide the virtual reality game with updates, including well-known shooter modes like Infection, Paintbrall (paintball with paint slingshots), or a hunting game mode. The game is easy to understand, but hard to master, following the classic arcade principle.
Of course, the most important updates concern cosmetic extras that finance the free-to-play game. The Oculus blog describes a "consistent rhythm of cosmetic updates and seasonal environments".
On Steam, Gorilla Tag is also available in Early Access. Thanks to cross-play support, Steam users can play together with Quest (2) players.
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