Meta Quest 3: Must-Try Mixed Reality Games and Apps
Congratulations on getting your hands on the exciting new Meta Quest 3! With upgraded cameras and full color passthrough, the Quest 3 takes mixed reality to the next level. But you'll need to properly set up your playspace and tweak some settings to really take advantage of these new mixed reality capabilities.
In this post, I'll go over my recommendations for optimizing your Quest 3 for mixed reality. I'll also suggest some amazing MR games and apps to try out once you're all set up. Let's dive in!
Optimizing Your Playspace Setup
For the best mixed reality experience, you'll want to carefully set up your guardian bounds and room layout. I suggest making your guardian area slightly larger than the actual walls of your room to give yourself some wiggle room.
When setting up your playspace, be sure to carefully scan and label key furniture like tables, chairs, doors, and walls since some MR games can interact with these real objects. You can disable the guardian system for maximum freedom of movement, but keep in mind this will make passthrough video output black if you want to record gameplay. Some games also may not function properly without the guardian bounds, so I'll provide specific advice below on optimizing each experience. Additionally, having proper lighting and clearing any obstacles is important for the headset cameras to track accurately. Take your time setting up your space - a well-optimized play area pays off in more seamless and immersive mixed reality gameplay.
Taking the time to optimize your playspace pays off with more immersive mixed reality gameplay!
Must-Try Mixed Reality Games and Apps
Here are some of my top 10 picks for mixed reality games and apps that really showcase the Quest 3's capabilities:FigminXR
FigminXR is a creative toolbox that lets you build games, art, and more in mixed reality. You can decorate your actual room with virtual objects, set up physics simulations, animate 3D models, and bring in content from the web to remix. FigminXR makes it easy to be inventive with its built-in sketching, physics, and voxel editing tools. Share your MR creations or collaborate with others in multiplayer mode. It's a great way to unlock the creative potential of mixed reality.
Figmin XR is available for $19.99 on the Meta Quest store.
Noun Town
Noun Town uses mixed reality to make learning a new language more immersive and engaging. You can populate your real surroundings with virtual objects, animals, and characters while practicing vocabulary and conversations. With mini-games and unlockable rewards, Noun Town gamifies language learning and uses MR to bring lessons right into your home. It's a unique example of using mixed reality for education.
Noun Town is available for $14.99 on the Meta Quest store.
Drop Dead: The Cabin
Fend off zombies invading your actual house in the intense mixed reality survival horror of Drop Dead: The Cabin - Home Invasion update. Make sure to set up your guardian just outside walls for this one. With hordes smashing through doors and windows into your real room, Drop Dead: The Cabin uses MR to amp up the terror. Pick up virtual weapons to take out the undead hordes crawling through your living room in this uniquely thrilling MR experience.
Drop Dead: The Cabin is available for $24.99 on the Meta Quest store.
Demeo
Gather adventurers around a virtual tabletop in your own home with the mixed reality mode in Demeo. This RPG board game snaps its playable surface to your real tables and chairs, letting you reach out and interact naturally. Demeo's MR functionality makes it feel like you're playing an advanced futuristic board game as you take on dungeon crawls and boss battles. It's a great way to bring tabletop gaming into the mixed reality space.
Demeo is available for $39.99 on the Meta Quest store.
Synth Riders
Synth Riders is a rhythm VR game that gets even more immersive with its mixed reality update. As you grab flying notes and avoid obstacles, Synth Riders uses your real environment as the visualizer backdrop. Walls pulse to the beat and effects react to your motions for an electrifying MR dance experience. Make sure to have plenty of playspace for this energetic music game.
Synth Riders is available for $24.99 on the Meta Quest store.
Espire 2
Take on stealth missions that invade your own room in Espire 2's mixed reality mode. The objectives and NPC enemies adapt to your layout, taking cover behind real furniture for tactical shootouts. With its reactive environment and satisfying gunplay, Espire 2 is one of the best examples of an action MR game. Just be sure to have space cleared out for room-scale sneak gameplay.
Espire 2 is available for $29.99 on the Meta Quest store.
Coaster Mania
Construct an elaborate rollercoaster that weaves through your actual environment in Coaster Mania. This physics playground lets you build dizzying rides with vertical loops, sharp turns, and steep drops placed creatively around your room. Strapping into your own coaster creation for a first-person ride through the mixed reality course you built is a one-of-a-kind thrill.
Coaster Mania is available in early access for $9.99 in Meta's app lab.
I Expect You To Die: Home Sweet Home
I Expect You To Die: Home Sweet Home transports you into a hilarious escape room filled with puzzles that spill out into your actual living space. In this mixed reality mini-mission, you play as a secret agent who must thwart the evil plans of Dr. Zor right in your own home. Use x-ray vision to uncover hidden objects in your walls, dodge threats, and manipulate both virtual and physical items to solve challenges. With Quest's passthrough, you can see your surroundings for worry-free gameplay. I Expect You To Die's MR puzzles are a creative way to turn your home into an immersive escape room filled with spy gadgets and traps. Just be sure to have ample room to engage with the expanding puzzles.
I Expect You To Die: Home Sweet Home is available for free in the Meta Quest app lab.
BAM
BAM delivers intense multiplayer battles that transcend boundaries. This MR game lets you control a miniature robot fighter puppeteer-style. Set up the tabletop arena anywhere, adjust scale and rotation, then battle opponents through boxing, jetpacks, and third-person shooting. With vibrant arenas and pick-up-and-play controls, BAM redefines MR gaming. Challenge AI, worldwide players, or friends in the same room for instant fun. If you want an electrifying glimpse into the future of mixed reality gaming, BAM is a must-play.
BAM is available for $14.99 on the Meta Quest store.
Broken Edge
The fantasy sword dueling game Broken Edge recently added enhanced mixed reality support for Meta Quest 3. Tear open a rift in your actual living room and fight opponents with real-time fencing mechanics and magical powers. Embody unique historical fighters with distinctive weapons and martial arts styles. Block blows and break blades using realistic physics. Broken Edge's MR mode lets you fully immerse yourself in gripping swordfights without leaving your home. Customize the experience to suit your space. Whether you're a veteran swashbuckler or rookie swordsman, Broken Edge's mixed reality update brings lifelike swordplay right into your room.
Broken Edge is available for $14.99 on the Meta Quest store.
These are just a few of the many amazing mixed reality experiences unlocked by the Quest 3. Let me know your favorites in the comments!
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The Meta Quest 3 opens up incredible new mixed reality possibilities. With the right play space setup and boundary tweaks, you can dive into immersive MR games and apps that seamlessly blend physical and virtual worlds.
Have fun exploring the future of mixed reality gaming on your new Quest 3! Let me know if you have any other MR recommendations or setup tips to share.