Virtual reality was made with the idea of taking you somewhere you can’t physically go yourself. With games like Vacation Simulator, Job Simulator, Virtual Virtual Reality, and many more, this idea is very prominent. For able-bodied people, this is a great escape to another reality with another able body. For those with physical limitations, this altered reality may not be an option.
In this piece, we will be talking to and for the people that are limited to one arm they can use inside of virtual reality. For various reasons, there are going to be people that at are limited to using only one controller while they virtually explore. As virtual reality grows, so will the audience. Along with that comes physical limitations. We are aware and sensitive to that, so we have made a guide to the best games and experiences that you can have with you headset, all while only using one controller. If you are curious about the gameplay of a popular game with one controller, check out the games below. We will cover as many popular games as we can.
Beat Saber – Yes
Beat Saber was very smart into their approach of this game. With the popularity of the game growing each day, they knew they were going to reach a wide array of people. Beat Saber actually has an entire setup for people that will using be one controller. This can be seen by selecting songs that have the man dancing with only one lightsaber. Although the only option is expert, I’ve found it relatively easy and enjoyable to play this game with one hand. Here is some game play to show you what it will look like.
Super Hot – Yes
Super Hot has been stapled in the gaming industry for some time now, and VR is no exception. Super Hot VR is incredibly fun, and shouldn’t be limited to people with 2 accessible controllers. As seen in the gameplay below, playing this game with only one hand is great. The physics work great regardless of which hand your using, and the sensors on the Quest didn’t freak out when the controller was behind my back. This game feels very natural with one hand and is something I could go back to with only one controller.
Creed: Rise To Glory – No
With this game, I started by leaving my Quest controller on the desk in front of me. Adonis didn’t like that, as his arm looked like a beefed up version of Elastic-girl. I had to at least hold the other controller to start the game. After that, getting into the fight with one hand was simple enough, as any selection screen should be. Once you get into the fight with one hand, you’re faced with some difficulties. The tracking on the right hand seems to be off because the sensors are so focused on finding the left hand. Because of that, I was unable to land any real punches or even defend myself. This lead to me being knocked off balance, which requires you to put two hands up to regain balance. A big problem there. Once you are on the ground, it requires you to run with both hands to get back on your feet. Overall, this game is not suitable for playing with one hand.
Robo Recall: Unplugged – Yes
Off of first thought, I thought this game would be pretty hard to play with only one hand. When I had played it before, the constant use of both hands felt necessary. I was completely wrong. From putting the headset on to fighting off all of the robots, I never once experienced something that I needed to do when I was forced to use both hands. Grabbing guns from my left project was very simple and I did not experience any problems when my primary gun would run out of ammo. It was not nearly as challenging as I though it would be, and I was pleasantly surprised. The only thing that the gameplay is possible of but I couldn’t do with one hand was rip the robots apart. When you’re very close to them, it will urge to you to reach out for the recalled robots and tear them down. Shooting them also works very well and it just as satisfying.
Bait!- No
In this relaxing fishing game, you are going to have to complete the tutorial before you advance to any real gameplay. In this tutorial you will be prompted to throw the bait into the water with your fishing rod, and releasing it all with one hand. So far so good. After you catch the fish though, you will need house your free hand to real the fish in, and then grab the fish. Completing this has with my left hand behind my back was not possible. This is not a game I recommended to anyone that will be playing with one controller. Bait, although it seems easy, fun, and relaxing, will require both controllers to play on the Oculus Quest or Rift. The Oculus Go features one controller, there this game was easy to play on the Go.
Swords of Gargantua – Yes
This game is a perfect fit for anyone that is limited to using one controller. When I was personally playing this game without this piece in mind, I found it easier to only use one hand. The trackers on the Quest are not powerful enough to track two flying arms while they’re both dealing some crazy weapons. Using one hand in this game felt very easy and natural, and is something I would recommend to anyone playing this game.
Vader Immortal: Episode 1 – Yes
On this game you truly feel like a Jedi for the majority of the hour long game play. You will be able to play with one hand for the campaign mode, although it may be a little harder to fend off enemies. you won’t face any gameplay issues though. For the training and robot mode, one hand is all you will ever need for the game. You need to be able to spin around and swing your saber, but all of that will only require you to be wielding one controller the whole time.
This list will be updated as we play more games with this ability. Check back often for more games that have been reviewed.
