Virtual reality is a technology which is still in development, although readily available if you purchase some devices which can help you view the content you want to view in VR. there is a very good reason why it is still in development, and that is mostly due to the industry not yet being ready to move to VR. Some lighter video games can be handled by almost any device, but add any modern graphics, shadows and lighting and the hardware requirements go through the roof, so far that you would need to build another level. This is exactly one of the things which is stopping virtual reality from coming to mainstream triple A titles.
On the other hand, games like casino games can easily be handled by today’s existing VR hardware. Imagine playing bingo in an online casino, through virtual reality, the experience would be amazing. Well, since virtual bingo is not really a thing, and real bingo is, you could get an actual bingo experience with a Lucky Pants Bingo promo code, or any other promo code, if the casino is reputable.
Chess is a game which can easily be played in virtual reality. There are so many chess games which you can play in virtual reality, though they do not all have the same level of gameplay, not counting the chess mechanics. But are VR chess games the next big step in making chess more popular?
Virtual Reality Levels
There is a big difference between a fully designed virtual reality game, or one which you can just view in virtual reality and still have to play using the mouse and keyboard, or a controller for a console.
Mobile phones often offer this experience, where you can purchase a headset and view content in virtual reality. Mind you, you can view content and not actually play it using your body. To play games using your body, you need a headset with sensors and external sensors which will do the motion tracking, including head tracking (eye tracking is still in development).
This all means that unless you play a very specific chess game which offers a fully functional VR interface and you have all the gear, you can only view chess games in VR and play them using the mouse or other controller.
VR Chess Games
With the tech-talk out of the way, that leaves us with the VR chess games. Currently, one of the easiest ways of playing chess games in VR is purchasing an Oculus Rift or HTC Vive and downloading one of the games which implement chess in VR like Chess Ultra.
Chess Ultra has positive reviews on Steam and other sites, some related to chess, other to gaming.
It is a graphically stunning video game, which offers you a full VR experience, should you opt for one. It has a decent AI, at least according to avid chess players, but is also very beginner-friendly.
Besides Chess Ultra, there are no other games worth mentioning at the moment. Have that in mind if you want a VR chess experience.
