Building a tower using tiny virtual bricks may occupy Minecraft players for hours, but now they can climb it and look down on their creation from above in 3D. The popular pixelated game can now be played on Oculus Rift.
Microsoft has previously announced the Windows 10 version of Minecraft would support Oculus, but today it has finally rolled out the Windows 10 Edition Beta update, enabling owners of the headset to play the game in virtual reality.
It’s not the first time players have been able to experience the world of Minecraft in VR, as the game was released for the Gear VR headset in April.
But the roll-out will enable owners of the Oculus headset to ride in carts and cross bridges to tremble at steep drops below, as if they were one of the blocky characters.
Windows 10 players simply have to download a bespoke launcher from the Oculus store to get the full experience of the game, according to a Mojang blog post.
The VR version of the game has been upgraded, to include better keyboard and mouse support as well as options to make it easier to turn using an Xbox One controller.
The company said: "We’ve … made all kinds of tweaks to the way you move, some super subtle, some striking – like a special turning mode which breaks up the smooth rotation of your camera into abrupt jumps.
"It looks strange in videos, but it hugely improves the experience in-game."
The graphics look crisper and smoother thanks tweaks that make use of powerful VR graphics cards, and VR settings are more customiseable than for the Gear VR launch.
If players tire of climbing pixelated mountains, exploring new regions and firing weapons, there’s a virtual living room to help "minimise the intensity of VR without breaking play," the company said.
WIRED.com's Chris Kohler tried out Minecraft for Oculus in January when he predicted kids will "flip" when they get their hands on the VR version of the game.
He rode a cart up a hill and lit torches to navigate a dungeon, writing the VR version is "everything you love about Minecraft, but now you’re living it."
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
