The Best Sports VR Games
Some sports-themed games in VR might be exercise-focused — like Creed with its Endurance Update — while others are created purely to recreate a specific experience in VR. These games are all designed to focus on the experience rather than delivering the intensity that some sports can. Don't be fooled, though; even though these games may not focus on intensity, that doesn't mean you can't get a good workout from a few. Play these by yourself or with friends!
Eleven Table Tennis
It's seriously real table tennis
Eleven is VR table tennis for table tennis enthusiasts. That doesn't mean amateurs like myself won't have fun, though — quite the contrary, actually — as the game truly feels like a realistic representation of the actual sport. Since a paddle weighs pretty close to the same amount as an Oculus Touch controller, and a ping pong ball ways basically nothing, the vibrations from the controller felt when the ball hits the paddle feel real.
If that weren't enough, the ball moves and bounces in a way that feels wholly authentic and realistic. Despite the realism, some players might find that they need to adjust the bounciness, spin, or even the throw coefficient to fit their own personal style of play better. It's these bits of customization, complete with the realism of regular play, that makes Eleven Table Tennis stand out from the pack.
Once you've faced off against the best AI in the game — opponents that don't feel robotic or cheap in any way — you can hop online and play against your friends or random players. Just watch out, though, because even professional table tennis players agree this is the real deal, so you might just run into one of them in your online forays. Try playing it at 120Hz for an ultra-smooth, ultra-realistic feel! —Nick Sutrich
GOLF+
The ultimate Golf game, no matter what kind of golf you like.
GOLF+ includes tons of world-famous courses, including Pebble Beach, Pinehurst No. 2, and Valhalla, which will let you feel like a real professional taking on tough holes. And If that isn't enough, the Pro Putt minigolf course lets players take to a full putting course — complete with sand traps and other obstacles — to take their putting game to the next level.
But what if you're not a fan of traditional golf? That's where the Topgolf portion of the game comes in.
If you've ever been to a real-world Topgolf location, you know how much fun it can be. Grab a drink, take a seat, and shoot for the best score with friends or family and have a great night out. But what if you don't have a location near you or don't have anyone close by to play with? The Quest version of Topgolf, now renamed GOLF+, is an incredible recreation of the experience, complete with perfect 8-player multiplayer functionality and even some great hats to wear during the experience.
Just like real-world Topgolf, you'll be hitting golf balls toward a uniquely shaped target that surrounds a traditional golf pin. Play for the best score, or shoot further out to see if you can nail some huge points while still getting close to the pin. Is the experience more about playing golf or hanging out with friends? There's even a YouTube player so that you can goof around between rounds! —Nick Sutrich
NFL Pro Era II
Do you have what it takes to be a star quarterback?
When the first NFL Pro Era was released, it was the first licensed NFL game on the Quest 2, which was a big deal. Football isn't exactly one of the more popular sports to adapt to VR, especially compared to something like tennis. But rather than going the route of the Madden console games, NFL Pro Era plants you firmly in the role of quarterback.
It was a fun but flawed experience. And while NFL Pro Era II might not be perfect, it's definitely an improvement with a lot more polish than it predecessor. What players already liked about the first game is still there but there's a lot more to do. Most notably, there's a new Coach's Confidence mechanic that will let you unlock more play options as you earn confidence points with your coach during games.
More importantly, multiplayer has been properly implemented this time around. The original multiplayer minigame modes are there, but now you can challenge other players to proper head-to-head matches. It gets you one step closer to living out your NFL QB fantasies. - Nick Ransbottom
Nock
Rocket League in VR with bows instead of cars
I've spent years playing Rocket League casually with my partner, and the moment I saw the Nock trailer above, I had a gut feeling developer Normal had a winner on its hands. Turns out that feeling was right: Nock is a fantastic experience that could just as easily fit in the Exercise and Sports categories; be prepared to work yourself into a sweat and rely on teamwork and strategy to win the day.
Nock has a straightforward premise — shoot the ball into the opponent's goal while defending your own — but you'll need to master more than just aiming at a moving target while moving yourself. You'll also need to master movement through the arena and up walls, which can get tiring, as well as figure out how to properly deploy and orient block arrows.
With a ton of replay value for the low price, Nock is undoubtedly one of the best Meta Quest games you can play. —Michael Hicks
Racket Club
Clubbing on a Friday night has a whole new meaning
Never been to a real racket club? I haven't either, but I feel like I have after putting several hours into Racket Club, the made-for-VR social game that makes it easy to find other players and get an amazing social experience at the same time.
Racket Club's gameplay is a fascinating mix between Pickleball and Racquetball, giving it a unique feel among other similar types of games. The game also supports passthrough, giving you full confidence that you won't smack something in your room on accident when you're really getting in on the action.
In Racket Club, you can opt to play through a robust single-player campaign or join a truly compelling multiplayer experience. The single-player mode is great for outfitting your character with fresh gear, but it's the multiplayer club that's the meat of this experience.
When you step out of the double doors of the clubhouse and into the courtyard, you'll find players roaming around looking for partners and opponents, alike. Each area has several Racket Club courts mixed between 1v1 and 2v2 sizes. You can walk right up to a court and jump in for practice, or just walk around chatting with people already playing a game.
The social experience Racket Club creates is nothing short of magic, and it's downright cathartic to see and hear everyone else playing and having a good time while you attempt to defeat your opponent. I always say VR is best when it's social, and this is the perfect VR social experience!
Real VR Fishing
A relaxing trip without the long commute
Who wants to wake up before the crack of dawn just to drive somewhere and sit for hours at a time? Not me, that's for sure. While fishing is supposed to be a relaxing way to spend your time, it's hard to think of something less relaxing than getting out of your bed at 4 a.m. on a weekend. That's part of why Real VR Fishing is so darn good. It replicates that feeling of relaxation in environments that look incredibly real. You just won't be able to eat what you catch after you're done.
Real VR Fishing ranks among the most consistently updated games you'll find on the platform. Aside from being one of the very first games to receive big graphics upgrades on the Quest 2 when it launched, the developers have regularly updated it with new areas, new fish, new clothes to wear in the game, and all sorts of other goodies to earn while fishing.
It's also got a really fascinating in-game "tablet" of sorts that lets you browse the web, watch youtube, or even just listen to music on your favorite streaming service while you play. The multiplayer mode means you can hang with your best buds, even if they're far away, and have a great, relaxing fishing session at any time. —Nick Sutrich
Walkabout Mini Golf
Fantastical mini golf courses like you imagined in your dreams
Mini golf is all about fantastical themes, crazy course designs, and a whole lot of bantering. You'll find all of these things in Walkabout Mini Golf, the mini-golf game from mini-golf enthusiasts. Dozens of courses can be played by you and up to seven other friends. It's amazing what a round of golf can do to spur on a good conversation!
Realistic physics makes the fascinating mix of realistic and wholly unrealistic courses even more fun than you might imagine, and challenging your friends only gets crazier when you unlock night mode. Along the way, you can find hundreds of missing balls to add to your collection, unlock new putters after beating the hard courses, solve puzzles, and find treasure. You can even play mini-golf in space!
Coolest of all, Walkabout Mini Golf regularly adds new courses to freshen up the gameplay, including a Myst course with puzzles to solve and a Labyrinth course based on the classic film, among several other courses with high-profile names that you'll surely recognize. There's nothing mini about this experience!
If you really want to get into the game, pick up a HelloReal putter that's made specifically for Walkabout Mini-Golf and works with all the most popular VR golf games. It adds realistic weight to your swing, and I hate playing without it! —Nick Sutrich
