Mobile VR games can be a great way to get into VR if you’re curious.
That being said, it can oftentimes be inconvenient since most games require a controller to be playable. This can be a problem if your VR headset does not come with a controller.
That’s why today, we will discuss our top picks for the best VR games on smartphones that don’t require a controller.
Winner
Trooper 2 VR
Trooper VR 2 is a great first-person action shooter that you can easily get on your smartphone. It’s super satisfying to shoot targets and get better at aiming. Of course, the best part is that you don’t need a controller for it.
Runner Up
Snow Strike VR
Snow Strike VR is a fun and quirky little game that is super enjoyable with friends. It’s simply a snowball fight and the objective is to dodge snowballs and try to hit your opponents in order to knock them out.
Also Great
VR X-Racer
If you want to experience racing in VR but don’t have a controller, this is definitely an option worth considering. It’s a super fun game that involves you going fast and avoiding obstacles in your path.
Now that you know what our top picks are and what they’re like, let’s check them out closely to find the best one for your needs.
Best Mobile VR Games That Don’t Need a Controller For - Top 3 Reviews
#1: Best All-Around Mobile VR Game Without Controller - Trooper 2 VR Review
Trooper VR 2 is the perfect game to get if you want to enjoy a great VR experience without having to worry about a controller.
All you need in order to play this game to its fullest potential is a VR headset and a compatible Android or iOS device.
The game is available on both the Play Store as well as the App Store so you can easily get it no matter what type of smartphone you have.
Factors to Consider Before you Decide to Buy Trooper 2 VR
Price: You can get Trooper 2 VR for a very reasonable price. The price is definitely justified since the game world is not too big and the gameplay is rudimentary but fun. Hence, a cheap price is definitely reasonable.
User-Friendliness: This mobile game is super straightforward. Anyone who has ever played or seen any first-person shooter will know exactly what to do. The controls were quite clunky when the game first came out.
However, with significant patches and updates, they have become super responsive and really show off how smooth VR gaming can be.
Nausea and Motion Sickness: This is a problem that we did not have but we’ve heard several reports from other users that it does happen quite often. Many people can’t get used to the virtual world presented by Trooper 2 VR.
- Varying levels of difficult for beginners and veterans
- Budget-friendly
- User-friendly
- Purposeful visuals
- Great music
- May cause nausea for some individuals
Best All-Around Mobile VR Game Without Controller
The best all-around mobile VR game without a controller is Trooper 2 VR thanks to its immersive and intense gameplay, user-friendly controls and cheap pricing.
#2: Best Quirky Mobile VR Game Without Controller - Snow Strike VR Review
If you want something cozy and fun to play with your friends on a quiet Friday night, this game is definitely worth considering.
It puts you in the middle of a snowy landscape as you battle it out with your opponents in a snowball fight.
Obviously, the objective is to avoid getting hit and try to hit your opponents so that you can knock them out of the round.
You can play against AI and also, against other people online such as your friends or other players in the community.
Factors to Consider Before you Decide to Buy Snow Strike VR
Price: You can get Snow Strike VR for a super cheap price on the App Store or the Play Store. It’s well within the reach of most consumers out there.
User-Friendliness: The controls are super intuitive and very easy to get the hang of. Furthermore, not only are they intuitive but they are also very smooth to use and don’t feel clunky at all.
Nausea and Motion Sickness: Some players may experience nausea at first but in most cases, that’s just you getting used to the particular environment. After some minutes of use, your eyes will adjust and you’ll be fine.
- Satisfying gameplay
- Fun to play with friends
- Cute, cozy atmosphere
- Intuitive controls
- Affordable
- Gameplay can get boring after a while
Best Quirky Mobile VR Game Without Controller
The best quirky mobile VR game without a controller is Snow Strike VR thanks to its intuitive gameplay, great controls and quirky, fun vibe.
#3: Best Mobile VR Racing Game Without Controller - VR X-Racer Review
Racing games are always extremely fun to experience in VR, especially when they are well-made and fun to play.
VR X-Racer is the perfect example of such a racing game, and the best thing about it is that you don’t need a controller to play it.
Not only does VR X-Racer have you racing through different types of environments, but you also have to avoid obstacles in your path as you race.
This adds another layer of complexity to the gameplay and results in a super fun virtual reality game.
Factors to Consider Before you Decide to Buy VR X-Racer
Price: The great thing about VR X-Racer is the fact that it’s a completely free racing game. You can snag this up from the App Store or Play Store right now and get started.
User-Friendliness: The controls are fairly self-explanatory as you use your head to accelerate, decelerate and turn. It may seem odd at first but your body quickly gets used to it.
Nausea and Motion Sickness: Since the controls require a ton of head movement, you may get nauseous when you first start out. However, nausea becomes negligible as your body gets used to it.
- Little to no bugs
- Free
- Intuitive controls
- Different levels to choose from
- Fun gameplay
- May cause nausea initially
Best Mobile Racing VR Game Without Controller
The best mobile racing VR game without a controller is VR X-Racer thanks to its easy-to-learn controls and enjoyable gameplay.
Buyers’ Guide
Price
The price of the game that you intend to buy is closely linked to the amount of content and replayability that it has to offer you.
If a game is highly-priced, that doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s unfairly priced. This is because sometimes, games have a high price because they have a lot of content to offer that can keep you entertained for a long time.
On the other hand, other games are super cheap because while they may be enjoyable experiences, those experiences may be quite short.
Both of these types of games are fairly priced, but of course, you must keep your budget into account when deciding what you want to buy.
In cases of games that are highly priced and also don’t have a lot of content to offer, those are the games you’d always want to avoid.
User-Friendliness
Naturally, you want a game to be fun and all of the fun is sucked out of a game if it’s clunky or annoying to play.
You don’t want to be frustrated with the controls, a buggy UI or a clunky interface. That will always be the case no matter what type of game you play.
Furthermore, when you’re in VR, the frustration gets amped up to eleven as well. It’s a lot more annoying to have to deal with technical issues when you’re in VR as opposed to if you were playing a regular game.
Hence, always check out user reviews to get an idea of what a game is like. You can also check out gameplay videos on Youtube to get a feel of what the controls will be like and whether you’d enjoy them or not.
Nausea and Motion Sickness
This is a huge problem that is difficult to gauge since it can oftentimes affect different individuals differently.
During our testing, many of the games didn’t make most of our team members nauseous except for a couple of them. This shows that the same game can sometimes be unplayable for certain individuals based on a number of factors that are difficult to measure.
Your best bet is to check out user reviews as well as gameplay footage online in order to get an idea of what the gameplay is like.
Many people even feel nauseous when they check out VR gameplay footage on Youtube. If a game’s footage is making you nauseous, there’s a high chance that playing the game will make you nauseous as well.
Fun Factor
Last but not least, of course, the game you buy has to be fun and enjoyable.
That’s the reason you buy and play games in the first place, right? If the gameplay is monotonous or annoying, you might as well just not play it and do something else.
Hence, be sure to do your research on a VR game before you buy it to ensure that you’ll have a fun time with it and not waste your money.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How does VR Gaming Work on Smartphones?
VR headsets that are designed for smartphones have a small pocket where you can place your smartphone.
Your smartphone pairs with the VR headset in order to display visuals on its screen. These visuals are then projected through the VR headsets lens and into your eyes in order to simulate a realistic, 3D environment.
Can I Play Virtual Reality Games Without a Controller?
Yes, you can definitely play VR games without a controller. However, in order to play without a controller, the game you play has to have the appropriate controls for it.
For example, some VR games absolutely need a controller in order to be playable whereas others use other inputs such as your head movement instead of inputs from a controller.
How Long Should I be in VR at a Time?
We recommend that you spend a maximum of 1 hour within VR with 15-minute breaks in between.
It’s very important that you take regular breaks when you are playing VR games.
While there are no studies that show that VR can have any long-term negative physical effects, you can develop short-term effects if you spend too much time in VR.
These effects can include nausea, motion sickness, and eye strain.
What are Some Other Great VR Games That Don’t Need a Controller?
Some other mobile VR games that don’t require a controller include:
Final Verdict
That’s it for our post on the best VR games available on the market that don’t need a controller.
We think that it all depends on what your tastes are. However, when it comes to responsiveness and the fun factor, we definitely enjoyed Trooper 2 VR the most out of all our picks.
Which VR game do you think is the best? Let us know in the comments section below.