Synth Riders
A VR rhythm game of spheres, rails, and obstacles.
Synth Riders is a virtual reality rhythm game developed and published by Kluge Interactive. Players touch spheres, trace lines, and avoid obstacles moving toward them. It was officially released for Steam VR and Meta Quest on May 21, 2019, following an early access launch in July 2018.
Quick Facts
- Engine
- Unity
- Genre
- Rhythm
- Developer
- Kluge Interactive
- Released
- May 21, 2019
- Modes
- Single-player, multiplayer
Facts from the source article.
Gameplay
The game requires a virtual reality headset and at least one motion controller, except on Apple Vision Pro where hand tracking is used. Players select music tracks at various difficulty levels and pair them with virtual environments called Stages or with Experiences—visual animations synchronized to specific songs. Notes and rails approach the player, who must match the correct colored hand to each object. Special sections award bonus points: gold objects require both hands, and green objects require the hand first used to complete all objects in that section. Obstacles appear and are avoided by ducking or dodging.
Development
Development began in 2016 when Kluge Interactive started experimenting with VR technology. Creative director Abraham Aguero and developer Jhean Ceballos designed and built the game through a series of prototypes. It debuted on Steam as an early access title on July 12, 2018. Aguero listened to community feedback, watching people play on Twitch and asking questions. The game left early access and released for Steam VR and Meta Quest on May 21, 2019. Major updates added cross-platform multiplayer, Spin Mode, Spiral Mode, and Mixed Reality Mode. Mixed reality features for visionOS became available through Apple Arcade with the Apple Vision Pro headset on February 2, 2024.
Reception
Synth Riders received generally favorable reviews according to Metacritic. Forbes included it in their list of The Top 50 VR Games of 2019. The Guardian placed it among the top 10 VR fitness apps in 2020, calling it joyful. Push Square noted the game's malleability, with an overwhelming number of modifiers and settings to personalize gameplay.
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