Synth Riders
Developer(s)	Kluge Interactive
Engine	Unity
Platform(s)	HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, Oculus Quest, Meta Quest 2, Meta Quest 3, Meta Quest Pro, Pico Neo 3, Pico 4, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PlayStation VR, PlayStation VR2, Valve Index, visionOS, Windows
Release	July 12, 2018
Genre(s)	Rhythm
Mode(s)	Single-player, Multi-player

Synth Riders is a virtual reality rhythm game developed and published by Kluge Interactive. It involves players touching spheres ('notes'), tracing lines ('rails'), and avoiding obstacles that move towards them.

Following an early access release in July 2018, the game was officially released for Steam VR and Meta Quest on May 21, 2019, and supports most virtual reality headsets including Oculus Rift, Oculus Quest, Quest 2, Quest 3 and Quest Pro, PlayStation VR, PlayStation VR2, HTC Vive, Pico 4, Valve Index and Apple Vision Pro.

Gameplay

The game is designed for virtual reality headsets and requires at least one motion controller on all platforms except for Apple Vision Pro, which utilizes hand tracking. Players have access to a selection of music tracks, each of which can be played at different difficulty levels. Additionally, players can choose from a range of virtual environments known as 'Stages', which can be paired with any song. Alternatively, they may opt for one of the 'Experiences'- visual animations inspired by and synchronized with specific songs. ^[1] Upon selecting a song, notes and rails appear and move towards the player who must match the correct colored hand to the object. Aside of the regular objects there are also special sections attracting bonus points. These are either gold objects, which must be played with both hands, or green objects, where the player must use the hand first used to complete all objects in that section. ^[2] Additionally, players need to navigate around obstacles that occasionally appear in the game, which can be accomplished through ducking or dodging to the sides. ^[3]

Development

Synth Riders's development started in 2016, when Kluge Interactive began experimenting with VR technology. ^[4] It was conceived by creative director Abraham Aguero, who collaborated with another developer, Jhean Ceballos, in designing and building the game. ^[5] The concept took shape through a series of prototypes, and it made its debut on July 12, 2018 as an early access title on Steam. After the release, Aguero listened to community feedback as the game underwent successive updates. Reflecting on the initial years, he mentioned, "The first two years were pretty much me watching people play on Twitch for hours. I'd jump into their stream, hearing their feedback, asking them questions." ^[4]

The game left Steam early access and was released for Steam VR and Meta Quest on May 21, 2019. In the following years, the game was expanded through the addition of new gameplay modes. Major updates included cross-platform multiplayer, ^[6] Spin Mode, ^[7] Spiral Mode, ^[8] and Mixed Reality Mode. ^[9] Aguero claims that part of the team's strategy involves porting Synth Riders "everywhere we can". ^[4]

Mixed reality features for visionOS became available through Apple Arcade with the release of the Apple Vision Pro headset on February 2, 2024. ^[10]

Song packs

Base game

Paid DLC

Reception

Synth Riders received "generally favorable" reviews according to Metacritic. ^[35]

The game was featured by Forbes in their list of The Top 50 VR Games of 2019. ^[36] In 2020, The Guardian acknowledged the fitness aspect of the game, placing it among the top 10 VR fitness apps, calling it "Joyful, even if you look ridiculous to onlookers." ^[37] Push Square appreciated the ability to personalize gameplay according to one's preferences. As they noted, "The game is also a very malleable one, with an almost overwhelming number of modifiers and settings to play around with." ^[38]

Awards

References