Virtual reality is happening, whether we asked for it or not. Six Flags is getting ahead of the curve by announcing its partnership with Samsung to merge the thrill of a roller coaster with the infinite possibilities of VR. However, the combination isn't exactly seamless—yet. We had the opportunity to be some of the first people to officially try the new virtual reality-paired roller coaster, the New Revolution, at Six Flags Magic Mountain and it was honestly pretty cool. There were a few setbacks, which I'll get to shortly, but overall the ride is an obvious move in the right direction when it comes to practical applications of VR technology.
It's a pretty simple setup—until you add long lines, obnoxious teens and Valley heat to the mix—where park patrons put on a Samsung VR headset as they get on the ride. The scene that plays out before your eyes is from the first person perspective of a fighter pilot soaring through the sky and protecting a nondescript city from an alien invasion. The graphics are, well, they're pretty dated. That was kind of a disappointment, but one which can mostly be forgiven once the roller coaster starts and all of a sudden the drops, turns and loops of the coaster are matched perfectly with the 360 virtual environment.
There are some definite kinks that will need to be worked out though, for example, my headset didn’t work on my first ride, so while my body dropped, turned and looped, my eyes just saw the inside of an airplane hanger. It’s also a little hard to think about putting on that head gear in 90+ degree weather. Even though each one is sanitized after use, I can’t imagine not having at least a little bit of my skin crawling at the thought of who was sweating in it before me. All-in-all though, I think this a big moment for VR and a clear sign that we have a lot of great innovation to look forward to as the technology starts to hit the consumer market.
