Physical Activity and Enjoyment in Active Virtual Reality Games in Youth: Comparative Analysis of Gorilla Tag and Beat Saber

Abstract

Background: Virtual reality (VR) active gaming is growing in popularity, but little is known about physical activity during gameplay. Two popular VR games are Gorilla Tag (Another Axiom Inc) and Beat Saber (Beat Games). Little is known about physical activity during these games in youth. Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the enjoyment, intensity, and amount of physical activity while playing Gorilla Tag and Beat Saber in early adolescent youth. Methods: Sixteen participants, 13 males and 3 females with an average age of 10.7 (SD 0.34) years, played 2 VR games (Gorilla Tag and Beat Saber) in a single session. Both games followed the same procedure: a maximum of 10-minute familiarization period, 5 minutes of rest, 15 minutes of gameplay, and 10 minutes of rest. Participants wore a heart rate monitor to track heart rate reserve (%HRR) and accelerometers on the wrist and waist to monitor time in sedentary activity, light physical activity, and moderate to vigorous physical activity of the arm and whole body. The Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale-Child Version (PACES) and ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) were completed after each game. Dependent t tests compared measures between games. Results: The results revealed that average and maximum %HRR were significantly higher during Gorilla Tag than during Beat Saber, with heart rate-based physical activity intensity reaching light for Beat Saber and moderate for Gorilla Tag. Arm moderate to vigorous physical activity and whole-body moderate to vigorous physical activity and light physical activity were greater during Gorilla Tag than during Beat Saber. Arm and whole-body sedentary time were significantly lower during Gorilla Tag than during Beat Saber. Gorilla Tag and Beat Saber were rated as highly enjoyable. There were no differences between games for maximum (P=.352) or average (P=.362) RPE. Both games were rated as light intensity for average RPE (Gorilla Tag: mean 4.3, SD 1.9; Beat Saber: mean 4.7, SD 2.3) and moderate intensity for maximum RPE (Gorilla Tag: mean 5.4, SD 1.9; Beat Saber: mean 5.8, SD 2.4). Conclusions: These results suggest that Beat Saber produced light-intensity physical activity and Gorilla Tag produced light- to moderate-intensity physical activity in early adolescent youth, with both games rated as highly enjoyable.