Physical Activity and Enjoyment in Active Virtual Reality Games in Youth: Comparative Analysis of Gorilla Tag and Beat Saber
Abstract BackgroundVirtual 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 the...
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JMIR Publications
2025-04-01
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| Series: | JMIR Serious Games |
| Online Access: | https://games.jmir.org/2025/1/e66593 |
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| author | Brenden Boots Daniel Berg Easton Hewitt Keith Naugle Kelly Naugle |
| author_facet | Brenden Boots Daniel Berg Easton Hewitt Keith Naugle Kelly Naugle |
| author_sort | Brenden Boots |
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Abstract
BackgroundVirtual 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.
ObjectiveThe 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.
MethodsSixteen 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
ResultsThe 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 (PP
ConclusionsThese 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. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-c71a871282244881808eb37782d87cd2 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2291-9279 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | JMIR Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | JMIR Serious Games |
| spelling | doaj-art-c71a871282244881808eb37782d87cd22025-08-20T02:26:15ZengJMIR PublicationsJMIR Serious Games2291-92792025-04-0113e66593e6659310.2196/66593Physical Activity and Enjoyment in Active Virtual Reality Games in Youth: Comparative Analysis of Gorilla Tag and Beat SaberBrenden Bootshttp://orcid.org/0009-0007-2153-8976Daniel Berghttp://orcid.org/0009-0000-3217-9381Easton Hewitthttp://orcid.org/0009-0001-1587-4785Keith Nauglehttp://orcid.org/0009-0003-7985-8682Kelly Nauglehttp://orcid.org/0000-0001-5051-5625 Abstract BackgroundVirtual 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. ObjectiveThe 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. MethodsSixteen 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 ResultsThe 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 (PP ConclusionsThese 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.https://games.jmir.org/2025/1/e66593 |
| spellingShingle | Brenden Boots Daniel Berg Easton Hewitt Keith Naugle Kelly Naugle Physical Activity and Enjoyment in Active Virtual Reality Games in Youth: Comparative Analysis of Gorilla Tag and Beat Saber JMIR Serious Games |
| title | Physical Activity and Enjoyment in Active Virtual Reality Games in Youth: Comparative Analysis of Gorilla Tag and Beat Saber |
| title_full | Physical Activity and Enjoyment in Active Virtual Reality Games in Youth: Comparative Analysis of Gorilla Tag and Beat Saber |
| title_fullStr | Physical Activity and Enjoyment in Active Virtual Reality Games in Youth: Comparative Analysis of Gorilla Tag and Beat Saber |
| title_full_unstemmed | Physical Activity and Enjoyment in Active Virtual Reality Games in Youth: Comparative Analysis of Gorilla Tag and Beat Saber |
| title_short | Physical Activity and Enjoyment in Active Virtual Reality Games in Youth: Comparative Analysis of Gorilla Tag and Beat Saber |
| title_sort | physical activity and enjoyment in active virtual reality games in youth comparative analysis of gorilla tag and beat saber |
| url | https://games.jmir.org/2025/1/e66593 |
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