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LAS VEGAS — With the help of virtual reality, you don't need to travel to a theme park to feel the thrill of a roller coaster.
While VR roller-coaster rides aren't entirely new — Google's cardboard VR and other devices also offer roller-coaster simulations — the decision by Samsung to marry the 360-degree visuals to a 4-D theater demonstrated the real potential of the technology.
Samsung Galaxy Studio is showing off its Gear VR Theater at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, which started Wednesday and runs through Saturday. On the first day alone, about 2,000 CES attendees buckled into the theater's seats for the virtual reality experience, according to Samsung.
Just rode a #VirtualReality ROLLER COASTER with #GalaxyStudioCES! Hands down coolest part of #CES so far pic.twitter.com/iUav6hx96v
— Natalie Crofts (@njcrofts) January 7, 2016
Participants strapped on the Gear VR and immediately found themselves in an alternate reality. At any point during the roller-coaster ride, they could turn their head to view fake passengers next to them and views of an imaginary park.
The movement of the 4-D chairs was perfectly timed to the roller-coaster video, making the twists and turns feel real. The only thing missing was wind.
In addition to the roller coaster, Samsung also demonstrated "Horror Maze" and "Surfing in Tahiti" simulations in its theater at CES.
Samsung's Gear VR can be purchased from retailers like Amazon for $99.99 and works with Samsung smartphones. Unfortunately, it does not come with 4-D seats.
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