Subscribe
Customers at VArea in Mainz, Germany, use a Katwalk setup to fully immerse themselves in a virtual reality first person shooter game on Jan. 8. The gaming setup allows users to maneuver within the virtual reality environment without leaving the enclosed setup.

Customers at VArea in Mainz, Germany, use a Katwalk setup to fully immerse themselves in a virtual reality first person shooter game on Jan. 8. The gaming setup allows users to maneuver within the virtual reality environment without leaving the enclosed setup. (Aaron Knowles/Stars and Stripes)

Customers at VArea in Mainz, Germany, use a Katwalk setup to fully immerse themselves in a virtual reality first person shooter game on Jan. 8. The gaming setup allows users to maneuver within the virtual reality environment without leaving the enclosed setup.

Customers at VArea in Mainz, Germany, use a Katwalk setup to fully immerse themselves in a virtual reality first person shooter game on Jan. 8. The gaming setup allows users to maneuver within the virtual reality environment without leaving the enclosed setup. (Aaron Knowles/Stars and Stripes)

VArea, a virtual reality gaming experience located in Mainz, Germany, allows customers to experience virtual reality in different gaming environments such as these racing simulators on Jan. 8.

VArea, a virtual reality gaming experience located in Mainz, Germany, allows customers to experience virtual reality in different gaming environments such as these racing simulators on Jan. 8. (Aaron Knowles/Stars and Stripes)

VArea is a virtual reality studio in Mainz, Germany, that offers VR experiences for 13 euros per 30 minutes.

VArea is a virtual reality studio in Mainz, Germany, that offers VR experiences for 13 euros per 30 minutes. (Aaron Knowles/Stars and Stripes)

Why just take a day trip to a nearby city when you can enter a whole new reality?

VArea, pronounced Vee-are-eya, is a virtual reality gaming studio in the city of Mainz-Weisenau, Germany, that offers a selection of more than 40 games on multiple types of VR platforms.

At 13 euros for 30 minutes, you have your choice of racing simulators while sitting in a sports car seat with a steering wheel or standing up on a VR catwalk that lets you walk in the game, as well as a room dedicated to your own VR experience without the chance of breaking a lamp or television screen.

Games even have multiplayer modes that allow you to play with friends.

With so many games to choose from, you have your choice of killing monsters, fighting zombies, racing against friends on a test track and even exploring the planet using a VR version of Google Earth.

Food is available at the front desk. I had the pizza instead of the nachos, and I was not disappointed. And it only took 15 minutes to cook the food.

Everything about VArea was a positive experience. The service included some of the most helpful people that I have met in Germany. I was changing games and platforms every 10 minutes and the staff didn’t get upset at all. They were constantly making recommendations on their most popular games and the best ways to play.

VArea offers more than just VR experiences. They have board games, PlayStation, Xbox, television games streaming online, and even foosball and air hockey tables. It is possible to spend hours at VArea and not play the same game twice.

I would highly recommend this place for a fun family experience, a group of friends or a birthday party.

knowles.aaron@stripes.com Twitter: @AKStripes

DIRECTIONS: Address: Weberstrasse 2-4, 55130 Mainz, GermanyTIMES: Monday-Thursday 1 p.m.–11 p.m., Friday 1 p.m.–2 a.m., Saturday 10 a.m.–2 a.m., Sunday 10 a.m.–11 p.m.COSTS: 13 euros for 30 minutes on any VR rigFOOD: Heavy snack-type food such as pizza and nachos is available at the front desk.INFORMATION: varea.de. Phone: 06131 4924817

Sign Up for Daily Headlines

Sign up to receive a daily email of today's top military news stories from Stars and Stripes and top news outlets from around the world.

Sign Up Now