Android Central’s Best of 2024: Best XR, Smart Glasses, and Games

Reading his extensive coverage of the world of XR and smart glasses made it much easier for me to understand how important these two categories have become in the world of Android. And especially with the big announcement that Google and Samsung will launch Android XR as a competitor to Meta Quest next year, this mixed reality space is only going to get more exciting.

For now, congratulations to Meta for the Meta Quest 3S and Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses, and for best games we have Batman: Arkham Shadow and Just Dance!

Here’s what Nick had to say.

Best XR headset or smart glasses: Meta Quest 3S

Nick Sutrich: The XR industry continued to grow in 2024, and a few devices helped attract new users, such as the Meta Quest 3S. Meta’s latest headset is our XR device of the year because it delivers unmatched value in the space, helping attract new users and giving Quest 2 users an easy upgrade path without spending a ton of money. money. It may have the lenses and screen of the Quest 2, but everything else is a massive upgrade, including the next-gen Snapdragon chipset inside.

Not only that, but Meta has included Batman: Arkham Shadow for free with every Meta Quest 3S, further enticing new users with a series they know and love. For $299, Meta somehow included almost everything that made the Quest 3 a fantastic experience, including new controllers with better haptics and full-color, high-resolution passthrough vision. This has created an explosion of fantastic mixed reality games, and it will help usher in a new wave of next-generation VR games in 2025 and beyond.

Finalist: Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses

Although these are technically released in 2023, Meta essentially relaunched the entire product category with the introduction of Meta AI tools on the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses in April. More updates rolled out in September, including live translation and other awesome multimodal AI features right from your face. Live AI and music recognition, among other features, were added just a few days ago, showing that Meta aims to keep these glasses as useful and relevant as possible.

Of course, all the basic advantages of last year’s glasses still apply. These are a relatively affordable pair of frames that support almost all types of prescriptions. I like to wear mine as a replacement for headphones more often than not, and they’re incredibly convenient for taking phone calls, taking quick photos or videos (hands-free!), or just listening and responding to messages without having to look . on your phone.

Best new single-player VR game: Batman Arkham Shadow

Nick Sutrich: This year has been a great year for VR games, but Batman: Arkham Shadow shines even among the crowded room for its excellence in game design, storytelling, voice acting, and unique gameplay mechanics that perfectly translate the experience Arkham on Meta Quest 3 headsets. Batman: Arkham Shadow wins our 2024 Single-player VR Game of the Year award.

The original Arkham Shadow story takes place between Arkham Origins and Arkham Asylum, allowing you to explore Blackgate Prison in a way never before seen in a Batman game. You’ll move from one character to another throughout the story to discover the identity of the Rat King and discover the most authentic way to feel what Batman feels: by donning the cowl, your detective badge official and a license to beat up anyone who got it. future.

Best New Multiplayer VR Game: Just Dance VR – Welcome to Dancity

Nick Sutrich: The long-awaited VR entry in the popular Just Dance series is the best way to learn the moves you’ve always wanted to do, all to your favorite songs of the day. But we’re here and we’ve been doing it for 15 years with the series, so why did it get our 2024 VR Multiplayer Game of the Year award? Because of Dancity.

Ubisoft and co-developer Soul Assembly have come up with a brilliant way to not only play and dance with friends, but also hang out with them in a spectacular “metaverse” style world called Dancity. It brings the game to life in a way that the series never has before, and it gives the game’s multiplayer component not only a unique feel, but also a cohesive experience that we just weren’t expecting. a rhythm game.