Skip to main content

'Racket: Nx' updates racquetball for the virtual reality generation

Racket: Nx - Demo Teaser
Developer One Hamsa aims to take racquetball to the next level with Racket: Nx, a room-scale virtual reality game for HTC Vive headsets that adds a unique target-tracking twist to traditional handball.

By merging racquet-based sports with brick-breaking arcade classics like Breakout and Arkanoid, Racket: Nx challenges players to break shifting targets using a virtual tennis ball that they aim using timed swings of a motion-sensing controller.

Initially pitched as a demo application for audio tools developer Waves, Racket: Nx has since transformed into a fully featured VR experience in which players face a virtual wall full of breakable tiles. Depending on the game mode chosen, these tiles may move unpredictably throughout each round, making gameplay more challenging as a result.

Equipped only with a virtual handball set, players must break all tiles within each round in order to proceed. Modeled after real-world handball spaces, Racket: Nx features realistic physics throughout, and players can expect to work up a sweat as they track targets and chase bouncing balls in the game’s virtual world.

Developer One Hamsa tells Road to VR that Racket: Nx will include multiple play modes, and notes that gameplay will incorporate positional audio. Some modes feature tiles that emit specific tones when struck, and players must develop keen auditory senses in order to break bricks in specified sequences.

Players won’t see all that Racket: Nx has to offer right away, however. The game will see a slow trickle of content introduced as part of an upcoming Early Access launch, and a demo premiering this week offers up an “Infinite Training” mode that allows players to get acquainted with the game’s handball-inspired mechanics while aiming for top scores.

A demo version of Racket: Nx will hit Steam on August 17, and an Early Access release is slated for later this year.

Editors' Recommendations

Danny Cowan
Danny’s passion for video games was ignited upon his first encounter with Nintendo’s Duck Hunt, and years later, he still…
The most common HTC Vive problems, and how to fix them
amazon prime day htc vive cosmos vr deal

Virtual reality (VC) headsets are all the rage these days. They offer a more immersive experience to the gaming world and the chance to move around -- if everything's working properly. HTC's latest Vive headsets, including the impressive Cosmos and new Vive Pro 2, are more stable than ever, but sometimes things can still go wrong. 

From “headset not found” errors to pairing issues, we’ll cover common HTC Vive problems users face. Then, we’ll suggest possible fixes and provide step-by-step instructions on how to address the issues you might encounter with your HTC Vive.
Issues presented with an error code
(Error 108) Headset not found
There are a couple of ways this error can manifest, either as an error message (error 108) or blinking red light on the headset. This is usually the result of either a USB or a driver issue.

Read more
Everything HTC announced at ViveCon 2021: Vive Focus 3 and Vive Pro 2
everything htc announced at vivecon 2021 vive focus 3 vice pro 2

HTC took to its ViveCon virtual reality conference to announce two new VR headsets that cater to professional and enterprise needs. From the stand-alone Vive Focus 3 to the PC-based HTC Vive Pro 2, HTC VR owners will benefit from some big upgrades this year.

The company cited PwC's research, which predicts that VR and AR will add more than $1.4 trillion to the global economy by 2030 in highlighting the importance of virtual reality. At stake is the creation of hundreds of thousands of new jobs across every sector and industry, HTC said.

Read more
How to watch HTC’s ViveCon today, the ‘most important VR event of the year’
htc vivecon vr headsets 2021 vive air leak

HTC has been teasing that multiple new virtual reality headsets could be launching at ViveCon, the company's VR conference, this year. Slated to take place virtually this year on May 11, HTC had announced its plan to "[unveil] game-changing VR headsets, software, and platforms to take your experience to another level" at the show. Depending on what's announced, these new VR headsets sound like they could replace a number of options that are currently considered the best VR headsets you can buy.

While ViveCon is expected to be an enterprise-specific conference this year, those following the augmented, virtual, and mixed reality market could see how HTC is advancing the segment with its latest wares and platform to foster more innovation in the VR space.
How to watch ViveCon 2021 live stream

Read more