Samsung officially showed off 13 Gear VR titles at SDC 2014 last week. The titles, which varied from games to 360 video experiences, were being showcased on the second floor in the Game Zone area of the event. Eight Gear VR units were available, each housing a unique set of demos. After circling through the lines a few times, here are our first impressions. See also: SDC 2014: Samsung Gear VR ‘Innovator Edition’ to Launch in U.S. Early December Titles We Tried Titans of Space This space experience started its life on the Oculus Rift DK1 and followed to the DK2, now it's found a home on Gear VR. Titans of Space takes you on a guided trip through our solar system. The journey begins by the sun and moves out towards the edge of the planetary orbits. Looking around the environment shows the vast amount of space found between the planets. Details pop up as each planet passes by. Specifics about the diameter, volume, and additional facts appear on a screen before you. The demo is a great educational flight through our solar system that would be a fantastic experience for astronomy classes in school. Students could learn about each of the planets as they fly through space checking out what makes each of them unique. See also: Titans of Space Heading to Samsung Gear VR, Developer Highlights Challenges Faced TheBlu In theBlu, the viewer dives into the depths of the ocean to encounter fanciful creatures and learn about them. There are sharks, whales, colorful fish, and even manta rays that swim in the vibrant ecosystem that the developers at Wemo Lab have created. The stunning graphics provide a mesmerizing glimpse into the lives of a variety of sea creatures designed by their artists and animators. As the creatures surface, narration tells the story of marine life while at the same time helping to raise awareness of ocean conservation. It’s exciting to be so close to these animals that would rarely be encountered in real-life. TheBlu transports individuals into a gorgeous submersed VR world in an effort to teach people about the creatures in the ocean as they would normally be found in their own habitat, untouched by human interaction. Orcas, dolphins, and enormous whales all float by. Being next to large creatures of the deep is both exciting and a little bit frightful at the same time. The animations and designs of the animals make them look so real that it is easy to forget that you're sitting in a dry chair somewhere else. Dreamworks Movie Demo Dreamworks developers produced a quick virtual cinema sample experience seen at SDC 2014. A loading screen gave the options to watch a ‘20 Years of Dreams and Laughter’ celebration video. This put the theater viewing experience in the middle of rippling water with a large silver screen that projected up out of the ocean. Obviously this is not something that is physically possible in the real world, but it can be done with dazzling effects in VR. The other trailer on display was for the upcoming Penguins of Madagascar movie. This time the scene was on a sandy yellow beach with an inflatable, bubbly-looking screen in front. Four penguins are seen nearby who are viewing the movie as well. When peering at the black and white cuddly animals, they turn around and sometimes wave. The rotational head tracking of the Gear VR allowed for this interaction. The trailers here show that it's possible to watch movies in just about any computer generated world. That can include the beach, in a body of water, or even in space. It was nice to see that Dreamworks is stepping into virtual reality with this demo, but it would be good to see more types of interaction. James’s Legacy This adventure title is a 3rd person game that uses a Samsung bluetooth controller to move the blocky character known as James around a small planet. The animated world is very Lego-like and your view of it rotates as you move James around the planet. Moving the headset changes the view and produces menus if specific items are looked at long enough. The gameplay is a bit slow, and at times confusing, but it's an experience that seems to suit Gear VR well. It's something to try out when the headset launches, though people probably won't spend tons of time in this experience since there are other more exciting titles that will be available for Gear VR. Omega Agent The idea of strapping on a jetpack and flying away has been a fantasy for many at one point or another. However, the chances of trying one in real life is slim to none. That is at least until a person puts on a VR headset and simulates a virtual jetpack, which is exactly what the developers at Fireproof Games have done. This fun game helps achieve those dreams of flying through a city unhindered by gravity. With a controller in hand, instinct sets in. A person can shoot off into the air and perch on building above to look down. The feeling accompanied with this experience is so natural that immersion quickly kicks in. Gamers can fly around the city which is filled with enemies to blast and missions to complete. This was one of the most exhilarating experiences at SDC 2014. There was just something special about zooming from building to building with a virtual jetpack. It was so much fun that it was difficult to pull the headset off and give someone else a go. Anshar Wars Another title on display was dogfighting space battle simulation called Anshar Wars that was created by OZWE games. Spaceships are controlled by tracking one’s head, with the ship viewed in third-person. Players must defend their mothership from attacking forces. Using a Samsung gamepad gives the option for quick trigger action like shooting rapid fire missiles at incoming targets. Sudden movements allow for fast changes in directions. The experience is a blast and anyone could easily log many hours playing this game, as long as the Note 4 doesn’t overheat or the battery gives out. Anshar Wars was probably my favorite out of all the titles seen at SDC 2014. The controls were fluid enough that the spaceship that I was in would change directions really quickly. It's a blast and definitely recommended. Continue Reading on Page 2... Marvel: Avengers' Tower – Tony Stark’s Lab As a part of a partnership with Age of Ultron, Gear VR users can gain access to the high-tech workshop that is Tony Stark (aka Iron Man)’s lab. Inside the office area are robotic arms to assist with rapid prototyping and other technical tasks. The walls are filled with glass, giving the space a pristine look that any wealthy billionaire like Tony Stark can afford. Looking in front shows a curved Samsung screen that contains a couple of options to choose from. A simple flick of the touchpad on the side of the Gear VR initiates the modes of interaction. The first selection produces a trailer on the Samsung television of the new Avengers movie that's soon to be released. The second option gives the viewer the ability to scroll through documentation of various items made for the Avengers team. The third selection pops up the infamous Iron Man heads-up display that hovers over objects strewn around the lab. Light from the room fades out and illuminated wireframes of items nearby bring your focus to things like Captain America’s impenetrable shield and Loki’s dangerous scepter. Samsung also snuck in a small product placement for a smartwatch that allows the Avengers to communicate with each other in real time. After checking out the lab, it would be great to see other movies with complimentary experiences like this. It adds a whole new level of interactivity that gives the viewer bonus features that would not normally be seen in the silver screen itself. Exploring the virtual workshop really felt like I was there. Hold on to Your Seat This is a 3D 360-degree video demonstration that was inspired by the fanciful world of Zarkana, a stage production that's typically seen in Las Vegas. The footage was directed by Felix Lajeunesse & Paul Raphaël from Felix & Paul Studios. 360 degree binaural audio was captured and mixed by Jean-Pascal Beaudoin of Apollo Studios. The whole experience clocks in at 1 minute and 14 seconds giving just a brief glimpse into the stage act that is Zarkana. The demo starts out with several people dressed in white with white face paint, laughing and pointing at other members of their crew. Attention is directed toward the center as two guys in tights come out and are lifted into the air by a cloth strap. They twirl around as the team watches them with joyful amusement. Since the 360-degree camera was positioned on stage it provided a perspective that wouldn't be seen at the live event. This literally put the viewer right up to where only the actors and performers reside, making it much more exciting than just feeling like you're sitting in the crowd. Protocol Zero As the Gear VR press release describes, Protocol Zero by DeNA allows “players to infiltrate enemy grounds undetected in blackout conditions with hi-tech optics including night vision, X-ray vision, and thermal vision.” Just be careful not to get caught by the hidden cameras located around or the game mission will suddenly end. The difficulty is a bit harder than originally thought. Getting through some of the levels takes a good amount of focus and time, which is something that is not typically found in quick demo lines. Still, this is an experience that first-person shooter enthusiasts will love. The triggers on the handheld control fire bullets at enemy targets which is a lot of fun. Other Titles on Display Pacific Rim: Jaeger Pilot One of the more talked about VR demos that surfaced at Comic Con early in the year was this adaptation of the American science-fiction movie, Pacific Rim (2013). In this demo, users pilot a 250 foot 'Jaeger' robot called 'Gipsy Danger' during a battle against the kaiju 'Knifehead', one of several alien creatures from the film that packs quite a punch. Temple Run VR One of the more popular demos at SDC 2014 was the official version of Temple Run, made specifically for virtual reality. Imanji Studios has adapted the widely downloaded smartphone game into an immersive world for the Gear VR. Players can run, jump, dodge, and slide through the various levels while avoiding randomly-generated obstacles along the way. This is all in a first-person perspective, which varies from the hovering view that is found in the regular smartphone version. See also: ‘Temple Run VR’ Brings the Mobile Mega-hit to Samsung Gear VR im360VR im360VR by developer Immersive Media is a "complete solution for 360˚ video experiences on the Gear VR," according to the company. "Production teams toured the globe, recording footage of some of the world’s most impressive locations, before returning to develop a high performance player application tailored to the capabilities offered by the Gear VR." See Also: 10 Samsung Gear VR Panoramas from Immersive Media’s 360 Video Player ‘im360VR’ Oculus 360 Photos Oculus 360 Photos is a 360 degree photo viewer created by Oculus which is expected to also be available for the Oculus Rift. Since we didn't get to try this demo, we aren't sure if the 360 Photos app is capable of 3D 360 or just 360 alone.