Core VR
BEST FOR
Ages 10+
ENTRY
from £24.95
WHERE
Derby
What it’s like
Free-roam VR shooters, zombie hunts and heist games for teens, run as multiplayer sessions with a haptics vest thrown in.
This isn't the sit-in-a-chair-with-a-headset kind of VR. Core VR does free-roam multiplayer games where you're actually walking round a shared space, so a game like Great Train Outlaws has four of you shooting your way through a heist together rather than taking turns on a console. There's a zombie shooter with haptics vests (Corpus Animatum and Corpus Apocalypse), a ghost hunting free-roam, and VR escape rooms if your group fancies puzzles over gunfights.
The minimum age is 10, so this is one for older kids and teens rather than a family outing with a toddler in tow. A single game like Great Train Outlaws runs £24.95, and gameplay itself lasts 15 to 45 minutes depending which you pick, which feels short until you remember most VR games only support 4 to 6 players at once and everyone needs a turn. While your kid's strapped in, whoever's waiting watches on the display screen or has a go on the retro gaming console in the seating area.
Birthday parties are the other big draw here. The Essential VR Party is £149.95 for 6 players and an hour, and the Ultimate VR Party stretches to £450 for 12 players over 3 hours in a private function room. You're allowed to bring your own food, cake and decorations, though anything you hang up has to be freestanding, no sticking things to the walls or ceiling.
It's only open Thursday to Sunday, closed Monday to Wednesday, so plan around that if you're thinking of a weekday treat. Hosts talk you through everything if it's your first go, which takes the edge off for anyone nervous about the headset.
Facilities
Need to know
- Best for
- 10 and up, this is teens and older kids, not toddlers
- Parties
- Birthday parties from £149.95 (Essential VR Party, 6 players, 1 hour) to £450 (Ultimate VR Party, 12 players, 3 hours)
- Party decorations have to be freestanding, nothing fixed to walls or ceilings
- Closed Monday to Wednesday, so weekday visits mean Thursday at the earliest
- While one player's in VR the rest watch on the display screen or play the retro console
Plan your visit
What age is this for?
The minimum age is 10, so it is not one for younger children.
How much does it cost?
A single game like Great Train Outlaws is £24.95. Parties start at £149.95 for 6 players for an hour, up to £450 for 12 players over 3 hours.
How long does a session last?
Gameplay runs 15 to 45 minutes depending on the game. Most VR games only fit 4 to 6 players at a time, so bigger groups rotate.
What happens if I'm new to VR?
Hosts explain everything and help each guest through the experience, so first timers aren't just handed a headset and left to it.
Can we bring party food?
You can bring your own party food, snacks, drinks and birthday cake into the private function room.
When is it open?
Thursday 2pm to 8pm, Friday 12pm to 9pm, Saturday 10am to 9pm and Sunday 10am to 8pm. Closed Monday to Wednesday.
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