Virtual and Retro

24/06/2026

Looking for a mid-winter Christmas function? Look no further!
Virtual & Retro and Flashbacks Ashburton have you covered.
To book, email [email protected]

21/06/2026

VR Motion Sickness – Myth or Real?
While VR sickness can happen, it is a myth that VR will always make you sick. In fact, it's quite rare.

There’s little difference between the nausea you feel from VR (also known as “cybersickness”) and what some people refer to as "car sickness". Both forms of motion sickness happen because your brain is receiving mixed signals: you feel that you are physically standing or sitting still, but everything around you is generating motion. In other words, there is a disparity between what your eyes see and what your body is doing.

Part of it comes down to the quality of the VR setup. VR content displays within the headset at a certain number of frames per second (FPS). When the FPS rate is low, the VR scene can appear jerky. These jerks create an incongruity between what your eyes see and what your body feels, potentially inducing cybersickness. Latency (the delay between turning your head and the virtual view updating) and lower headset resolution can also contribute. To prevent this, we use premium HTC Vive Pro 2 headsets and high-end gaming PCs to ensure top-tier quality with minimal lag, so you don't experience these issues.

However, the major cause of cybersickness is linear motion, or "locomotion"—the system that enables you to move within a virtual world. Since physical VR spaces are small compared to the huge environments you see in games, some applications use controller-based linear locomotion. With this approach, you use your controller joystick to move freely in a certain direction. Because your eyes see you moving through the virtual world while your body knows you are standing still, it can trigger that motion sickness.

This is why most of our VR games—and all of our VR escape rooms—give you the option to use teleportation-based locomotion. In this mode, you use your controller to select a spot on the ground and instantly teleport there. This simple adjustment completely removes the visual drag that causes dizziness.

We do have a few games that rely on linear motion due to the nature of the experience, such as skiing or skydiving in VR. If you find yourself in the small group of people who do experience cybersickness while trying these out, feel free to take a break—or just switch over to one of our many games that don't utilise linear locomotion!

23/05/2026

Did you enjoy watching The Mandalorian and Grogu with the family?

22/05/2026

Looking for something to do tonight (Friday)?
Why not try the Ashburton Scouts group Jamoree Bingo?

Among other things you may win a family VR outing (donated by Canterbury Farm Services) or multiple racing simulators sessions! (donated by us)

21/05/2026

Thank you to James Meager MP for visiting Canterbury's one and only virtual reality arcade !

Cool local visit to Virtual and Retro in Ashburton just around the corner from my office. Adi has done a great job providing a collection of VR games, escape rooms, table top and other gaming experiences for young kids around Mid Canterbury (and as you can see, some older kids). Check it out, 208 Havelock St opposite the library.

21/05/2026

Did you know that Virtual Reality is used nowadays as a way to help people with physical therapy and healthy exercise? From retirement villages to physical therapists, it's a brilliant way to get people moving without them feeling like they are straining or exercising—because it’s all part of a game!

Why are we telling you this? Because we have been proudly hosting Ashburton College students through the Active As programme.

This incredible initiative runs a range of low-impact activities within schools, connecting high-school-aged rangatahi with community groups in the wider Mid-Canterbury region to increase both fun and physical activity levels.

Students get stuck into VR boxing, cricket, basketball, skiing, skydiving, and musical movement using games like Creed, Beat Saber, Rush, and VR Cricket. Best of all, these experiences are incredibly easy to pick up, even for first-timers (which most of the students are!).

The Active As programme recently won the "School-Based Active Recreation" award at the Sport Canterbury ceremony. We want to send a massive (and slightly late!) congratulations to them from all the staff here at Virtual & Retro!

10/05/2026

Give Mum the Ultimate Escape this Mother's Day!

Looking for a Mother's Day gift that's more than just another candle? This year, treat Mum to an unforgettable adventure at Virtual & Retro.

Relaxed and Accessible Fun - At Virtual & Retro, comfort is key:

Sit Back and Relax: Mum is most welcome to enjoy her digital adventure while sitting down in one of our comfortable gaming chairs.

A "Mum-Approved" Experience: From peaceful sensory explorations to mind-bending team escape rooms, she can explore at her own pace in a supportive environment.

Why Choose Virtual & Retro?
Cutting-Edge Tech: She’ll use top-tier gear like the HTC Vive Pro and Vive Pro 2 controllers for the most realistic experience possible.

Social & Fun: Bring the whole family! Watch her progress on our large display screens while she's "inside" the game.

The Perfect Location: Visit us for a unique outing that beats the standard Sunday lunch.

Book your Mother’s Day session now and let Mum sit back, relax, and save the world!

10/05/2026

09/05/2026

Sir David Attenborough shows us that there is no age that is "too old for VR"

A lifetime of curiosity and a true explorer of the natural world - even in virtual reality.

Wishing Sir David Attenborough a very happy 100th birthday on this special day.

09/05/2026