JOIN USHow about flying over sea, passing through dense forests and crashing against skyscrapers, without getting hurt? Or designing your own crazy roller-coaster ride with as many twists and turns as you like and then experience this exhilarating journey without actually going to an amusement park? All these impossible things become possible in the world of virtual reality(VR).
And bringing a slice of such immersive and interactive gaming experience in Noida is Smaaash, an entertainment and sports arena, which houses over 15 games — from virtual reality to arcade.
While virtual reality games like ‘The Magic Carpet’ and ‘Finger Coaster’ are popular among people, the trickiest of them all is ‘Walk the Plank’. Unlike other VR games
which transport gamers into a virtual world, this game is all about ‘tricking’ your mind. So, in a dark room which has extra-large bean bags on both sides, a horizontal plank-size sponge fits into the empty space between them, creating a straight path to walk on. The walk looks like a cakewalk until one wears the VR headset. In the virtual world, the participant is elevated many feet above sea level, on top of a tall building, and is tasked with the job to walk the wooden plank. And the moment he steps on the plank, he struggles to find a hard space beneath his feet (since it is a sponge and the surface is soft). This illusion creates confusion, and unexpected fear. But this challenge of tricking your mind makes it an ‘intelligent’ VR game.
Those who have watched “Mission Impossible” will remember how deftly Tom Cruise avoids complicated maze of laser rays to accomplish the task. Similarly, there is a ‘Lazer Maze’ room where one can choose among — easy, medium and difficult levels to check their agility and fitness levels by passing through the laser maze in a stipulated time, without touching any of the rays.
Apart from these fun games, there are stimulators like ‘Nitro Wheelie’ which pitch the rider against a VR track. But the experience might be disappointing for those who expect full-throttle acceleration and a joy ride. But nevertheless, it is a good one-time experience.
Then there are popular gaming zones like ‘Cricket Lane’ and bowling area, which invariably are always packed.
The 28,000 feet space also has a multi-cuisine restaurant, Mighty Small Cafe that offers a range of spread, starting from quick bites to main course. We tried their Chat Pat Platter which comprised spicy and tangy peanut mix, and a bhel of sweet corn. Good to go with shakes and drinks like Apple Cinnamon Iced Tea which is refreshing. Then we tried their Smaaash Super Food Salad which is an assortment of different types of sprouts, beetroot cubes and has peanuts and walnuts thrown in. It definitely is a healthy and filling
option, but walnuts were stale. Next we tried was vegetable claypot. The mix-vegetable curry was sweet and unexpectedly hot. Not much to fault here, but the balance of flavours was missing. We ended the meal with Deconstructed Red Velvet in a Jar, which had a generous and beautiful dallop of sour cream, but overall the cake was tad dry. Considering Smaaash is predominately a gaming arena, we suggest it for a great gaming and dining experience.