Legendarily boring ‘Desert Bus’ is playable in VR
The most mind-numbing game ever made is much more immersive.
Back in the late 90s, comedic magicians Penn Jillette and Teller made a mini-game collection for Sega CD that was never released and quietly forgotten. Unfortunately for anyone with taste, one of those was the intentionally awful Desert Bus, which Internet sketch group LoadingReadyRun unearthed during a charity stream in 2007. They turned it into their annual program Desert Bus For Hope, which has raised $4 million in the last decade while they've subjected themselves to one of the most boring games ever made -- and now they can do it immersively with Desert Bus VR.
The old 16-bit version belted players into the driver's seat for an eight-hour real-time trip simulating the route from Tucson, Arizona to Las Vegas. To keep things interesting, the titular bus veers to the right ever so slightly, requiring constant attention. Desert Bus VR refreshes the concept for virtual reality -- now you can explore a completely mundane station and bus interior as you roll along your mind-numbing eight-hour journey.
Studio Dinosaur Games added a few other features, including several radio stations, one of which has Jillette himself chattering away. You can honk the horn, open the door and flick the air freshener. Immersion! And if you veer far enough off the road, a tow truck will take you back to the start. Realism! If you want to take the longest virtual ride of your life, Desert Bus VR is available for free on Steam.
