Are you familiar with virtual reality? Luckily for those interested in this technology, Google offers an easy, simple, and very affordable way to enjoy VR: Google Cardboard.
All you need to use Google Cardboard is a compatible app on your smartphone and a headset that you can either create yourself or buy prebuilt.
With headset prices starting at just $5, Google Cardboard is definitely a great way for everyone to enjoy the latest virtual reality applications.
Interested yet? In addition, you don’t need to have an Android phone; you can use iPhone as well!
In this article, I’ve curated a detailed list of the best Google Cardboard apps for iPhone that you can download right now!
Best Google Cardboard Apps For iPhone
All the apps in the following list are available on the Apple Play Store for iOS. For easy reference, I’ve also separated them into different categories.
Games
1. Vanguard V For Google Cardboard
Vanguard V is a fast-paced rail shooter game that uses the third-person perspective. Defeat aliens by shooting them into oblivion with your Google Cardboard.
Likes: The graphics are nicely done, especially considering that this is a free game. It’s also very immersive and can get you hooked pretty fast.
Dislikes: The game hasn’t been updated in a while. So far, it only has one level, which means that playtime is pretty short. Also, some users say they experienced bugs while playing.
Final thoughts: If you have Google Cardboard, Vanguard V is a quick little game that will certainly make you appreciate the platform more. However, it’s a shame that development seems to have stopped on this project.
It’s available for free, though, so it’s not like you’ll lose anything by trying it out, anyway.
Vanguard V For Google Cardboard
2. VR Boost 3D For Google Cardboard
VR Boost 3D is a 3D tunnel racing game in which players have to avoid neon-colored obstacles at top speed in order to survive and reach the tunnel. You’ll know you’ve won once you see the optical illusion at the end of the tunnel.
Likes: If you’re looking for an exhilarating game to play with Google Cardboard, then this is a great choice for you. The controls are easy but fun. You simply have to turn your head to determine which direction you want to turn in the game.
Dislikes: The bright neon colors present in this game simply aren’t for everyone. Also, playing this game for a long time in one sitting is not advisable, since the color bursts can cause headaches for some people.
Final thoughts: VR Boost 3D is a great game if you just want to pass the time, but you should take a lot of rest in between when playing this game.
VR Boost 3D For Google Cardboard
3. VR Rollercoaster For Cardboard
Amusement park fans who enjoy riding rollercoasters will be happy to know that you can now experience rollercoasters from the safety of your home, thanks to the VR Rollercoaster app.
The game allows players to change the design of the trains, set up different railroad tracks, and control the trains’ speed. This is a rollercoaster simulator that will satisfy even the biggest amusement park fan.
Likes: If you’re a fan of rollercoasters, you’ll find this VR Rollercoaster highly addictive. There are plenty of things you can do in-game, which means you won’t get tired of it easily. The graphics are also good enough.
Enjoy coasting through the air with backdrops like the Eiffel Tower in Paris, the pyramids of Egypt, and dozens of other scenic areas around the world.
Dislikes: There are reports saying that the game doesn’t work with some VR headsets.
Final thoughts: Are you a thrill-seeker? Do you like feeling your heart race against your chest? Are you interested in rollercoasters? If so, then you’ll definitely enjoy this game.
VR Rollercoaster For Cardboard
4. VR FPS In Space For Google Cardboard
VR FPS in Space is a first-person shooter game with virtual reality capabilities. Your main goal in the game is to destroy teleporting aliens by shooting them with your VR gun.
Likes: There aren’t a lot of free FPS VR games on the market, so it’s nice to at least have this as an option.
Dislikes: The graphics are similar to pre-2010 FPS games. The animation still has a lot of room to improve. However, the biggest downside is that there doesn’t seem to be a goal, at all. It’s a never-ending game where you just shoot aliens without rhyme or reason.
Final thoughts: It’s less like a game and more of a shooting simulator, really. But if you like virtual reality and shooter games, then it doesn’t really hurt to give this one a try.
VR FPS In Space For Google Cardboard
Education
5. Dinosaurs Everywhere! A Jurassic Experience In Any Park!
There’s something about dinosaurs that makes them so fascinating. With this virtual reality app on the iPhone and iPad, kids can learn more about the mighty beasts who used to roam the Earth thousands of years ago.
The app allows users to see different dinosaurs as though they’re actually walking around today.
Likes: Users can click on the dinosaur to see helpful information about that specific kind. So far, there are 10 different dinosaur species available for viewing, including the stegosaurus, triceratops, and the magnificent tyrannosaurus rex.
They’re all life-size, which means sometimes you’ll even see dinosaur species looming right over you. You’ll never understand this feeling until you actually see them right in front of your eyes, even if it’s all just VR.
Dislikes: The app is available for free, but you have to pay if you want to get rid of the ads and see more dinosaur species. Also, there really isn’t anything to do once you’ve seen all of them.
Final thoughts: Dinosaurs Everywhere! is a great VR app for everyone who finds dinosaurs interesting. Check it out on the iOS store!
Dinosaurs Everywhere! A Jurassic Experience In Any Park!
6. Flashcard VR For Google Cardboard
Think studying is boring? Spice it up by using Flashcard VR, one of the best Google Cardboard apps on the iPhone for all students and learners out there.
This app allows users to create flashcards and review each one using virtual reality. You can also have the app read the questions and answers aloud if you like, making it perfect for both visual and auditory learners.
Likes: Aside from a few alien insects every now and then, the app is free from other kinds of distractions, which means you can focus entirely on your study material. It also supports different languages, like English, French, German, and Spanish.
Lastly, if you don’t want to create your own flashcards, the app can also take pre-existing flashcard sets straight from Quizlet.com.
Dislikes: There’s still room for improvement when it comes to the graphics, but it’s not that big of an issue since this was meant as a learning tool, anyway.
Final thoughts: The graphics quality can still be improved, but this is still a fun little app that can instantly turn any boring study session into a game.
Flashcard VR For Google Cardboard
7. Expeditions
Travel the world in your pajamas with Expeditions, a virtual reality app on the iPhone that allows users to visit important historical landmarks, experience festivities from around the globe, meet face-to-face with creatures of the deep, and even see what it’s like out there in space.
Likes: Users can join groups that have a designated tour guide to point out noteworthy spots or places. If you don’t want to join a group, you can also explore on your own.
Currently, there are over 800 expeditions to choose from and the list is still growing. The app is available on all kinds of iOS devices and works with different VR headsets, including Google Cardboard.
Dislikes: The app works well most of the time but there are some cases where it would simply lag or crash. Most expeditions are also pretty short, so if you were looking for something really immersive, this isn’t for you.
Final thoughts: If you like discovering new things and learning new facts, you’re going to have a lot of fun with this app.
Expeditions
Diving
8. VR Scuba Diving With Google Cardboard
Are you interested in diving into the deep blue? With your Google Cardboard headset, you can now do that at home with the VR Scuba Diving app for the iPhone.
Likes: The graphics are actually all high-quality videos from real diving sessions. If you’re a diver, or if you’re just interested in diving, you’ll love how this app features various kinds of sea creatures.
Dislikes: You’ll have to pay $1.99 outright if you want to even try this game, which is a shame since it’s presented as a free game on the App Store. Everything’s locked behind a paywall, basically, as it presents itself as otherwise.
Final thoughts: The fact that there’s no free version of this app is quite disappointing, but at the end of the day, $1.99 is a cheap price to pay for an immersive, under-the-water experience.
VR Scuba Diving With Google Cardboard
9. VR Diving Pro – Scuba Dive With Google Cardboard
VR Diving Pro is a diving app for the iPhone that allows users to explore the ocean through their Google Cardboard. Swim with the dolphins and explore the reefs with this amazing scuba diving app!
Likes: Just like in the last app, the videos used in this app are all from real diving sessions. One of the things I liked the most about this app is how, in some courses, the fish are actually labeled. You’re not just having fun, you’re also learning about different fish species.
Dislikes: You can look around and see fish swimming all around you, but other than that, you’re not really in control of anything. It’s basically just like looking at a movie with a VR headset. Also, you can control the quality of the videos you’re seeing, but based on my experience, switching between Low and High didn’t really do anything to improve the quality of the video.
Lastly, there are only five short courses right now, which means you can probably finish everything in about 30 minutes or less.
Final thoughts: VR Diving Pro is a nice app for people who enjoy diving or are interested in diving. Despite the pro in its name, it’s actually free to use, albeit you have to deal with the ads.
VR Diving Pro – Scuba Dive With Google Cardboard
Travel
10. Google Street View
You’re probably already aware of Google Street View since it comes with Google Maps. But have you ever tried using Street View for Google Cardboard?
With this virtual reality app, you can go on a hike, stroll along famous streets, and visit the world’s most popular landmarks from where you’re sitting right now.
Likes: All the content on Google Street View is very high quality, so it’s like literally seeing the world with your own eyes. You can input a certain area in the world and go on a virtual trip whenever you want, thanks to this app.
Dislikes: The app still doesn’t have every single place on the Earth on it, but of course, that’s quite understandable. Currently, there are only 95 areas to explore, but that number’s bound to go up as more people become familiar with the app and with Web VR in general.
Final thoughts: Google Street View basically allows users to see the whole world while lying down in bed. If that isn’t enough reason for you to get this app, then I don’t know what is.
Google Street View
Can WebVR Be Used As A VR App Alternative?
Did you know that you don’t really need any special apps to experience VR technology?
With a proper web browser, any iPhone user can instantly enjoy Google Cardboard, even without installing the iPhone app first.
This technology is called WebVR, a virtual reality medium made with Javascript that has the potential to reach millions of people.
With WebVR, anyone who owns a device that has a data connection and a supported web browser, like a smartphone, laptop, or tablet, can experience virtual reality.
Currently, the list of browsers that support WebVR outside of VR gear includes Firefox for Windows, Firefox Nightly builds on MacOS, Chrome Canary for Windows, Chrome 56+ for Android, Microsoft Edge for Windows, and Supermedium for Windows.
Sadly, WebVR is still currently underused and underappreciated, mainly because it’s not yet compatible with high-quality videos, and it’s also not fully immersive.
So, while the potential is certainly there, right now it may be too early to claim that WebVR can be used as a full-blown VR app alternative.
Conclusion: The Best Google Cardboard Apps For iPhone
As you can see, virtual reality technology has definitely come a long way. Thanks to VR, we can now play games as though we’re in the game itself, level up our study sessions, and even explore the world while sitting at home.
Did you like this list of the best Google Cardboard apps for iPhone? Which ones have you already tried? Feel free to share your thoughts with us in the comments below and pass this article on if you liked it!
