'Fruit Ninja' VR Now Live On HTC Vive

Halfbrick Studios, the developers behind the well-loved Fruit Ninja app on mobile, just launched the game on the HTC Vive.

Fruit Ninja, starting today, will now become a virtual reality (VR) game that utilizes the Vive's motion controllers as players hack their way across an army of flying fruits while trying to avoid the bombs that come their way. In case you got confused by the plural form used for controllers, you read that part right. Fruit Ninja VR now gives players not one, but two traditional samurai swords to slice fruits with.

"The Fruit Ninja phenomenon continues into the next generation yet again, and the Dojo is ready. You are the ninja," its product page writes. "Fruit Ninja VR takes squishy, satisfying gameplay and turns it into a virtual reality experience that can be enjoyed by players of all ages and skill levels."

Three gameplay options are available for players to choose from: the Classic Mode, its native gameplay mode; Arcade Mode, a 60-second timed level where special bananas can be used to increase combos; and lastly, Zen Mode, where bombs are removed from the screen to make it more "zen" while players hack as many fruits as they can under 90 seconds.

"Hit huge combos, deflect bombs with a flick of the wrist, and stake your claim on global leaderboards or relax with some Zen Mode," developers add.

Fruit Ninja VR's leaderboards give the game a competitive aspect as well, which should entice players and provide them with the necessary incentive to keep on playing the game as they hone and develop their fruit-cutting skills. Of course, other players will want the same thing, giving Fruit Ninja VR ample replayability times since players will be hacking their way continuously to become the champion of all fruit ninjas worldwide.

The game is currently in early access mode "to actively involve the community while [developers] continue to improve and solidify the game's position as the best fruit-slicing simulator available." A number of planned features — achievement ladder, new locations, diverse weaponry arsenal, and PvP competitions, among others — are slated to arrive to the game while it undergoes development until this coming October. By then, Halfbrick Studios expects the full game to be completely finished.

Fruit Ninja VR can be downloaded through the Steam platform and is initially limited to the HTC Vive, with later plans to launch on the Oculus Rift as well. Its current early access version and future final build will both carry the same price of $14.99. Early buyers will get a 20 percent discount off its retail price for a limited time, though, running for at least the first week since its launch.