Meta Quest 3: The Best Apps, Games, and Accessories Available Right Now

As an early adopter, it’s always exciting to be one of the first to try something new. Whether you’ve already got your new Meta Quest 3 headset and it’s barely left your head since you bought it on the day of release, or you know there’ll be one under the tree on Christmas Day, you’ll want to know what you should buy or download right now to get the best out of the device. 

While you can always play older Quest 2 games on your headset, many of which have had XR upgrades, it’s understandable that you’ll want something fresh and new. Thankfully, given Meta’s standing when it comes to new headset releases, there are plenty of apps, games, and accessories available already. 

The question is— which Quest 3 content and peripherals should you spend your money on?

Here’s a quick rundown on the best of what’s available so far for the Meta Quest 3, including all of the top free apps and games. 

The Best Free Quest 3 Games

One of the best ways to scope out your new Quest 3 is by downloading some of the great free-to-play games and demos. Here are a few you should try. 

Ancient Dungeon Beta

ErThu’s beta version of Ancient Dungeon Beta is free until it officially launches. Rome through dungeons, slay bad guys, avoid traps and pits, and find the treasure in this rogue-lite crawler. 

Bait!

Like fishing? Bait! from Resolution Games is a relaxing fishing sim that you can play with your mates. Skip the cold, wet weather and catch virtual fish at home. If you want something a bit more fun, the social areas have plenty of mini-games to enjoy too. 

Battle Talent

From CrossLink, Battle Talent is a rogue-lite fighting sim with stacks of enemy variants and weapons to play with. There’s a free, playable demo version available, or the game itself is just £14.99. 

Blaston

Previously available as a paid game, Resolution Games’ Blaston is now free and includes an XR passthrough mode. Enjoy head-to-head duels, dodge bullets, grab weapons, and rein hell on your opponent. There are some optional paid elements to the game, but you can enjoy it without spending a single penny. 

Cards & Tankards

For a more sedate multiplayer experience, Cards and Tankards from Divergent Realities is a collectable card game that you can play against other Quest players or anyone with a SteamVR headset. Great for a social games night. 

Gods of Gravity

If you have a god complex, you’ll love Gods of Gravity. Developed by Trass Games, this multiplayer game lets you get biblical in space by throwing planets around like they’re ping pong balls, stealing resources from asteroids, and claiming the sun. Once you’re done with space, trash your rival god’s planet and wreak hell until you’re the last deity in town. 

Gorilla Tag

From Another Axiom, Gorilla Tag was once on App Lab and SideQuest, but now you can download it free from the Quest Store. This really is your classic schoolyard game of chase and tag an ape and then run away from them. Enjoy this game responsibly by ensuring you have enough room to swing out without hitting any real-world obstacles. 

Gun Raiders

Like multiplayer shooters? Gun Raiders is for you. This highly playable game has multiple modes with a range of actions. 

Gym Class – Basketball

IRL Studios’ Gym Class Basketball offers online multiplayer options where you can enjoy a decent game of basketball. 

Hyper Dash

Hyper Dash from Triangle Factory is a multiplayer shooter with several awesome play modes, including; Capture the Flag, Control Point, Deathmatch, Domination, Elimination, and Payload. Users can cross-play on the Quest and SteamVR. 

I Expect You To Die: Home Sweet Home [MR]

In this short mixed reality mission from Schell Games, you are a secret agent with an ocular implant who must solve puzzles, avoid traps, and ward off threats like nasty robot hornets. 

Pavlov Shack Beta

Vankrupt Games’ Pavlov Shack Beta is a Counter-Strike-esque open beta with great gunplay and co-op and deathmatch modes. 

PokerStars VR

If poker is your game, and you want to hold onto your cash, PokerStars VR from LuckyVR lets you enjoy Texas Hold’em and a bunch of other casino games for free. There’s no real cash betting in this game, but you can buy chips so you can keep on playing, even when you’re on a losing streak. 

Population: One

Love playing battle royales? They don’t get much better than BixBox VR’s Population: One. This free-to-play has some in-game purchases, but they’re purely cosmetic. BixBox is now owned by Meta, which means you can enjoy this game free on Quest 3, while Steam users still need to pay for it. There are loads of play modes, too, including sandbox options, team deathmatches, and 12v12 war mode. 

Spatial Ops [MR]

Spatial Ops from Resolution Games is currently in open beta. Play it with friends, but make sure you have a tonne of space. You’ll also need SideQuest for this amazing alternative to laser tag. 

Ultimechs

Imagine Rocket League, but with supercharged fists to punch balls into goals? Resolution Games’ Ultimechs is an online multiplayer game where you can go head-to-head or play in two teams of two. 

The Best Quest Social VR Platforms

Horizon Worlds

Meta’s Horizon Worlds promises great things. Although it’s still not quite “great”, the platform is slowly taking off, and there’s more content to enjoy, a bunch of games, and some new tools. It’s free, so you may as well download it and see whether Zuckerberg’s metaverse dreams ever come to life. 

Rec Room

Rec Room may be full of children, but it’s one of the more developed social VR platforms, and it doesn’t cost a bean. Enjoy co-op quests and mini-games, and check out the user-generated content. If you want to dress your avatar up in the latest finery, you can do so by buying in-game tokens, but you can definitely get the best of Rec Room without spending anything. 

VRChat

VRChat is a sprawling social VR platform packed with virtual versions of most things you’d find in reality. It’s been available for Oculus devices for nine years now, so it’s had time to evolve. There are tonnes of user-generated avatars, some reproductions of classic games, and lots more. Again, VRChat is free, so why not give it a try?

The Best Free Quest 3 Apps

Flipside Studio

Whether you’re a creator on TikTok, YouTube, or Twitch, Flipside Studio is your free virtual production studio. Pick avatars, props, and sets and work with your co-creators in real-time. 

If you’re not a viral superstar or influencer yet, Flipside could be the perfect tool to help you create your sensational new video or podcast. 

Gravity Sketch

If creating graphics is your thing, Gravity Sketch lets you create 3D visuals and videos. This used to be a paid app, but you can now grab the full version of it for free!

The Essential Quest 3 Accessories

Charging Dock

At the moment, you have one option here, and that’s the official Meta Quest 3 Charging Dock. This charges your headset and Touch Plus controllers. If you have an external battery strap, it won’t charge these. This is a reasonable option; however, there will be more options to follow as third-party docks become available in the next few months. 

Alternatively, you could get magnetic USB-C connector cables. These let you charge your headset without using the charging port, meaning there’s no wear and tear. Some readily available magnetic cables can handle fast charging, but data transfer isn’t always available and can easily become disconnected. 

Longer USB-C Cables

If you need to connect your Quest 3 to a computer and enjoy PC VR gameplay, you’ll need a USB-C longer USB-C cable. Similarly, if you want to play while recharging, the longer the cable, the more practical this task will be. 

As with most Quest 3 accessories, you could go for the Meta option or a generic third-party version. In this instance, the five-metre Meta Link Cable is lightweight and thin, but at £90, it’s very expensive. Frankly, any USB-C 3.0 will do the job if it’s long enough, and you can easily pick a generic wire for as little as £17 online. 

Replacing Your Strap

Sadly, one of the biggest flaws with the Quest 3 is one that’s plagued previous Meta headsets; the strap. In a nutshell, the Quest 3’s strap is flimsy and uncomfortable. Given that the weight of your headset is at the front, the strap needs to distribute this across your head. Unfortunately, it fails at this essential task. You may even find that your stock strap cuts into your ears. 

But Meta doesn’t fare much better when it comes to their aftermarket straps, either. At the moment, you have two choices, the Elite Strap and the Elite Strap With Battery. 

While Meta’s first-party replacements are more comfortable than the stock strap, issues with the snapping of previous replacement Quest 2 straps don’t offer much confidence that the Quest 3 Elite Straps won’t do the same. The Elite Strap With Battery does offer an extra two hours of playtime; however, that’s no good if your strap breaks mid-session.  

MOJOXR produce a strap that’s suitable for both Quest 2 and 3 using an adapter; however, better options are on the horizon from Kiwi Design and Bobo VR if you can wait. 

Facial Interfaces

Meta has dramatically improved the facial interface on the Quest 3. On previous headsets, these could feel clammy and uncomfortable against your skin. The Quest 3’s facial interface is made from a fabric weave. While it’s more comfortable, it easily picks up grease from your skin and isn’t easy to clean. 

Adding a silicone cover makes it easier to clean your headset after use, meaning you can keep your skin healthy. Meta’s own aftermarket silicone facial interface does the job well enough and is ideal for more active games. 

For more casual play, there are some pretty good fabric options available too. VR Cover is a third-party manufacturer with a comfortable machine-washable fabric cover. 

Carry Case

If you want somewhere to store your headset when it’s not in use, or you plan on taking it out and about, a carry case can protect it. 

Meta’s official option is a sound option, but again, like much of their other kit, you can buy a perfectly good third-party case for much less than the £70 first-party option. And because the Quest 3 is smaller than its predecessor, you can even use a Quest 2 case.