This space has never been so immersed in the magic of Christmas as it was on the occasion of the 2021 edition, with a veritable VR temple and 200 linear meters of ice. immersion.
The lanes have changed a lot. Not so long ago, these entertainment spaces offered immersion in video games in exchange for a few coins lined up with “stations” with joysticks, buttons and, of course, screens … a record of the player following his side. But in the transit express building erected in the Gambetta Square, these are no longer intended for spectators. The user literally enters the game by putting on a virtual reality headset. “In terms of sensations, the experience he will have does not match what we see on television”, identifies Sebastian, the building owner.
To get to the bottom of it, we sit on a piece of equipment mounted on slings. It’s time to hold the helmet tightly in front of the eyes, the headphones on the ears, and suddenly we are completely cut off from the outside world. Our new “reality” is a virtual fourth dimension, in which our seat turns out to be a crazy rollercoaster train. Tout danger physique étant bien sûr écarté, les concepteurs ont imaginé les situations les plus dingues possible, avec de gigantesques loopings, des sections sans rail impliquant des chutes dans le vide et un final dans une pyramenne éùyp’ti mom life. Two buttons allow you to shoot different creatures coming to play the role of spoilers… The target network reacts to head movements. It’s hard to be more innate.
We may well know that everything is wrong and that there is no danger of you ending up at the bottom of a ravine, and the way the game tricks our minds is totally disingenuous. Sensation of speed, steep descents into the vertical or obstacles appearing in the middle of the rails, it is impossible not to react emotionally, almost physically, at the most acute moment. We walked out exhausted but happy, and we also tell ourselves that this is just an introduction: the Square Gambetta space also provides, among other festivities, control of a jet ski, a real car from F1, of a futuristic motorcycle (you can see And One ready player Just be careful) or even a fighter jet, which has a 360-degree swivel seat. And whenever we dare to visit a haunted house… but we honestly didn’t dare cross the threshold. Even default.
“A family ambiance”
The total change of the atmosphere is a few meters away. Strong emotions and frantic work are already giving way to a quiet walk on an icy road, in the decor of 100% Christmas magic. “It’s more beautiful at nightfall, with all the lights”, identifies Pascal Dupont, at the head of the city’s cultural pole. “The track was installed on the alleys of the crowded plaza so as not to encroach on the existing green spaces.”.
Sled on our feet, here we walk (with relative ease) in the middle of an environment conducive to relaxation and end-of-year photos. “The atmosphere is really family and peacefulThe organizer insists. There are no more than 80 people on the track at a time, compared to 220 people on the ice rink at Place Carnot where it is also possible to go faster”. Race point at Gambetta Square, just a simple fun walk while gliding down the 200m track. In short, the perfect place to regain consciousness…before you ride a rollercoaster again.
