Going Bananas: ‘Shooty Fruity’ Brings Cashier Combat to Oculus Quest

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Aug 27, 2020

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There are many challenges that come with working retail: Standing all day, placating angry customers, taking inventory, and of course defending yourself against sentient produce when the lights go out. In 2017, nDreams brought us Shooty Fruity, the timeless tale of a cashier holding out against belligerent bananas and aggressive apples with nothing but a pair of pistols. And a submachine gun. Maybe a shotgun.

Okay, it’s a well-stocked supermarket.

Today, nDreams brings Shooty Fruity’s acclaimed cashier combat to Oculus Quest. We checked in with Tom Gillo, nDreams Chief Development Officer, to talk about Shooty Fruity’s journey to the new headset—especially so soon after the launch of nDreams’ latest game, the tactical kayaking title Phantom: Covert Ops.

What motivated you to bring Shooty Fruity to Oculus Quest?

Tom Gillo: It’s a great fit! We released Shooty Fruity a little while back on the Rift Platform and PSVR and were delighted with its reception. It won several awards and scored very highly on Metacritic.

But we always felt the game needed the freedom of a standalone VR device to really hit its potential—and there are so many new people who bought into VR with Quest and missed out on Shooty Fruity the first time around. Bringing Shooty Fruity to Quest is a dream come true for us and our development partners, Near Light.

Imagine mashing up a shooter like Space Pirate Trainer or SUPERHOT VR with the likes of Job Simulator and you’ll have a good idea what to expect from Shooty Fruity. It is super fun and often hilarious, but also deep and complex. We’ve been playing the game for years ourselves, and honestly can’t believe how hooked we are again now that it’s on Quest.

We’re delighted with the reaction to the Quest release announcement. Shooty Fruity clearly holds a special place in the hearts of many VR gamers, and we can’t wait for newcomers to experience it first-hand!

Did you encounter any technical challenges optimizing the game for a mobile chipset? How did you overcome those obstacles?

TG: The move to Oculus Quest has been a really smooth one, actually. The gameplay is identical to the experience on other platforms, and we’re really proud of how Shooty Fruity looks visually on Quest as well. Environments and weapons look especially lovely, particularly on Quest’s higher-resolution display. Just check out the detail on the revolvers—it’s awesome!

Obviously we needed to optimize the graphics somewhat to maintain the same experience and keep the game running silky smooth, but we don’t feel we’ve compromised the game. We’re excited to see what people think.

How do you think VR and AR will continue to change the face of gaming moving forward?

TG: I’ve been in VR and AR for many years myself. I previously headed up games like PlayStation VR Worlds, the EyeToy: Play series, and Wonderbook at Sony’s London Studio. It’s been a roller coaster ride, and it really feels like it's only going to continue. We recently finished up developing Phantom: Covert Ops alongside the Oculus Studios team—if you haven’t played it yet, you should—and while Shooty Fruity is a more instant and arcade-y experience, with Phantom: Covert Ops we really pushed what a long-form game could be on Quest.

Those experiences are only going to get bigger and better as the technology improves. It’s exciting to be a part of.

What’s next for you? Any news you’re able to share?

TG: We have a number of other projects in development, projects that continue to push VR to new heights and innovate in incredible new ways. We can’t talk about them at this time, but are excited to lift the lid in the future!

If you’re ready to fight off fiendish fruits, you can find Shooty Fruity on Quest today—or play the original Rift version, if you missed it the first time.