Alex and the Jets: A New Mixed Reality Adventure Touches Down on Meta Quest

May 22, 2025

A landmark moment arrived in the VR gaming world on May 22, 2025: Alex and the Jets launched in full on the Meta Quest platform. From the inventive minds at HOOP-O Studios, this title transforms your living room into a dynamic aerial battlefield by blending real-world surroundings with high-octane combat. Climb into the cockpit as Alex, an adorable squirrel ace pilot, and take on the notorious “The Jets” gang in heart-pounding dogfights. With its arcade-style gameplay, Alex and the Jets strikes the perfect balance between pick-up-and-play fun for casual users and deep thrills for seasoned VR aficionados.

Story & Setting

You play as Alex, a plucky squirrel determined to thwart “The Jets”—a trio of rival pilots led by Sebastian, Chloe, and Monty. When these aerial rogues burst through portals in your walls, your home instantly becomes the warzone. Furniture, ceilings, and even picture frames morph into cover and launch points for your daring stunts. Despite the life-or-death stakes in the sky, the game’s lighthearted tone and charming visuals make it suitable for players of all ages.

Gameplay & Mechanics

Alex and the Jets is a third-person, arcade-style flying game built exclusively for mixed reality. You guide Alex’s tiny fixed-wing aircraft through your actual room, using walls to dodge enemy fire or to pull off strategic maneuvers. One standout feature: flying through donut-shaped rings scattered around your space to collect power-ups such as shields, missiles, and temporary speed boosts.

Multiple modes keep the action fresh:

• Free Flight: Practice loops and aerial tricks at your own pace.
• Campaign Missions: Face off against the Jets in escalating air battles.
• Boss Encounters: Take down massive enemy airships for bonus rewards.

Intuitive controls are mapped to the Meta Quest Touch controllers and optional gamepad, ensuring newcomers can pick it up quickly while veterans can master advanced aerial combat.

What’s New in the Full Launch

After an early-access debut in April 2025, the May 22 release adds several major updates:

• Immersive Mode: A new camera system that drops you directly into the action, camera-shaking thrills included.
• Meta Quest 2 Support: Performance and graphics optimizations for Quest 2 owners.
• Three New Levels: Fresh environments and unique gameplay challenges.
• Enhanced Endless Mode: Longer, more varied waves of enemies and power-ups.
• Tutorial Flight School: Guided training sessions for first-timers.
• 60-Second Mini-Games: Quick-fire challenges like ring runs and target practice.

These enhancements deepen the experience while keeping the door wide open for players at every skill level.

About the Developer

HOOP-O Studios is a newly formed indie team devoted to pushing mixed reality into playful, unexpected spaces. Though no formal mission statement exists yet, Alex and the Jets showcases the studio’s passion for accessible, family-friendly VR experiences that still pack a technological punch. For more, visit the official HOOP-O Studios website.

Early Feedback

During its beta phase, Alex and the Jets earned a perfect 5.0 ★ rating from 189 reviewers on the Meta Store. Players praised the intuitive controls, upbeat atmosphere, and the clever use of mixed reality. One fan called it “charming and insanely fun,” noting its affordability compared to other VR titles. Social feeds—especially on X—are buzzing with clips of squirrel-piloted antics and applause for the arcade-style thrills.

Technical Specs & Availability

• Platform: Meta Quest 3 & Quest 2
• Play Mode: Single-player only (online connection required)
• Controls: Meta Quest Touch controllers + optional gamepad
• Language: English
• Price: Listed on Meta Store (not free, but widely regarded as a bargain)

Head over to the Meta Store page for purchase details and system requirements.