Finding Minnesota: Voxel Virtual Reality Parlour In St. Paul

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- There's a place in the Twin Cities where you can shoot zombies, paint in 3-D, and build solar systems. It's called Voxel Virtual Reality Parlour and it opened in St. Paul in October.

They started out open on just Fridays and Saturdays, but because it's been so popular, they are now open 7 days a week.

"It's pretty real. You can get really close and you are inside of it. It's unreal," said Sosa Edison.

When Sosa wants a break from reality, he escapes to virtual reality.

"I just drew myself playing that game," said Sosa.

Painting in 3-D is just one of the many virtual experiences that caught the attention of Matt Tande and Jeff Trinh-Sy.

"I got together with my neighbors and tried on a few, different headsets and was just blown away. You put it on and you can imagine anything happening with it," Jeff said.

Jeff is an astronomy, physics and robotics teacher. Matt is a lawyer. Together, they created this one-of-a-kind virtual reality parlour -- a dark office space in a St. Paul warehouse that contains endless possibilities.

"Spend a little time in the headset, take it off, and think for 5 minutes what could be done with that technology," Matt said.

Jeff and Matt believe corporations and businesses may soon be able to utilize this technology. But for now, their parlour is all about virtual fun that can seem very real.

"The motions and the sensors track down to the millimeter what your body is doing. It's unlike anything people have experienced before," Matt said.

"You're floating through space and creating planets. Or you are on top of a mountain looking at the scenery," Jeff said.

From taking on aliens to swimming with whales, you can find serenity or you can find intensity.

A game where zombies attack and get into your personal space is popular, even if it's a little frightening.

"I had a friend who literally wet herself when she was doing zombies. She was so scared she wet her pants," Jeff said. "And yesterday we had a birthday party and one of the teenage boys screamed at the top of his lungs. That's how scary it is."

It's funny how real these games can become, which is exactly what Jeff and Matt are striving for.

"You completely forget where you are when you are in there. It's shocking how quickly and easily it is to forget where you are," Jeff said.

Jeff and Matt say they have about 20 different experiences in their virtual reality parlour right now and hope to add dozens more.