Released back in 20XX, Gorilla Tag has fast become one of VR’s most addictive free games to date. Whether playing with your mates or diving into some competitive leaderboards, this simple title has that ‘just one more game’ factor that’s hard to emulate. The base game is great and the maps on offer are varied to give players a challenge. Easy to play but difficult to master is a phrase synonymous with Gorilla Tag and knowing every nook and cranny of each map can help give you the edge over the competition.
The vanilla game has five maps to wrap your hairy paws around and offers hours of endless gameplay. The graphics won’t win any awards but the look and the feel of each map is varied, to say the least. Mastering each map takes time and dedication and most will be happy with what’s already on offer here. The levels are as follows:
- ForestCanyon
- Cave
- Mountain
- City
Plenty on offer here to accommodate all tastes but there can always be more. The chance to play new maps and extend the life of your game will be a welcome addition to any hardcore fans out there. Thanks to the modding community, the door is blown wide open, and there are plenty of options just at your fingertips. Let’s run through the best maps you can play today in Gorilla Tag. So let’s get into it!
Minecraft – New World
Photo from https://monkemaphub.com/
Exactly as it sounds, you get to go ape around a recreation of Minecraft. The graphics, assets, and atmosphere are spot on. The map is instantly recognizable and familiar, and yet it’s brand new. Getting to parkour around a Minecraft map is simply a joy to experience. Within minutes you’ll no doubt be challenging your parkour skills and trying to ascend to the floating island above you. Easily one of the most popular customs maps out there that deserves to be experienced. Whether you’re a Minecraft fan or not, this map is excellent and fits right into Gorilla Tag.
Super Mario 64 Minecraft
Photo from https://monkemaphub.com/
A blend of two worlds is on offer here. The wonderful and iconic open world of Mario 64 coupled with Minecraft aesthetics is glorious to see. Getting to see Peach’s Castle and grounds in block form is one thing but also getting to traverse it in a frantic game of tag takes the cake. I will admit though, the blocky nature of the map design did put me off a little as maybe I’ve seen one too many Minecraft maps.
That said, the creator has to be applauded for the amount of work they put into creating this piece. Traveling inside the castle lobby leads to some weird surprises too has to be seen to be believed. One for the oldies who remember gaming way back when this bright and wonderful custom map should not be missed. 90’s gaming nostalgia at its best, this one needs to be experienced fully by all gaming fans.
Cool Cool Mountain
Photo from https://monkemaphub.com/
Another Mario64 classic level here. Thankfully, this time borrowing graphics from the original and not Minecraft. This remake is faithful to the original level down to a tee. The sights and sounds are gloriously recreated and will instantly take you back to your childhood (if you’re old like me that is). It has coins for you to collect and even a gold star so you can hear Mario’s famous catchphrase. It also has the baby penguin, and yes, you can force him off the ledge if you’re sadistic.
The creator has poured plenty of love into this masterpiece, and it’s truly a joy to experience. Even the secret warp spot and the invisible wall on the slide track are in place. Such dedication to making this as authentic as the original. Very creative level to explore and enjoy.
The Moon
Photo from https://monkemaphub.com/
Not a whole pile to admire here in the looks department but a very interesting map nonetheless. The moon is sparse with a few things laying around to explore. The appeal is more the low gravity effect that has been applied to the map. You can take one small step for the ape and one giant leap for the gorilla kind!
Bounding and soaring slowly through the air is quite a trippy experience in VR and offers such a difference in gameplay compared to every other map on offer. There is even a UFO to be discovered and there may be one or two secrets inside to be discovered. Crazy, and zany but also a whole heap of fun. Great little map to test out your spacewalking limbs.
New York City
For me, I have saved the best for last. The textures are a little basic and the street floor design is downright ugly but this is still a very special map. There is a real sense of scale here in the opposite way than you’re thinking. You play a giant gorilla bounding across the rooftops and swinging off the top of skyscrapers.
It’s the King Kong simulation that you didn’t know you wanted but now can’t lie without. Climbing the huge skyscrapers and jumping off is so much fun and even though it’s not the best-looking map, it gets extra points for being a big pile of fun! Great to explore and feel on top of the world!
The Pond
Photo from https://monkemaphub.com/
This is a real ‘Honey, I shrunk the Kids’ type of map. The scale is massive and makes you feel tiny as you traverse this lush green environment. The pond is exactly how it sounds, a large pond in the center with lots of rocks, lily pads, and greenery to explore. This garden setting looks gorgeous and is a lot of fun to try and get around quickly.
Gorilla Warrior
Photo from https://monkemaphub.com/
Do you have what it takes to be America’s next Ninja Warrior? NO? Then how about a Gorilla warrior instead? This map recreates sections from one of TV’s most famous obstacle courses and throws in a few new ones for good measure. Not for the faint-hearted. You will need all your parkour skills and your wits to traverse this custom map successfully.
The environment is huge and although there’s not much scenery to draw your attention … you’ll most likely be laser-focused on the challenges in front of you anyway. One for hardcore fans who know how to expertly get around in Gorilla tag.
Lava Platforms
Photo from https://monkemaphub.com/
A change of tact with this map. This is no longer about chasing others and playing tag. This is now a game of ‘the floor is lava’. If you land in the lava you’re tagged so traversing the many difficult platforms is the aim of the game here. Definitely, a change of pace for most players, and the emphasis here is the difficult level design the creator has laid out for you. Getting around this map is not an easy task and may take all your skills to master successfully.
Rooftops
Photo from https://monkemaphub.com/
Every man, woman, and now even monkey has at some stage seen or played Gary’s Mod on PC. Some may have even experienced it in VR thanks to Boneworks and Bonelabs. TT_Rooftops is a very familiar level to anyone who’s experienced Gmod before. Getting to traverse the rooftops is somehow familiar but also refreshingly new. Seeing maps from other games in Gorilla Tag is amazing and using the game’s mechanics to traverse these custom maps is an absolute joy. Rooftops is no exception to this. Best to try it out and see for yourself.
Kokiri Forest (Legend of Zelda)
Photo from https://monkemaphub.com/
Nintendo fans certainly seem to have the pick of the crop when it comes to custom maps for Gorilla Tag. Some would say Mario64 was one of the greatest games ever released on the Nintendo64 way back in the day. Others will firmly state that Zelda: Ocarina of Time was the all-time greatest. But who are we to discriminate? Let’s play all the great 64-game maps here in Gorilla Tag. Kokiri Forest custom map instantly transports you to a very special and magical place in Zelda.
Seeing the lush forests, the familiar huts and the immersive sounds makes for a very nostalgic trip down memory lane. They’ve even included the great Deku tree in the map for us fans to gush over. A brilliant recreation of one of the greatest games out there. Hey, Listen! Even if you like Mario than Zelda, don’t sleep on this one! Pun intended.
Hogwarts
Photo from https://monkemaphub.com/
‘You’re a Gorilla Harry!’ doesn’t have quite the same ring to it does it? Casting us back to our childhoods once again, you get to explore the magical world of Harry Potter and more specifically, Hogwarts Academy. The sense of scale is immense on this map with the towering turrets above you as you prance around the school grounds.
The graphics are decent and the attention to detail is quite good too. They’ve even included the very famous Quidditch fields to roam around on. So dust off your wands beat your ape like chests and scream ‘Expecto Patronum’ at the top of your lungs! Great custom map to relive some of that magic, not to be missed!
Rainbow Road
Photo from https://monkemaphub.com/
Visually stunning if a little bit trippy, this map does not disappoint. Based on the famously difficult racetrack from MarioKart64, Rainbow Road is iconic to all racers out there. Thankfully getting around the map as a gorilla with long arms seems a tad bit easier than driving around it as a princess in a go kart (only slightly though).
The winding roads and lack of barriers may still cause you difficulty and you’ll probably spend most of the time falling off tracks rather than traversing them but it’s a fun little ride nonetheless. The vibrant colors stand out in VR when compared to other custom maps and it’s visually unique so it’s worth seeing for yourself. Free for all so what have you got to lose right? Check out Rainbow Road.
ISS (International Space Station)
Photo from https://monkemaphub.com/
Ground control to Major Tom! Although the Moon offers us a decent outing into outer space, I feel the International Space Station is a much better map. The visuals are instantly eye-catching and the level of detail the creator has put in pays off. The corridors are narrow and a little maze-like which differs greatly from most maps. This is not a complaint as it makes for a refreshing change of pace.
Playing with friends on this map is more like playing a game of hide and seek than tag which is quite a good complaint. The winding sci-fi narrow spaces and atmosphere make for a very creative level to play. Also, unless your last name is Musk or Bezos, then is likely that this is as close to outer space as you and I are going to get. So enjoy it!
Custom Maps Disclaimer – Notes about Maps and Mods in General
Mods and custom map designs are not frowned upon but also not officially supported by the creators of Gorilla Tag. This means that playing then online in public lobbies is a very quick way to get yourself banned! Most maps are designed for simple single-player exploration however, you might be able to set up private lobbies and test out your tagging skills with your friends. Be warned, going online publicly is not a smart decision.
So enjoy these as best you can as single player experiences and while you’re at it, check out some mods too as there is plenty of extra content out there for Gorilla Tag.
So whether you’re looking to extend your gameplay or just add some fun to an already amazing VR experience, be sure to check out the following maps.
If you’re interested in seeing how we feel about Gorilla Tag here at VR Beginners Guide, check out our full review.
