They exist as pocket universes within the pocket universe that is the hub area, itself within the Aperture Science lab. There are eight different minigames available in The Lab.

The player enters each of the respective minigames by picking up the named snowglobe strewn about the hub room and holding it close to their face. The motion controllers are also required to pick up and handle objects in the game world, including a bow, repair tools, and a bowling ball, along with acting as a physical object in the virtual space for minigames involving dodging projectiles. This movement capability is also used in several of the minigame experiences. In the hub world, the player can explore the space around them within the confines of their physical floorspace, while roaming further by using controller buttons to teleport to different parts of the area. The majority of movement within The Lab uses full 3D motion via the HTC Vive tracking system and two hand-held motion controllers (or an attached Steam controller).

Variety is also offered beyond the experiences themselves by the amount of interactability with objects in the environment that is included. The game is set in the Portal universe and offers eight different game types that involve short demo experiences that use different aspects of the VR capabilities. It uses VR technology to showcase a series of play experiences accessed through a hub room. The Lab is a virtual reality (VR) video game developed by Valve and released for Windows on April 5, 2016.

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