While there hasn’t been any official crossover between the VR Beat Saber game and the Star Wars franchise, the inspirations behind the game are clear. Beat Saber makes you feel like a bada$$ jedi, and tricks you into thinking you have real dance skills.
Some of us are just trying our best to clear levels on expert mode. However, some more advanced VR gamers have been looking for ways to make Beat Saber more exciting and challenging. If you’re in this camp, and think you have the Beat Saber skills to handle a bigger challenge, look no further than the Darth Maul Mode, also called Maul Saber.
In this article, we’ll teach you the quickest way to start playing Beat Saber with a Darth-Maul-Style dual-blade saber (no software mods needed).
Table of Contents:
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What is the Darth Maul Mod (Maul Saber) in Beat Saber?
-
How to Play the Darth Maul Mod in Beat Saber (simple way)
- Accessories/hardware needed
- How to set up the game
- Tips & Tricks
What is the Darth Maul Mode in Beat Saber (Maul Saber)?
A video says a million words, so let’s take a look at a quick sample by one of my favorite VR YouTubers, Naysy:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCuT0reHXNs?embedable=true
Simply, the Darth Maul Mode, or Maul Saber mode, is a way to play the VR rhythm game Beat Saber with a dual-bladed saber. Rather than holding 1 controller in each hand, the VR controllers are joined into one extended controller handle.
Obviously, the name is inspired by Darth Maul’s dual-bladed lightsaber in Star Wars.
How to Play the Darth Maul Mod on Beat Saber
In this article, I’ll explain the quickest and easiest way to set up the Darth Maul mod. I’m sure there are more sophisticated ways to do this, but my setup requires no software mods at all and works with the Quest 2 native Beat Saber game.
Accessories / Hardware Needed
- VR Headset: I tested this with the Oculus Quest 2, but it should work with any VR headset
- Beat Saber Game
- Specialized VR controller handle: I used ZyberVR’s All-in-One Fitness Handles
The ZyberVR All-in-One Fitness Handles
This accessory from ZyberVR is versatile and can be used for more than just Beat Saber. However, when testing it out, I found Beat Saber to be by far the most fun and most natural game to use the All-in-One Handles in.
The handle can be taken apart and used in Double Stick Mode for games like Blade and Sorcery. It’s also been optimized to simulate a golf club grip for games like Walkabout Mini Golf.
However, for this Darth Maul Beat Saber mod, we’ll be using the Long Handle Mode.
How to Set it Up
After you’ve attached your controllers to the accessory in Long Handle Mode, the next step is to simply set up the game.
Step 1. Open Beat Saber
Step 2. In the options menu, click the “No Arrows” setting.
Optional: Until you get the hang of it, I’d recommend turning on “No Bombs” as well and playing in easy mode.
Step 3. Load up your favorite song and give it your best shot!
Tips & Tricks
Secure the Controllers Tightly
The most important thing to do BEFORE you play is to be 100% sure that the buckle on the controller is secured and locked in.
When you really get into it, you’ll be twisting and swinging the staff around like a Shaolin monk trained in ancient martial arts. The problem with that is the controllers will be moving in high velocity and if they come lose, they’ll be thrown from the handle like projectile.
I learned this the hard way and almost broke an overhead lightbulb.
Give Yourself More Space
You’ve learned the space needed for Beat Saber based on holding the controllers directly in your hands. That means the only room your needed was equal to a little bit more than your wingspan.
The ZyberVR dual-handle controller staff accessory is exactly that: a long staff. It is around 26 inches in length and you should aim for double the space you normally use in Beat Saber to play with the Darth Maul Beat Saber mod safely.
Final Thoughts
We tried this mod using the ZyberVR long handle controller accessory shown above. But it can work with any similar device. Let me know what you think about this mod and if you know better or more sophisticated ways to set it up!
Interested in reading about other VR peripherals? Check out my other reviews:
- Bhaptics Haptic Vest Review: Haptic Feedback is the Next Step in VR
- Provolver VR Pistol Review