Valve’s The Lab is fantastic and is usually one of the first things I show.

Next up is Job Simulator. Lots of fun and attention to detail in there.

Then Tilt Brush, because it’s surprisingly fun, even for non-artists.

Earth VR probably goes into the list at this position right here :).

The Cubicle (https://steamcommunity.com/app/452490) has a nice twist to it, but is far less polished than the ones I previously listed.

If the person is into shooters and online gaming, definitely Hover Junkers.

Something that may also have appeal to the HN crowd - Destinations (on steam) has many great places to visit, but the one that got me was mars.

It's photogrammetry from the curiosity rover's cameras, with a minimal amount of artistic blank filling, and a good explanation as to how it was done, etc.

Me, I sat there on a rocky outcrop listening to the thin wind whisper by, grimacing up at the central peak of the crater in which the scene is set, wondering if one day I'll see these photons first-hand. I may have shed a tear or two.

I would caution against demoing Hover Junkers to first timers, especially without an explicit and careful discussion of nausea first. It is the only game anyone has listed thus far that has 'unnatural' movement, which for me at least, causes extremely unpleasant nausea that lasts multiple hours after removing the headset.

Which is a shame because that is one I really want to play once I get a headset.

Has there been much others solving for this type of motion sickness in VR where it isn't just latency/performance related?

While maybe these issues can be slightly mitigated, the underlying problem is the same as getting seasick or getting sick while trying to read in the back of a car; I imagine the state-of-the-art solution is "Dramamine" ;P.

Funny you mention that...my current approach for games that make me nauseous that I can't fix with FOV settings has basically been ginger gum and lots of fresh air breaks.

Marijuana is good for both nausea and the sense of wonder.

Good to know. Hasn’t been a problem for the people who tried it at my place yet, but I’ll keep it in mind.

I've noticed the list of go-to demos hasn't changed much in the past half year. As a Vive owner I'm kind of feeling let down by the lack of compelling new content.

This list is very similar to mine, but I would add Richie's Plank Experience as a great thing to show a first timer.

No one has yet mentioned Raw Data. Go into the settings, under advanced control settings, and switch the control style to "hold" (which it points out will be more difficult to play using... that isn't the point); I seriously started to feel like I had hands in the world: the user interaction of this game sets a new bar. (I will also mention Fruit Ninja, as many people have played the game on their phone, so getting to play it in VR is more immediately engaging.)

Fruit Ninja is a blast. Even my father (non-gamer) had a blast with it and picked it up right away.

I've demoed to dozens of people.

1. Job Simulator

2. Tilt Brush

3. Space Pirate Trainer

4. Accounting

5. https://aframe.io/a-painter/ (for WebVR)

There is an alarming number of titles like "Job Simulator" and "Accounting" and "Cubicle" on this page, for a medium that's supposed to be an exciting new frontier.. (´・ω・`)

Accounting has nothing to do with the name. Its from the creators of Rick and Morty and is a short, bizarre, hilarious experience. Highly recommended. Job Simulator is exactly what it sounds like --but it's surprisingly fun to play for 5 minutes (not much beyond that though).

Not OP, but I typically show people the Blu, Tilt Brush, Space Pirate Trainer, Audio Shield, and if they are up for horror, the Brookfield Experiment. I think Accounting and Gnomes and Goblins are also great little short experiences.

My experience with the Vive:

I would recommend Vanishing Realms, specially when you already have a sword and a bow. It's so fun to fight with the skulls.

People seem to enjoy Tilt Brush, I find it nice but boring.

Brookhaven Experiment is a nice 1 time game to get people excited and scared.

Chair in the room is creepy, slow transitions but has a really well executed ambient.

People tend to like Job Simulator, it's lite and funny.

There are a couple of Vive demos that are also entertaining. In general people seem to like to grab things, throw, move around, feel large or small environments.

On the PSVR:

Battle Zone is my favorite at the moment

Drive Club is very good too but it makes me a little bit nauseous, and I'm not usually a person who gets nausea often.

For me, the thing I start people off in is Job Simulator. Everyone understands how everything should work, so it's very natural.

If they like action, then I typically have them try Space Pirate Trainer. Really fun, and you can play it pretty readily because everyone understands shooting robots.

For the older crowd, I've started them off with more "experiential" games. theBlu and The Impossible Travel Agency have been great for this. Once they're ready for more interaction, I move to Waltz of the Wizard, Kismet, and The Lab's Secret Shop.

The globe in Realities is also nice just to interact with. Plus you can experience an Alcatraz prison cell, while still on your own carpet. http://store.steampowered.com/app/452710/

I really like 'budget cuts' as a game. It's pretty fun, but only has cartoon levels of violence.

I'm looking forward to the full version of that. I hope the wireless add on for the Vive is available before then, because that is a game where the tether is a constant problem.

Unseen Diplomacy was one of my most fun experiences so far. http://store.steampowered.com/app/429830

This 360 video of a ULA rocket launch is really good.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03hAiKZDRAk