It’s easier than ever to get in shape with the new exercise apps and titles on the market. From Ring Fit to Zombies, Run! and Oculus climbing games, the image of gamers being overweight and out of shape is starting to fade into the background. Here are five great ways to game your way to a healthier life.
Ring Fit Adventure
Ring Fit Adventure isn’t Nintendo’s first rodeo, and most people who owned the previous entry Wii Fit probably have the white board collecting dust somewhere in their house. With Ring Fit Adventure, the entire system plays an active part in your workout. Ring Fit Adventure is an RPG that has you performing workout moves to attack, and it comes with its own, dedicated controller. The Ring-Con can be pushed and pulled for resistance training, and the motion controls from the joycons which are inserted into it allow for a fully customizable, exhilarating experience.
Beat Saber
For those who have or can afford an Oculus headset, Beat Saber has you covered with a music based rhythm game. Players use lightsabers to slash at the oncoming notes, which buzz with each strike. There are a lot of good alternatives to Beat Saber for Oculus users as well, from rock climbing games (like The Climb) to boxing.
Zombies, Run!
Zombies, Run! by ZombieLink provides an entire story to listen to while out and about. All that’s needed is headphones, a smartphone and a good road to run on. Users are given missions, which might have them running to collect supplies to bring back to the base, which you can build up in the app over time. The voice acting is superb and in terms of quality and entertainment, there aren’t many better fitness apps on the market. It switched to a free-to-play model a while back, but the added features only cost $2.99 a month, or $20.00 a year and provide many extra episodes worth of content.
Pokémon GO
Probably the most well-known on this list, Pokémon GO provides hundreds of hours for players looking to catch the best Pokémon with the best stats. Eggs require players to walk up to 10km to be hatched, with 25km, or 15 miles, for the best weekly reward. We’ve covered Pokémon GO a lot due to its ease of accessibility and surprising depth for those looking to jump in.
Just Dance 2020
For Xbox One users, the spirit of Dance Dance Revolution from olden times lives on with Just Dance 2020. This entry requires the Kinect camera to track movements, making it a lot more efficient than its Dance Dance counterpart. Players watch real dancers instead of glowing avatars which allow dance moves to be much more easily replicated.
There are a lot of options when choosing the best exercise routine in day to day life. Video games help to make it an enjoyable experience, and not having to leave the comfort of your home is certainly a plus. The biggest barrier to entry is price, making games on the app store the easiest to get into with next-gen consoles and the Oculus reserved for those willing or able to spend $400+. Luckily, with every passing year, the list of options gets bigger and better. Happy training!
