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If you're looking to have fun and workout, these video games might be just what you need to add to your routine.
You don't need to leave the house to get a good workout, and nowadays you can even turn exercising into a game. Fitness video games have increased in popularity over the years, and there is no shortage of options out there that allow you to burn calories while playing a game. The best fitness games in 2022 come in two categories: VR games and non-VR games. Virtual reality fitness games can up the immersion, with games like Beat Saber capable of putting you in a zen-like trance that will make the minutes pass by quickly. That said, there are some wonderful non-VR fitness games, especially if you have a Nintendo Switch. Both Ring Fit Adventure and Fitness Boxing are excellent choices for Switch owners looking for a workout. And with Nintendo Switch Sports releasing later this month, you'll have another option to add to your routine--one that will get the whole family up and moving. We've rounded up the best fitness games in 2022. These workout-oriented titles will get your heart racing and leave you feeling like you've just hit the gym.
Best fitness games for 2022
Here are some of the best fitness games available on consoles. Most of the options here are exclusive to the Nintendo Switch, which has been the dominant platform for workout games since the massive success of Wii Fit.
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Now Playing: Best Games For Working Out At Home
Ring Fit Adventure
Platforms: Nintendo Switch
Ring Fit Adventure is undoubtedly the best fitness game on the market today.
Nintendo's hit workout game is a fitness-themed RPG where you team up with a sentient pilates ring to track down and defeat an evil body-building dragon called Dragaux. Available only as a physical set, Ring Fit Adventure includes a Ring-Con used to perform its strength exercises as you fight enemies, row through rivers, zip-line through the sky, and more. You also get a nice cardio workout from jogging (in place) through its colorful landscapes.
The game earned a 9/10 in GameSpot's Ring Fit Adventure review (posted one year after the game's release) for its variety of difficulty settings, vibrant landscapes, and longterm play value, though we did note cardio feels minimal compared to the strength training it provides. Still, if you're looking for a game to get you moving indoors, you can't do better than Ring Fit Adventure.
Ring Fit Adventure retails for $80, but you can often find it on sale nowadays. Ring Fit is worth every penny, and between the main story, minigames, and freestyle workout modes, there's plenty of content to keep you coming back for a long time. — Jenae Sitzes
Fitness Boxing 2
Platforms: Nintendo Switch
While Ring Fit Adventure is certainly the flagship fitness game of the Nintendo Switch, it's not the only Switch game that delivers a solid workout from home. A sequel to 2019's Fitness Boxing, Fitness Boxing 2 is a rhythm game that doubles as a fitness video game, as you twist and punch along to the beat of modern pop songs. If you never played the first game, Fitness Boxing 2 is probably the one to pick up as it does add new trainers, songs, and other minor improvements, but it's mostly more of the same. Still, you'll probably have an easier time finding Fitness Boxing 2 in stock and on sale due to how new it is.
While it may seem to work only your arm muscles, boxing is a full-body workout that also targets your abs, legs, and shoulders; plus, it's a fantastic cardio workout that'll get your heart pumping fast. Nintendo's Fitness Boxing is a great intro to the exercise for those who are stuck inside. The Switch game teaches you how to perform key moves like jabs, hooks, and uppercuts, which each has their own symbol that'll appear on-screen during a song. You'll have to perform these moves to the correct beat of the song, and there's no skimping either--if you don't maintain proper form with your punches, the game will call you out (indicating that your punch missed or was only "OK" rather than "Perfect"). You'll also have to throw some force into your punches for them to count--no half-hearted movements.
While its song list leaves something to be desired, Fitness Boxing 2 gets the job done. Its boxing sessions are satisfying and appropriately intense, and you can even customize your workouts, selecting which areas you want the workout to focus on and how long it will last. You don't need any equipment for Fitness Boxing beyond your standard Joy-Cons, and there's also a free demo with three days of workouts you can try out before buying. — Jenae Sitzes
Just Dance 2022
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One
The Just Dance series has been around since 2009 and continues to be a fun way to burn calories, break a sweat, and improve your flexibility. The newest game in the franchise, Just Dance 2022 adds 40 new tracks from artists like Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo, Billie Eilish, and more. The motion-based dancing game focuses on following choreography to hit songs. While you can play Just Dance alone, the game also allows for multiple players. Using either motion controllers (like the Switch's Joy-Cons) or your own smartphone with the Just Dance Controller app, players mirror the on-screen dancers' movements and score points based on accuracy.
Each version of the game has its own collection of songs, but you can significantly increase the size of your library by subscribing to Just Dance Unlimited. The subscription-based service lets you choose from a library of over 700 songs, including songs from previous games and new exclusives. A new copy of the game comes with one month of free Just Dance Unlimited access, so it’s worth taking advantage of the trial if you're new to the series. — Chastity Vicencio
Zumba: Burn It Up
Platforms: Nintendo Switch
Just Dance isn't the only dance workout available on Nintendo Switch. Zumba: Burn It Up released in November 2019, offering Switch players an intro to the hugely popular Latin-inspired dance workout. Zumba incorporates upbeat music and choreographed dances, but you don't need to be a great dancer or have perfect rhythm; this workout is just about moving your body and having fun. Still, it's a fantastic cardio workout that also works your core and boosts flexibility.
Zumba: Burn It Up brings the exercise dance party to your living room with over 30 songs from artists like Cardi B, Ciara, and more. The game features real-life Zumba instructors, who will energetically lead you through the routines, and Switch Joy-Cons track your movement (you'll want to strap them securely to your wrists). Zumba routines can get quite complex; however, you can choose your intensity level for each session, and some songs are slower than others. Like Fitness Boxing, Zumba: Burn It Up's song list is a bit lacking, especially compared to the hundreds of songs you can unlock with Just Dance Unlimited. But at the end of the day, Zumba: Burn It Up is a great option if you're looking for a serious workout, not just a game that involves moving, and if you love Zumba or have wanted to try it out, this is a fantastic way to enjoy the exercise from home. — Jenae Sitzes
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Arms
Platforms: Nintendo Switch
One of few first-party Switch games to really utilize motion controls, Arms is a stylish fighting game featuring a large cast of unique characters. At its core, Arms is a 3D 1v1 fighting game that doesn't take itself too seriously, and as the title suggests, arms are key here. Each fighter has different mechanical arms and abilities, from fluttering ribbon arms and spring-loaded arms to arms with guns for hands and more.
Yes, Arms may be easier to play with a Pro controller than with Joy-Con motion controls, but if the aim is to get up and moving, Arms provides just that through its variety of game modes. Arms supports online lobbies of up to 20 people, but you can also play local versus matches and multiple battle mode minigames like basketball and volleyball. You can also get a nice workout playing the solo Grand Prix mode, which pits you against 10 computer-controlled characters to see if you have what it takes to secure the championship belt.
The Switch exclusive earned a 7/10 in GameSpot's Arms review for its fast-paced combat and quirky personality. We knocked it a bit for its surprisingly steep learning curve, but once you get the controls down, it's a lot of fun. — Steven Petite
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Best VR fitness games
While VR isn't the most accessible platform for playing games, the physical aspects of VR gaming can make for an intensive workout, and we'd be remiss not to mention titles like Beat Saber here. If you're someone who's interested in VR, the Oculus Quest 2 (technically called Meta Quest now) is an excellent choice and remarkably affordable at just $299 for the 128GB model.Check out our Oculus Quest 2 review for more info and check availability at Amazon below.
Most VR headsets come bundled with motion controllers, but if you have PSVR, you'll want to pick up a pair of Move Motion Controllers if you can. See our list of the best VR headsets for more details on the headsets we recommend.
Beat Saber
Compatible VR headsets: Oculus Rift, Oculus Quest, PlayStation VR, Valve Index, HTC Vive, and Windows Mixed Reality
If you have a virtual reality headset like the Oculus Rift or PlayStation VR, there's no better workout game than Beat Saber. Colored blocks fly toward you, and you swipe at them with the lightsabers in your hands--simple.
Sure, it might seem relatively low impact when you're starting out, and as a rhythm game, it lacks the features that a dedicated workout experience might offer. But it's worth getting invested; the better you get at Beat Saber, the better a workout it is. You might start on normal difficulty, or even hard, and higher levels of play will seem completely out of reach. But the game's learning curve is really more of a friendly slope, thanks to readily available options like no-fail mode, song slowing, and practice mode. If you have the discipline to constantly set your sights on the next toughest challenge that initially seems unbeatable, you'll find yourself constantly improving. Once you start nailing songs on expert difficulty and toying with expert plus--not to mention modifiers that make songs more difficult, like extra speed or disappearing arrows--you'll find yourself pouring sweat and out of breath in no time.
Beat Saber also just released FitBeat, a new, free fitness track with standard, 90-degree, and 360-degree levels that leans even more heavily into the VR fitness game angle. FitBeat introduces some of Beat Saber's most challenging workouts yet, so there's no better time to dive in. — Michael Rougeau
Sprint Vector
Compatible VR headsets: Oculus Rift, PlayStation VR, and HTC Vive
Sprint Vector offers a fairly strenuous VR workout thanks to its constant use of motion controls. While your racer is technically strapped into "vector blades," Sprint Vector's first-person perspective makes it feel like you're going on a brisk run. The sci-fi courses are littered with sharp turns and changes in elevation. In addition to the standard tracks, there are obstacle courses that add even more variables to impede your progress. So even though the majority of the experience requires you to pump your arms back and forth, you also have to perform more elaborate maneuvers to turn quickly and fling yourself atop high rise platforms. The courses promote parkour-style movements, forcing you to exercise both your body and mind.
Even after just one race, you'll feel the effort with Sprint Vector. And after a few, your forehead might get a little sweaty under the headset; your arms may start to feel like jello. Thankfully, Sprint Vector's fast-paced racing action is engaging enough to stick with the initial difficulties that come with mastering the control scheme. After a while, gliding on these futuristic rollerblades will feel like second nature. You'll need plenty of space to play Sprint Vector, as it's a room-scale experience, as well as two motion controllers regardless of your platform of choice. — Steven Petite
Rec Room
Compatible VR headsets: Oculus Rift, Oculus Quest, PlayStation VR, Valve Index, HTC Vive, and Windows Mixed Reality
Though Rec Room won't give you the same level of workout as some of the other games on this list, it feels like a really great game to recommend while social distancing. Rec Room offers a free-to-play VR space to socialize with friends and play some fun minigames using motion controls. As of now, Rec Room has laser tag, dodgeball, disc golf, 3D charades, paintball, co-op quests where you square off against skeletons and werewolves, and even its own spin on battle royale dubbed Rec Royale.
Rec Room is currently in early access, but as you can tell, it has a bevy of activities to enjoy alongside buddies from the comfort of your own living room. So if you're looking for a lighthearted game that will get you moving and at least somewhat replicates the feeling of being with friends and loved ones, Rec Room is definitely worth checking out. — Steven Petite
Dance Central VR
Compatible VR headsets: Oculus Rift, Oculus Quest
The Kinect may leave a bad taste in the mouth of some gamers, but I was actually quite fond of its motion-tracking capabilities. One of my all-time favorite games, Dance Central, was also an excellent example of its best features put to great use. The Kinect tracked your entire body as you reenacted dance moves from popular songs, making for an intense workout while also having a lot of fun and, honestly, just feeling cool. Unfortunately, the Kinect has fallen to the wayside, but there's a newer option for playing Dance Central in 2022. If you have an Oculus Rift or Quest, then you can play Harmonix's latest entry in the Dance Central series.
Dance Central VR is exactly how you remember it on consoles, even if the tracking is a little different. Since the Rift and Quest are only able to track your head and hands, you'll have to play the honor system with your legs and feet--of course, if you fake it, you won't get the full workout benefits of dancing. Thankfully, Dance Central VR is as fun as it was on Xbox; it's hard not to move your feet to songs like Earth, Wind, & Fire's "September" or Flo Rida and T-Pain's "Low." — Mat Paget
Pistol Whip
Compatible VR headsets: Oculus Rift, Oculus Quest, PlayStation VR, Valve Index, HTC Vive, and Windows Mixed Reality
Playing Pistol Whip is the closest I've ever felt to being John Wick. The VR game puts you on a track that keeps you moving forward at all times while enemies come into view from the left, right, and above you. You might be standing still as the track pulls you through the level, but you'll be crouching, moving from side to side, and dodging virtual bullets as you shoot your way through each song's scene. It's an incredibly fun action VR shooter, but it can also be a heart-pounding and sweaty workout if you push yourself with the harder difficulties. — Mat Paget
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