Exercise and video games seem a bit odd at first glance. Sitting on your couch with a controller or a handheld device doesn’t seem like the best way to get up and active. Over the years there have been a few games and consoles focused on getting its players up and moving, to varying degrees of success. For the current generation however, one of these is a game I was at first a bit skeptical about – Ring Fit Adventure.
At first glance I figured it was like every other gimmicky peripheral, but if you’re looking for something to get both you and your kids off the couch and moving about, then this might be what you’re looking for.
It’s not a straight exercise game, unlike some other releases in the market, but rather the entire premise is set in a hero ‘saves the world’ narrative, by completing challenges and – you guessed it – exercising while doing it.
It comes with the gaming equivalent of a Pilates ring, in which you dock one of the motion sensitive Joy-Cons. The other Joy-Con is strapped to your leg, and this monitors your movement as you quite literally run (on the spot in real life) around the environment collecting items and defeating enemies.
The Joy-Cons are surprisingly sensitive for this kind of work, and the game will tell you to correct your form if you’re holding the ring incorrectly so you can get the most out of your workout.
When we first got it, my kids were quite enamoured with the game, which gets you to complete a series of challenges that get progressively harder. It also consistently monitors your movement and heart rate, feeding back on how hard you’ve worked in each session. As a parent I was pleased that they were up and moving around, and then a part of me figured, “Hey why don’t I give this a try?”
I can honestly say that I was breathing hard and sweating by the time I finished a couple of levels, which meant that I could use it (and did) to exercise on my own as well. Apart from the fact that you can set the difficulty level, each exercise is designed to work different parts of your body, so you’re working your core, your legs and arms, as well as getting some cardio in there.
The game narrative itself is quite basic, but it does keep you coming back, even if it’s just because you feel like you’re accomplishing something as you progress.
If your kids are more inclined to play video games than run around outside, this is a great way to get them moving and perhaps more interested in exercise overall. Being able to see real world fitness results from a video game is a big draw card in my book!
If you’re a parent looking to give their kids some motivation, or perhaps looking to fit in a quick workout of your own without leaving the house when you have a few minutes, I can highly recommend giving this a try.
To find out more about Ring Fit Adventure, visit the Nintendo Online Store South Africa and maybe even take advantage of the current promotion to save R1000 on the Ring Fit Adventure set which includes the Nintendo Switch console.
By Pippa Tshabalala on behalf of Nintendo Distributor SA
