Who said all gamers do is sit on the couch and workout their thumbs? Sure, that’s a majority of games, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t a few out there meant to get you moving.
Now, thanks to VR letting us dive into virtual worlds and Nintendo’s motion controllers, there are plenty of ways to get off the couch while still clutching a controller and making sure you’re gaming away.
They may not all replace the gym, but you can certainly expect beads of sweat, whether that’s from the workout or thrilling gameplay.
Keep a towel nearby.
ARMS
If you’ve ever played Street Fighter, Tekken or any other fighting game, you may have thought once or twice: “If only I could be the one to throw a punch like”. Well that’s exactly what Nintendo Switch’s ARMS does, except, in a very long manner. By that, we mean each thrown by the array of quirky characters is like a spring, meaning gamers can reach their opponents at the other side of the arena. It’s unique, and while may seem simple at first, head online to fight with veterans and you’ll see the difference. Sure, you can play ARMS with just your thumbs, but that takes the fun out of throwing a punch, guarding and flying your fists around with the Joy Cons in hand. Get pumping.
Available on Nintendo Switch.
Beat Saber
Remember the days of Guitar Hero trying to master Metallica’s Master of Puppets? Well, Beat Saber is the modern version of that, except a lot harder on your body. With two lightsabers in hand, players must slice each box that follows along with the beat in the right direction, and move out of the way of obstacles. Oh, sound easy? There’s a near endless list of custom songs by other players, and they can make it as hard as possible. You’ll feel like fairly fit Mozart conducting a futuristic orchestra.
Available on PSVR, HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, and Oculus Quest.
Just Dance 2020
We mean, it’s pretty self-explanatory, isn’t it? With more than 500 songs just jam to, with trending tracks of the past year such as bad guy from Billie Eilish to I Don’t Care by Ed Sheeran and Justin Bieber, you’ll be surprised the different ways to groove to songs you didn’t even know had moves to. This is proper dancing, so expect to sweat buckets, in fact, there is literally a mode called ‘Sweat Mode’. You might learn a move or two to perform on the dancefloor the next time you head to a club.
Available on Wii, Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One, Google Stadia.
Knockout League
Prepare to duck, swerve, hook, uppercut and Superman punch your way to victory with this arcade-style boxing VR game. Although, don’t expect opponents to be fair, or human for that matter. A great way to get yourself on your feet like a boxer, VR’s Knockout League will have you in the ring with a pirate, magician, wacky scientist and an octopus — good luck blocking up eight gloves at once. The Virtual Reality Institute of Health and Exercise noted that it playing this can burn up to 8kcals per minute. 480 in an hour? Not bad at all.
Available on PSVR, HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, and Oculus Quest.
Ring Fit Adventure
It’s the RPG made for fitness enthusiasts, as gamers tackle challenges like squats, lunges, jogging, sit ups and over 40 more techniques to defeat enemies in probably the quirkiest way possible. With the Ring-Con and Leg Strap accessories, players must make their way to defeat the body-building dragon (yup) who has thrown the world into chaos, all by using those biceps, quads and gluts. It’s a great motivator, and might be one of the only ways to save the world by getting fit. A fitness game that makes you feel guilty about not playing it? Well done, Nintendo.
Available on Nintendo Switch.
Superhot VR
Just think about the amount of strenuous athletics the guys over in The Matrix do all the time, and you’ll pretty much get an idea of Superhot. It’s you against an onslaught of red enemies shooting, throwing and punching you, which means plenty of dodging, crouching, fast moving and aiming. We don’t know about you, but that looks like a physical workout to us. With the ability to slow time, it’s quite strategic too, but the buzz of taking down enemies in the most Matrix way possible is thrilling. With plenty of scenarios to wade through, you’ll feel totally immersed. After a few hours of this, you’ll know kung fu.
Available on PSVR, HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, and Oculus Quest.
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