I Played This Boxing Video Game and It Completely Kicked My Ass
If you, like me, have major introvert tendencies and sometimes crippling anxiety that discourages you from unnecessary social activities, you'll understand where I'm coming from when I say: I'm a health editor, but I've never been to a legit workout class.
Here's the thing: After a long day of being around people at work, I don't want to be surrounded by more people while I get my sweat on. I also hate the feeling of being stared at or potentially judged. Generally, I prefer to run outside or work out in the comfort of my home, where no one's watching and my shower is 10 feet away. So when Nintendo invited me to a group workout promoting their new boxing game on the Switch, my instinct was to delete the email immediately. But the gamer in me also couldn't resist, so I showed up, bleary-eyed and nervous, ready to kick off my morning with some video game boxing. And spoiler alert: I'm so glad I did.
A new era of video game fitness
Anyone who owned a Wii 10 years ago may remember Wii Fit, Nintendo's top-selling fitness game that allowed players to personalize a fitness routine and track their progress over time. With Fitness Boxing, which launched in early January, Nintendo clearly hopes to recreate the success of Wii Fit on the Switch and capitalize on the ever-growing popularity of boxing, an intense full-body workout touted by celebs like Jennifer Aniston and Halle Berry.
So what's Fitness Boxing all about? Essentially, it's a rhythm game that gets you off the couch and on your feet as you twist and punch to the beat of modern pop songs. Think Guitar Hero or Dance Dance Revolution, except instead of just pressing buttons or tapping your feet, you're performing different boxing moves like jabs, hooks, and uppercuts to match the corresponding symbols on your screen. All the while, you're jamming to "Bad Romance" or "Call Me Maybe" as a super-fit, animated trainer punches right along with you.
What surprised me most about Fitness Boxing was its emphasis on proper form and accuracy. It takes a bit of getting used to, because just lazily moving your arm around without any real force or effort won't cut it with your Fitness Boxing trainer. As you throw your punches, the screen will let you know whether your hit was "Perfect!" or just "Ok," or whether you missed entirely. I found that getting a perfect score requires moving your entire body with the punch and actually throwing the punch with some force. Your trainer will also give you specific tips on what moves you need to work on and how to improve.
While I came fully equipped in workout clothes, I never expected to actually sweat while playing this game-but I did. First of all, you're expected to maintain a proper boxing stance, so your whole body is slightly turned, hands up near your face, and shifting back and forth as you throw punches. This isn't a game you can play on the couch; you're literally moving the entire time. The game also ramps up in difficulty as you play-eventually, you're doing long combos that involve full-body movements, like a squat and an uppercut simultaneously. Truth be told, my arms and upper back were sore as heck for several days afterward.
Is Fitness Boxing worth it?
Priced at $50, Fitness Boxing is $10 cheaper than most Switch games and $40 cheaper than Wii Fit was when it first launched. Granted, Fitness Boxing isn't accompanied by any special accessories like the Wii Fit's Balance Board, but it still has excellent value and enough features to keep you entertained long-term. Not only does it have a multiplayer mode so you can compete against your friends or significant other, but it also allows you to track your progress over time with calories burned and estimated BMI. You can also choose from different fitness goals to personalize your workout, and you can change trainers and unlock new outfits for them. Plus, like any Switch game, it's portable, so you can take Fitness Boxing with you when you travel and do a 10-minute workout in your hotel room, if you want.
Fitness Boxing isn't necessarily a replacement for your regular workout routine, but if your New Year's resolution was to be more active, a game like this can help you stay motivated and provide a fallback on days when you just don't feel like leaving the house. In my case, I love that it delivers the intensity and energy of a boxing workout class-but in the comfort of my own home.
And if you want to try the game with zero commitment, there's a free demo with three days of workouts available in the Nintendo eShop.
Note: I received a free copy of Fitness Boxing for promotional purposes, but my honest opinions and experience with the game are reflected here.
('You Might Also Like',)
Solve the daily Crossword
