Let’s Get Physical: 6 Games to Keep You Fit

Words by Scene PH

Scene PH drills down on some of the games that have helped keep them fit, one way or another

Let’s be real: working out is not always the most fun thing for everyone, nor is it always the top of mind on your list of things to do for the day, and that’s 100% okay! But, if you did want to get into working out but just didn’t know where to start – or if you already do work out, and are just looking for alternatives to spice up your routine – maybe playing a game might be the perfect entry point for you.

Ansis: Just Dance

I used to dance back in school but had to stop after graduation. So whenever I get an opportunity to dance again, you bet I’ll take it (even if it’s just me alone in my room). Now, the only way you can make me workout is if dance is involved. You can’t tell me sweating out to Lady Gaga and TWICE is not the perfect way to burn calories. So when I got my Switch, I just had to get a copy of Just Dance 2021. 

It’s the ultimate dance game! And with this latest version, you get to pop, lock, and rock to chart-topping songs like “Adore You” and “Rain on Me” (my personal favorite). You can also subscribe to Just Dance Unlimited to dance to more songs.

Don’t have a Switch? Play using your phone with Just Dance Now!

Kitkat: Harry Potter: Wizards Unite

Wands at the ready, witches and wizards! The world of Harry Potter is coming to our streets. Developed by Niantic (the creators of Pokemon Go) and WB Games, this augmented reality mobile game is set at time when “…everything that anyone has ever feared, revered, or held dear in the wizarding world — people, things, even memories…” have mysteriously been taken and scattered across the globe. 

As a Task Force volunteer for the Ministry, you need to help regain the missing Foundables. But to do so, you have to walk around (read: exercise) to find them just like Pokemon Go, but in true Harry Potter fashion, instead of a Pokeball, you can use spells, or rather, wand flicks that you draw with your finger, to free a captured Foundable. Spells will also be useful for future duels with Dark Wizards as you delve deeper into the story. So if you’re a fan of the wizarding world, it’s definitely a fun way to get more steps in. You won’t even notice you’ve been exercising—it’s magic!

Jem: Super Mario Party

Nintendo really has a knack for creating games and consoles that keep its players moving while having fun at the same time. Among those games is one of the first few titles that came during the launch of the Switch, Super Mario Party.

Fun with friends or family, Super Mario Party can get highly competitive and tiring with the amount of physical activities each game possesses. There are a variety of challenges that can keep you moving thanks to the Switch’s controllers that require movement. I have had fun playing this during sleepovers with friends (when it was allowed, of course) and with my cousins and my sibling!

NIKKI: Mario Golf Super Rush and Mario Tennis Aces

This entry feels like a cheat because I’ve never actually tried any of these games, but they’re in the list, I promise. 

I’m neither a golfer nor a tennis player, and I have no idea if either of these games were created with actual fitness in mind (unlike the Ring Fit, for example). But in a time of home quarantines and lockdowns, any form of movement that doesn’t involve sitting on and standing from a chair has to be good… right? 

In any case, either game looks FUN. 

Check out this comparison video to know more about each game: 

Lara: Ring Fit Adventure

Full disclosure: I have not finished “Ring Fit Adventure” (much like many other games in my ever-growing backlog). But for the four (or five) times I did pick the game up and actually play it, it was a lot of fun. And – much to my surprise – it was challenging. 

Unlike its predecessor, “WiiFit”, “Ring Fit Adventure” is an actual RPG. Much like any other RPG, you, as the silent main character, go through a large map, unlock access to certain places by leveling up or progressing through the story. You collect items, mix potions, buy better gear in the form of workout clothes and shoes. And of course, you fight the big bad. There is a clear storyline – a beginning, a middle, and end (though I have yet to get to that!). 

But what makes the game so fun is how seamlessly it incorporates the workout into the actual gameplay. To get from point A to B (or to make your character move), you actually have to run in place and the speed at which your character is moving is completely dependent on your pace. You fight monsters by doing repetitions: 20 squats to down one monster, 50 arm squeezes to kill another. The difficulty and variety in the exercises changes with your level. Much like your own fitness journey, the stronger you get, the more you can do. While you definitely know that you’re exercising, (you’ll feel it, I promise!) it’s a little bit more fun and a little less daunting because you are immersed in a video game.

BIANCA: Pokemon Go

Back when Scene PH was still known as MVNDO, and I was still a grad-waiting college student, I remember how much the whole team had so much fun playing Pokémon GO together! During our lunch breaks and occasionally after work, I remember we’d walk from the office to the grocery across our office not just to find a place to eat, but to also catch some Pokémon. I also remember enjoying long car rides and being motivated to walk around my village to catch Pokémon and check out Pokéstops.

I may not play Pokémon GO anymore, but I’ve always loved the concept of moving around and exploring different areas, as if I’m on a real-life treasure hunt. As I write my entry, I realized how much I do miss it, but given the current situation, it’s something I can’t play right now. I can’t wait to see the team, so we can try to play again together! *cue Pokémon theme song*