After leaving us with a quick look last week, Nintendo confirmed a new experience would be unveiled on September 12 for those curious. The Wii Fit was something I thought was pretty interesting at the time and I used it enough that I noticed some improvements but that was years ago. Now, Nintendo wants us to use the Ring-Con to play games and get into shape, and it looks pretty cool if I’m being honest.
On October 18, using the Ring-Con and Leg Strap accessories, real-world movements turn into game actions as you use them to save the world within Ring Fit Adventure. In an expansive world full of enemies, you’ll use real-life exercises to perform attacks. Both the Ring-Con and Leg Strap respond to your movements, such as jogging in place which makes yoiur character move within the game. Another action involves squeezing the Ring-Con which serves as an attack, and by playing daily, you’ll gain a whole body workout. There are minigames and workout routines that offer aa wealth of workout based on skill levels and player lifestyle.
“Nintendo is always looking for ways to surprise people with one-of-a-kind, fresh experiences,” said Nick Chavez, Nintendo of America’s Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “Ring Fit Adventure combines gaming and physical activity in a way that incentivizes people to keep coming back for more, to further both the story and their own fitness goals.”
In Adventure Mode, you’ll see over 20 different worlds as you take on Dragaux, a “giant, chiselled dragon with an ego to match his oversized muscles.” By jogging, sprinting and knee-high raises combined with motions from the Ring-Con, you’ll be able to jump, hover, even steer a raft. There is enough physicality to get the blood flowing that’s for sure. Through squats, presses, and flexes you’ll face challenges that put your whole body to work. To play the game, players attach the Joy-Con controllers from their Nintendo Switch system to the included accessories – one to the Ring-Con and one to the Leg Strap. The Leg Strap is attached to the player’s upper left leg, while the Ring-Con is held in both hands. The Ring-Con is a flexible electronic device that provides resistance and uses the Joy-Con to respond to the player’s movements.
Nintendo boasts there are 40 Fit Skills (exercises) and you’ll learn how to do them through Ring Fit Adventure. The better your form, the more damage you’ll do to enemies. You’ll even earn experience points for your character with new stats and boosts as you play, even earning new Fit Skills along the way.
To top it off, there is also a Quick Play mode which is great for those who might not have a whole lot of time to play but still want to get a quick workout in. Minigames, for example, come in a wide range of activities from breaking boxes to shaping pottery.
Whether you are a beginner or advanced, with Simple and Set you can choose to focus on one body part and build your skill or through Set which is a series of workouts which focus on a theme or body part. You can focus on legs, back, shoulders, or core. There is even a silent mode for those living in apartments which swaps out jogging-style exercises for quieter ones.
Ring Fit Adventure isn’t a new Mario game but the idea behind it is exactly what Nintendo is known for. Getting people to move and be active while incorporating their console is such a Nintendo thing, that I’, all for it and can’t wait to get my hands on when it launched on October 18, 2019.
If you’re interested, Ring Fit Adventure retails for $99.99 CAD.
