Ring Fit Adventure for Nintendo Switch Review: Fitness Game with Switch Peripherals

Perfectly timed during these strange days of social distancing and self-isolation, Nintendo has released a hefty update for its home fitness game 

Ring Fit Adventure. 

Complementing the central story and the other core modes of

Ring Fit Adventure, 

players can now enjoy new jogging activities and a rhythm game - all for no extra cost!

With these updates to cover, and considering that you might well be looking for a home fitness solution right now,

Stealth Optional

jumped back into

Ring Fit Adventure

to bring you this new review...

Peripherals - Score 90

If you're lucky enough to get hold of 

Ring Fit Adventure 

(since supplies are running quite low at the moment), you'll find that the game comes in a big box along with two essential peripherals that you'll need to play the game.

One of these is a simple velcro leg strap, which you'll slot your left Joy-Con into before attaching it to your left thigh. Doing this will allow the game to measure your leg movements while you exercise. It's easy to put on and it will serve you well most of the time, although it will occasionally fall out of place through no fault of your own.

The Ring Con is a fabulous invention

The other peripheral is the Ring Con - a sizeable circular controller that you'll slot your right Joy-Con into. This fabulous invention will track your arm movements, as well as supporting you through an array of squeezing and stretching exercises.

Again, the Ring Con is very easy to set up, and it is made from premium materials that don't feel yucky when you sweat. The only flaw with the Ring-Con is that sometimes it gets a bit confused, and you'll need to recalibrate it by pointing the Ring Con towards the floor for a couple of seconds.

Main Story - Score 75

The easiest way to get to grips with 

Ring Fit Adventure 

is by dipping into its story mode, which is easy to access by selecting 'Adventure' from the main menu.

Although there is little in the way of exciting drama or character development here, there is an array of nice-looking worlds and hyperactive companion character called Ring (who represents the physical manifestation of your Ring-Con on the screen) that will guide you through the basics of the gameplay.

There is an unremarkable overworld - it consists of a series of blobs on a map, each of which represents a different location - and an array of increasingly challenging levels to tackle.

Little in the way of exciting drama

You'll control your on-screen avatar through your movements: running on the spot will make the character run on the screen, while squeezing on the Ring Con and pointing in a downward direction will initiate a jump on the screen.

You'll also enter into an array of battles, using exercise moves - everything from yoga poses to squats - to deal damage on your opponents.

It's all very easy to get to grips with, and there are settings you can change to make your Adventure more or less challenging, so you shouldn't struggle to work up a sweat here.

Don't expect to be gripped by the story, which completely lacks in emotion and focuses on a series of repetitive battles against a body-building dragon. But do expect to get a good workout as you progress.

Additional Modes - Score 95

The game really comes alive in its extra modes. One called 'Quick Play' allows you to jump into any form of exercise you like - including the new, battle-free addition of jogging - to enjoy a quick blast of exercise without having to suffer through the story.

You'll also find an array of enjoyable minigames here, including exercise-based versions of classic games like Whack-A-Mole. These can be really fun, and you can even challenge your mates to try and beat your top score.

The game really comes alive in its extra modes

The newly added 'Rhythm Game' mode allows you to bop along to music and move/manipulate the Ring-Con based on the instructions on the screen. Think

Guitar Hero 

but with fewer songs and more exercise.

There's also a 'Multitask' mode, which will count your pulls and squeezes on the Ring-Con while the Nintendo Switch console is asleep. When you're WFH, this can come in handy - why not have a quick go on the Ring-Con while the kettle is boiling?

In 'Custom' mode, you can string together exercises and minigames from 'Quick Play' and 'Rhythm Game' to make your own multi-stage workout plans. This is perhaps the most useful tool in the whole game when it comes to tailoring your own exercise experience - it's where the whole game comes together to suit you.

Price - Score 80

Ring Fit Adventure

for Nintendo Switch

should

cost around £69.99, but right now stocks are very limited (both

Amazon

and

Argos

are sold out) and you will find some inflated prices on sites like

eBay

.

That RRP is still a fair chunk of change to part with for one game, especially since you will need a Nintendo Switch console as well.

But still, you do get an infinite amount of workouts from the game, and 20 different worlds to explore in the 'Adventure' mode.

You also get two sturdy peripherals, which we've encountered no major problems with, so it's hard to complain too hard about this price.

Our Score

Pros

• Provides a good workout

• Quick Play and Rhythm Game are fun
• Some of the worlds are beautiful
• Peripherals are high quality
• Custom Mode and Multitask Mode combine for a 'home gym' feeling

Cons

• Quite expensive, even if you find stock at RRP
• Leg strap sometimes slides off
• Ring Con occasionally needs recalibrating
• The actual story is quite dull

Ring Fit Adventure 

for Nintendo Switch will not be all things to all people, so don't expect to be overly entertained if you come to this game looking for a storytelling experience. But if you're looking for a way to workout at home while having a bit of fun, this game is a very strong option to consider.