What Are Fitness Games?

As virtual reality continues to plunge deeper into gaming, more gamers are taking advantage of the technology to keep fit. Sure, you can sit through plenty of virtual reality games. However, most games demand that you move around the room. What’s more? Some fitness games are designed to perform full-body workouts, all from the comfort of your home. You can sign up for a workout plan suited for you and encourage one another via online platforms and leaderboards. But which are the best fitness games available today?

What Are Fitness Games?

Fitness games use technology to sense your body’s movement and reaction. They incorporate different types of games that have your heart racing. In no time at all, playing fitness games will have you working up a sweat that helps you keep fit in the long run. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all fitness game, with a huge variety out there catering to different needs. You can have dance or fighting fitness games with a genre that speaks to every gamer’s taste.

Gameplay

Fitness games combine working out with gaming in all sorts of ways. The gameplay can range anywhere from dance workouts to the rhythm of popular songs to performing full-body workouts under the tutelage of some of the best trainers worldwide. Alternatively, you can jump into the world of sports games and stretch out your arms and legs, competing for championships. Whether boxing or kayaking, fitness games have something for everyone. And then there is the realm of action games, which can involve swinging your sword and chasing down enemies across platforms.

What are the Best Fitness Games?

Most fitness games will get your heart racing. However, these best fitness games get you the best results over time.

6. Just Dance

Just Dance is a rhythm fitness game series that focuses on dancing as a way to get your heart pumping. You can play the game solo or with a group. Each game includes a collection of upbeat music to dance to. The goal here is to dance to mirror the dancing styles as accurately as possible. As the technology tracks your body movement and reaction, it’ll rank your performance for each round. You can always work your way up global leaderboards. There are incentives, too, like receiving a gold achievement for striking challenging poses or bonus points for completing tricky dance moves. Over the years, Just Dance has innovated on its mechanics, with the recent Just Dance 2025 Edition fine-tuning song selection and controls to industry standard.

5. Zombies, Run!

Zombies, Run! is a mobile fitness game for iOS and Android platforms. It takes you to a place called Abel Township, where a zombie outbreak is underway. Your job is to step into the shoes of a “Runner” and, well, run for your life. But it’s not just aimlessly running around your neighborhood. The game does curate different scenarios to keep your playthrough fun and exciting. Moreover, it crafts audio you can listen to while running that builds up on the narrative. The audios often contain clues that lead you to uncover mysteries. Alternatively, you can be tasked with collecting certain items. 

4. Ring Fit Adventure

You could optionally switch up genres by checking out the action RPG fitness game Ring Fit Adventure. It has two gameplay controls: the Ring-Con, which is shaped like a ring that you hold, and a Leg Strap. Then, you jump into the turn-based RPG game, battling monsters. The Joy-Cons for your Ring-Con and Leg Strap track your movement, recording the exercises you immerse in. When you want to take a break from the main game, you can jump into additional fitness routines and party-style games. The game comes with the Ring-Con and Leg Strap. So, no need to worry about that. Then, you can head out into the game, exploring dungeons, jumping over obstacles, shooting projectiles at monsters, and eventually, defeating the evil, bodybuilding Dragaux dragon creature.

3. Dance Dance Revolution

Before rhythm and dance fitness games evolved to what they are today, they began from the humble beginnings of Dance Dance Revolution. Released in 1999, all you had to do was stand on top of a stage and dance. Your job is to stomp on the stage according to the colored arrows that appear on the screen. You have to dance to the beat of the music, with the arrows providing visual cues, too. Timing is everything in a Dance Dance Revolution game. Meanwhile, your incentive to beat the game is unlocking cooler music selections. So, do you think you can hit a “Marvelous” ranking, fill up the “Dance Gauge” bar, and win?

2. Les Millis Body Combat

Thanks to VR technology, you no longer have to leave your home to work out. Les Millis Body Combat is among the best mixed-reality fitness apps you can find. It has the benefit of building on already existing workout regimens from the Les Millis fitness company. As a result, you enjoy access to a staggering selection of workouts. Moreover, you can access coaching to encourage you. Workouts can be as simple as throwing punches and kicks. In all the 50 workout plans on offer, you dive deep into martial arts-inspired workouts that exercise your full body and draw you one step closer to your body goals.

1. Beat Saber

Alternatively, you can play the virtual reality rhythm game Beat Saber. It curates a neon-lit universe where musical beats move toward you at increasing speed. You’ll need to slice the beats with a lightsaber to the beat of the music. With a pair of sabers, you’ll exercise both arms. However, since the musical beats are spaced out on a 4 by 3 grid, you’ll often need to move around quite a bit. Moreover, you can sometimes have obstacles like walls approaching you, which you need to duck out of the way to win the game.

So, what’s your take? Do you agree with our best fitness games? Are there more fitness games we should know about? Let us know over on our socials here.