Ring Fit Adventure Switch review: A worthy successor to Nintendo Wii Fit

A surprise announcement by Nintendo, Ring Fit Adventure is a fitness-themed, turn-based role-playing game that combines high energy exercise with a charming presentation and a couple of easy to use accessories.

The Ring-Con – which houses the right Joy-Con – is a rugged resistance ring that can be squeezed, pulled and rotated. Attached to your left thigh is the Leg Strap, which measures things like running speed, squat movements and knee raises.

From a fitness standpoint, after squeezing and flexing the Ring Con, lifting those knees and performing the perfect Warrior Pose, your body will really feel it after a Ring Fit Adventure session. Prepare for your arms to burn, your muscles to ache and your heart rate to increase. It’s probably a good idea to have a towel to hand.

It’s also an incredibly fun game in its own right, whether you’re fighting monsters, discovering new secrets and unlockables within the game world, or going for a high-score in one its many unique mini-games.

With 20 different worlds, a ton of monsters and even RPG staples like towns, villages and side quests, the main adventure mode is a fantastic place to start if you’re looking to increase your strength and improve your stamina. 

Players walk, jog, run and jump through the game’s colourful landscapes, before fighting monsters in turn-based battles where you damage enemies by performing exercises called Fit Skills.

The adventure setting and turn-based battles are an ingenious way of distracting players from the gruelling rigours of regular exercises. You can perform most of these exercises without Ring Fit Adventure, but you probably won’t enjoy it as much.

It’s also worth pointing out that playing the adventure mode once a day won’t magically transform your body. However, you will notice a difference and start to see results if you play regularly and commit to a healthy diet.

If you’ve burned through the campaign or perhaps find it too childish – you are up against a body building dragon, after all – Ring Fit Adventure contains enough additional content to keep you busy for months on end.

You can perform simple challenges, play traditional minigames and work up a sweat with a selection of shorter sets in Quick Play mode, or create your own workouts by combining individual exercises with the aforementioned minigames in Custom mode.

From shaping pottery in Squattery Wheel to climbing walls and collecting coins in Bootstrap Tower, the bizarre minigames are Nintendo at its very best.

Incorporate them into your custom workouts and you’ll continue to have fun while getting fit, even when the adventure comes to an end.

Unfortunately, Ring Fit Adventure isn’t without one or two of the flaws that plague most fitness-based video games.

The main problem is with the leg strap, which isn’t always the most reliable, particularly during grounded exercises – I had problems with the knee to elbow exercise, for example.

While it doesn’t happen all of the time, messing around with the strap isn’t ideal when you’re trying to keep those energy levels up.

Despite plenty of unlockable items and gear, the customisation elements are also pretty weak. Characters generally end up looking the same, regardless of the gear they wear.

It’s also worth remembering that Ring Fit Adventure isn’t compatible with the Nintendo Switch Lite, so that rules that one out.

Ultimately, however, Ring Fit Adventure does everything it sets out to do. A worthy successor to Wii Fit, Ring Fit Adventure will improve your fitness, increase your strength and keep you smiling throughout.

source: express.co.uk