Silly Drifloon

If there was any game that embodied the phrase “the game that tricks you into exercising” this would be it. Ring Fit Adventure greatly improved the concept of Exergaming far beyond anything that came before it- Pokémon Go, Just Dance, Zumba Fitness, even Wii Fit: all of these games had points where it felt like too much of an exercise routine or too much like a game. They had no counterbalance to cheating, and you wouldn’t feel rewarded for playing the “right way” other than the knowledge that it’s the only way to see effective results. This game changed the playing field by adding a traditional RPG story into the mix. It really feels as if YOU are the protagonist who has to physically punch and kick the enemies to win. You unlock moves, abilities, and customize your skill tree just like any other RPG. The game makes you CARE about the workout routine because it’s not presented as a workout routine at all! It’s presented to you as something so familiar to all video game fans. Your gamer instincts tell you “hey, grind to level up” or “use these moves (exercises) to beat these specific enemies because they’re type-effective or will do more damage”. I’m completely blown away at how much I care about progressing and “leveling myself up” to get to the next world without even thinking or treating it like I’m adding exercise to my daily routine. I don’t even care about checking the scales every day (which was very discouraging in the past) because I’m having FUN and wouldn’t want to stop anyway! This game is BRILLIANT!