Virtual Reality (VR) has a movement-based control system that makes it possible to combine engaging gameplay with intense movement to deliver a fun, fitness experience. This guide will cover some of the top fitness games broken down into different categories to help you find the best VR workout experience for you.
Best rhythm fitness game
Beat Saber
• Platforms: Steam, Rift, Meta Quest, Playstation VR
If you’ve heard of VR then chances are you’ve also heard of Beat Saber, one of the most popular VR games ever made. You’ll find Beat Saber on almost every top ten VR games list and with good reason. The gameplay involves dodging obstacles and slicing different coloured blocks to the sound of the music using energy swords.
The awesome feeling of masterfully carving your way through a stage to the rhythm of a catchy tune is what makes this game such a hit. Beat Saber can also provide an intense workout too, especially at the harder difficulty levels. Players will need to employ fast upper body movement to slice the oncoming blocks in-time, in addition to sidestepping and squatting to avoid obstacles.
According to the Virtual Reality Institute Of Health And Exercise Beat Saber can provide a good cardiovascular workout that burns an estimated 6-8 calories per minute which is equivalent to playing tennis.
Best rhythm-action fitness game
Pistol Whip
• Platforms: Steam, Rift, Meta Quest, Playstation VR
If you're looking for a rhythm game that can provide a similar workout to Beat Saber but with a bit more action, then look no further than Pistol Whip. Shoot the bad guys, avoid the incoming fire and sidestep or crouch to avoid obstacles, all to the tune of some amazing soundtracks. And that’s not forgetting the ability to pistol whip anyone who gets too close.
With 30 hand-crafted stages, five weapon types, modifiers and story driven campaigns, Pistol Whip offers a lot of quality content to get stuck into. Pistol Whip is also considered the exercise equivalent of playing tennis (6-8 calories burned per minute) by the Virtual Reality Institute Of Health And Exercise, similar to Beat saber.
Best sports fitness game
Thrill of the Fight
• Platforms: Steam, Rift, Meta Quest
Moving on to something a bit more realistic and intense than the previous two entries is Thrill of the Fight. This is a semi-realistic boxing simulator where you need to successfully land, block and dodge punches to become king of the ring. The fighting mechanics feel great and it’s the closest to the real thing I’ve ever experienced in a VR game.
Expect to be using your arms, legs and core a lot in your quest to be the best. The Virtual Reality Institute Of Health And Exercise rated Thrill of the Fight as the exercise equivalent to rowing, burning an estimated 8-10 calories per minute.
Best action fitness game
Until You Fall
• Platforms: Steam, Rift, Meta Quest, Playstation VR
This next entry isn’t designed to be a fitness game per se, but still does a great job at giving a vigorous workout. Until You Fall is a rogue-lite fantasy game that has you battling enemies of increasing difficulty using both melee and magic. The gameplay is what can only be described as satisfyingly addictive and remains one of my personal favourite VR games of all time.
The combat will have you rapidly moving your arms to swing weapons and block attacks. You’ll also need to sidestep and squat to successfully avoid incoming attacks. All this movement adds up to about 6-8 calories burned per minute according to the Virtual Reality Institute Of Health And Exercise.
Best intense workout
Supernatural
• Platforms: Meta Quest
If you’re a hardcore fitness enthusiast and are looking for some of the most intense workouts VR has to offer, definitely check out Supernatural. This is a dedicated fitness game that is designed to get your heart pumping with a mixture of lower-body and upper-body workouts. It features adaptive difficulty which means the better you perform, the harder the workout gets.
The Virtual Reality Institute Of Health And Exercise estimates you’ll burn an impressive 10-13 calories per minute doing a workout in Supernatural which is equivalent to a biking session. However, unlike the other games on this list, Supernatural is only available for Meta Quest. It also has a subscription pricing model which might be a drawback for some, although new users can take advantage of a free trial period.
Best free fitness game
VR Workout - Bootcamp
• Platforms: Steam, Rift, Meta Quest
Wrapping up our list of best VR fitness games is a freebie for anyone wanting to get fit on a budget. VR Workout Bootcamp is not only free but engages your whole body in an all-round workout that will have you doing pushups, crunches, jumping, squatting, running and more.
Whilst the Virtual Reality Institute Of Health And Exercise doesn’t currently have a calorie burning estimate for this game, the traditional resistance exercises that the game has you complete will undoubtedly give you results.
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