I'm not afraid to admit that I absolutely despise exercise in all its many shapes and forms. So you can imagine how surprised I was that Ring Fit Adventure, a Switch game designed to get your blood pumping, ended up becoming one of my favorite games to date, and it could keep the OG handheld around alongside the upcoming Switch 2
Right now, Ring Fit Adventure has dropped to $64.99 at Amazon, a saving of 19% off its MSRP of $79.99. The Switch game has seen better discounts in the past, so this is by no means a contender for one of the best cheap Nintendo Switch game deals I've personally come across. But, there's a chance the Switch 2 will force unique OG Joy-Con outings like this into retirement, so I'd snatch this bundle before it potentially ends up discontinued.
This fitness RPG game comes packaged with one of the most unique Switch accessories out there, the Switch Ring-Con and leg strap. Unlike the best Nintendo Switch controllers, these accessories are only compatible with the Ring Fit Adventure game, but when combined with the vivid and outright charming Ring Fit RPG, they manage to create one of the most enjoyable, and sweat-inducing, experiences on the Switch - just be sure you have the space before you take it on.
For me, Ring Fit Adventure takes the immense boredom that comes with doing any form of exercise and transforms it into an immersive, genuinely thrilling experience. Instead of staring at the white wall of my local gym, I can now just pick up the game and spend my time running through vivid and stunning landscapes, using the Ring-Con to push and pull my away around huge, action-packed courses.
The bulk of the game is this action-adventure RPG, where you're tasked with taking down Dragaux - a demon with sweatbands that looks like the dude-bros I avoid at the gym at all costs. Throughout the game you'll also regularly run into turn-based battles - think Final Fantasy but instead of selecting between attacks and spells, you're selecting between squats and sit-ups.
These 'Fit Skills' can be used to take down baddies, but you need to pick the right ones. Some enemies will take more damage from a set of squats, meanwhile, others may tremble at the sight of you doing exercises involving that pushing and pulling mechanic of the Ring-Con. The further you play, the more Fit Skills you'll unlock, and the more varied workouts you'll endure.
What makes Ring Fit Adventure extra special is the plethora of game modes to try. While I'm still getting through the main story to this day (I have asthma, so it's taking a while), there's also a music rhythm mini-game that lets you dance, and break up a sweat to tunes from Splatoon, The Legend of Zelda and of course, Super Mario.
To this day, one of my most beloved memories with the current Switch is moving around the Ring-Con in my living room to some of my favorite tracks from the Splatoom franchise - the closest I've ever come to becoming the squid kid I was destined to be. But it did reiterate that playing Ring Fit Adventure takes a lot of space, and can be very noisy.
The main game involves you jogging in one spot, which shakes my house on the regular. Fortunately, there is a 'quiet mode' which lets you crouch instead for a quieter exercise regime. But if you want to gamify your workouts too, make sure you're on friendly terms with your neighbors.
If you're at all worried about picking up Ring Fit Adventure during the year of the Nintendo Switch 2, I totally get it. Nintendo's "certain Nintendo Switch games may not be supported" announcement during the initial console's reveal could be aimed at the Ring-Con controller. But if you have no plans to ditch your current Switch even after forking out cash for the Switch 2, Ring Fit Adventure is more than worth holding onto the aging handheld - even if you hate exercise as much as I did.
If you're already working up a sweat with Ring Fit Adventure, check out our guides to the best Nintendo Switch headsets, the best Nintendo Switch cases, and the best Nintendo Switch SD cards to unlock some extra mileage out of your Nintendo Switch.
