The fitness gaming subgenre has untapped potential, with only a few developers dabbling and experimenting in it. In recent years, Imagineer has carved out its own space with the Fitness Boxing series, which combines fun rhythm mechanics made popular in Dance Dance Revolution with the world renowned sport. When put together, players can get an intense workout while listening to music, matching the rhythm, and learning how to box. In its latest collaborative effort, Imagineer is bringing what could be their most fun and engaging game yet: Fitness Boxing feat. Hatsune Miku.
As the game’s name suggests, Fitness Boxing feat. Hatsune Miku provides the core experience of Fitness Boxing and integrates Crypton Future Media’s iconic vocaloids into the mix. Dozens of original and officially licensed tracks from the Hatsune Miku universe are here, matched with exercises that lend themselves to the cadence of each song. A Fitness Boxing trainer will aid you in learning and practicing each sort of move, while a partner like Hatsune Miku or Megurine Luka is on screen to perform with and motivate you. This is really only the gist of the game, as there are many moving parts that make this title a very compelling one for those wanting a consistent exercise regiment.
Fitness Boxing feat. Hatsune Miku Gets You Right into the Mix
After putting on your Joy-Con straps, the game starts with Hatsune Miku greeting you to the world of Fitness Boxing. Then, you can proceed with inputting your weight, height, and other attributes to make your own in-game profile. This profile will be linked to the goals you want to set for yourself, such as a target weight. After this, you can start your first daily workout, with it essentially being a tutorial for what’s to come in Fitness Boxing feat. Hatsune Miku. This whole process only takes a few minutes, so you will be starting that workout in no time. It’s also worth noting that your profile and goals may be manually adjusted at the main menu.
Each daily workout begins with stretches that will get the player ready for roughly 15 to 30 minutes worth of exercises, which each play a different original or licensed song. Stretches can be skipped, but I recommend doing them if you’re planning to do a lengthy and intense workout. The first daily workout focuses on nailing the boxing stance with Joy-Con in each hand, moving to the rhythm, and landing jabs to that rhythm as they appear on the screen. In subsequent days, you are introduced to uppercuts, hooks, weaves, ducking, rushes, and other boxing maneuvers that will get you to break a heavy sweat.
Like other rhythm games, you are scored based on your performance, with perfect hits and combos giving you more points. Your trainer and training partner will quickly brief you on your high score for the exercise, which is also gauged by musical notes for overall performance and percentages for each move. Each exercise, and the overall results for the daily workout once complete, will also tell you how many calories you’ve burned and the amount of actions taken.
Every Punch Feels Fair and Satisfying
While playing Fitness Boxing feat. Hatsune Miku, I’m once again reminded about how accurate Joy-Con motion controls can be. Every move/punch you land (or miss) feels completely fair, and there are no glitches or faulty motion gimmicks here to worry about, either. Once you get into a groove, the game can feel hard to put down, despite being tired by the time you finish for the day. Since the controls feel so seamless, you will notice improvements or blunders very quickly.
If you are in poor form, your high score and performance will reflect that. You can practice each move, such as a right body hook or a left uppercut, until you’ve mastered it. Since the game tracks your hit percentage for each move, you will know exactly where you need to improve in. Training partners will also give you a heads-up on what you should work on as well.
Fitness Boxing feat. Hatsune Miku regularly introduces more advanced moves and techniques. These moves come into play much sooner if you choose to play with Heavy exercises, which are typically longer and incorporate more moves per exercise. You can also learn and try out new moves before proceeding into the main exercise that contains said move. The Basic Training mode from the main menu gives you direct access to the tutorials for these moves, too.
Rewarding Progression
Along with working toward a weight or fitness goal, Fitness Boxing feat. Hatsune Miku offers three daily missions that can typically be completed in the daily workout. These missions include landing a certain amount of punches, completing a type of exercise, or checking your personal workout graph. Players may also head into Free Training to complete their daily missions or play their desired exercises with custom settings.
Completing workouts and daily missions will award fitness points that can be used to unlock new content from the shop. The shop offers in-game costumes for the vocaloids and music tracks. There’s 24 Piapro tracks and 30 original Fitness Boxing tracks, so there’s quite a lot to unlock. In addition, players get additional combos for completing their daily workout, so there’s an incentive to keep learning and unlocking more content over time.
Overall, progression in Fitness Boxing feat. Hatsune Miku is quite rewarding. The exercises are already really fun, but the rewards will keep you coming back for more. With new DLC on the way, it’s clear that there will be plenty of content that will motivate Hatsune Miku fans and newcomers to keep playing.
Fitness Boxing feat. Hatsune Miku is a Worthwhile Switch Exclusive That Will Get You Moving
Fitness Boxing feat. Hatsune Miku is a very polished game that feels right at home on Nintendo Switch, and it’s an exclusive that Hatsune Miku fans will not want to miss out on. I think the exercises in Fitness Boxing feat. Hatsune Miku are very satisfying to learn, improve, and master over time. Although there’s a lack of modes outside Daily Workout and Free Training, the game evolves and adjusts to the player, based on the fitness goals they’ve set in place. As a result, the game will get you moving differently every day. I think there’s merit to a fitness game that can make each workout feel unique and engaging like this.
Fitness Boxing feat. Hatsune Miku is available now for Nintendo Switch in the west. Check out some gameplay in our video review below on YouTube:
Disclaimer: Aksys Games provided Final Weapon a Nintendo Switch copy of Fitness Boxing feat. Hatsune Miku for review purposes.
