Best Nintendo Switch workout games 2023

Ring Fit Adventure gameplay
(Image credit: Nintendo)

The Nintendo Switch is an adaptable system. Plug it into the base to play on the big TV screen at home, or carry it with you wherever you go for a portable experience. It's such a great way to keep up with your fitness. With the right game, you won't have to remember to go to the gym and won't have to quit your routine when traveling.

Ring Fit Adventure

Ring Fit Adventure is everything that Nintendo fans wanted from the Wii Fit series and so, so much more. It gamifies the act of exercise in a way that is encouraging and supportive, making you forget you're even exercising, as noted in our Ring Fit Adventure review.

Players progress through an RPG where they earn and collect new exercises that target muscles in various body parts. These exercises are used as the player's means of attacking monsters scattered through the world, as well as the bosses that truly test your stamina. Difficulty is what you make it, and players can tailor their experience to their fitness level entirely. It's one of the best out-of-gym exercise experiences for those who need a little direction.

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Ring Fit Adventure

The Ring Fit: Adventure game comes with special accessories, the Ring-Con and Leg Strap, which are used to track your movements as you play. It takes players on an adventure to defeat enemies using exercise movements, combining workouts and games.

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Fitness Boxing 2: Rhythm and Exercise

One-two, one-two, it's Fitness Boxing 2! The sequel to the popular boxing game published by Nintendo features quality-of-life improvements over its predecessor. A digital trainer runs you through training sessions and teaches you how to stand and how to make various punches then it's up to you to keep up with the increasing beat. It'll get your heart pumping in no time.

Workouts are easier to see and understand from the previous game, meaning that you won't get your left and right jabs mixed up as easily. There's also a two-player mode, so bring a friend to double the fun! The new trainers offer tons of personality, making it a visual dream to look at, as we discovered through our testing.

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Fitness Boxing 2: Rhythm & Exercise

The sequel to the popular boxing game, Fitness Boxing, takes what the original made great and adds a little polish. Choose from nine virtual instructors and follow their workouts or create your own. You'll be jabbing, ducking, and bouncing your way into shape in no time.

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Just Dance 2023 Edition

Though these games are usually associated with the one game you play with family at Christmas, don't let it fool you. Just Dance 2023 features stellar choreography from a wide variety of genres and time periods that will have you sweating quicker than you think. For a real challenge, take on the Extreme difficulty dances, but careful not to get your feet tangled!

With a Just Dance Plus subscription, you can access tons of songs from across Just Dance's 12-year history, with new songs being added every week. If standard strength exercises aren't your thing, then dance is a great way to get in some cardio.

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Just Dance 2023 Edition

Ubisoft's latest dancing game will have you and your family grooving to the beat in no time. There are 40 new tracks to boogie to and plenty of moves to keep gameplay interesting while you work up a sweat.

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Knockout Home Fitness

For those who couldn't already tell, the Nintendo Switch lends itself really well to boxing games with how easy it is to hold the Joy-Con controllers in each hand. 

Knockout Home Fitness offers workouts that target many body parts, even implementing some aspects of martial arts in the routine. For cardio lovers, this is a great addition to your Nintendo Switch game library.

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Knockout Home Fitness

These personal trainers have personalities. Choose your trainer, ranging from strict to friendly, and get in a daily workout with these martial arts-inspired fitness routines. These sessions are quick, so if you only have time for about five minutes of exercise a day and want it to be intense, this is the game for you!

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Fitness Boxing

This isn't always the case, but I'd recommend the original Fitness Boxing if you've played the sequel and want more. While not as visually stunning as the sequel, it still offers some solid workouts for your upper body.

If you're looking for a quick workout before you start your day, this is the game for you. The game offers some great music that'll keep your head bopping long after you've finished stretching.

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Fitness Boxing

Get a quick, heavy workout with Fitness Boxing. Go through a daily routine from 10 to 40 minutes long and knock it out fast. The game will give you an approximate BMI and keep track of calories burned from each workout so you can keep an eye on how you're doing compared to your goals. You can even fight your friends in the ring!

Buy from: Amazon| Best Buy 

Zumba: Burn It Up!

If you enjoy Zumba classes in person and want to bring them home, now you can with Zumba: Burn it Up! on Nintendo Switch. There are 30 songs to choose from, which is less than Just Dance 2022's 40, but it's a fun time nonetheless. 

The moves in Zumba are simpler than those found in Just Dance, which is great for those who may find Just Dance's choreography a bit more intimidating. You also have access to Superstar Instructors who can keep you motivated as you dance!

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Zumba: Burn it Up!

Get extra points for dancing with energy as you learn dance styles from around with world with Zumba. Play at different fitness levels with hit songs and the ability to dance with friends. The instructors keep your energy up and keep you moving and motivated as you dance to their routines.

Buy from: Amazon| Best Buy | Walmart

Mario Tennis Aces

While this is more of a sports game than a workout game, if you play Mario Tennis Aces while standing with the Joy-Con, your heart rate is sure to raise. Swing your arm to volley the ball across a wide variety of courts, with over 15 characters to choose from.

Players can use trick shots and zone shots to catch their opponent off-guard and score some sweet points. Two players can play, turning up the heat and cranking up the competitive intensity to 11. It's surely one of the best Mario sports games out there, so if you love everyone's favorite plumber, give this one a try!

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Mario Tennis Aces

It might not give you and your friends a super sweaty cardio workout, but swinging the Joy-Con around as you volley the tennis ball back and forth can get your heart going. There are several fun courses and characters to choose from. Best of all, it can support up to four players at once on one screen.

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Nintendo Switch Sports

Nintendo Switch Sports inspires feelings of nostalgia in a way that few games can. A sequel to Wii Sports and Wii Sports Resort, this game is great for both seasoned gamers and those new to the medium, as we found during our playthrough.

Simply hold the Joy-Con in your hand and go through the motions of various sports: tennis, Chambara, volleyball, bowling, and badminton. There's even a leg strap for soccer. Play both locally and online against friends and famil. You'll earn costume pieces for your character if you have a subscription to Nintendo Switch Online.

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Nintendo Switch Sports

Head on over to Spocco Square for some fun in Nintendo's official sequel to the Wii Sports series. With several different sports to choose from you can party like it's 2006 with friends, family, or even people online!

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ARMS

Can't get enough of boxing? The latest IP produced by Nintendo doubles as both a fighting game and a boxing simulator, albeit not as intense as Fitness Boxing.

Charge those Joy-Cons, choose your fighter, and use those springy arms to box your way to the top in ARMS! When we played the game for our review we enjoyed the engaging mini-games, the ability to compete online, and the option for local multiplayer.

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ARMS

With this intense boxing game, you can play using your physical movements or controller buttons. Up to two players can compete against enemies in 2v2 or real players online. The characters in this game have superpowered arms you can use to really knock out the competition.

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Sports Party

Nintendo Switch Sports may have more sports planned for future updates, but sometimes you get tired of the same old things. 

Sports Party offers all-new sports like golf, frisbee, basketball, jet skiing, and skateboarding for that Wii Sports Resort feel. Play with up to four people and customize your character for some fun in the sun — all on your Nintendo Switch.

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Sports Party

Trick your brain into feeling like it's on vacation while you get a light workout playing tennis, golf, frisbee, basketball, jet skiing, or skateboarding in this beach-themed game. Design your character and play with up to four players. This is one for the whole family!

Buy from: Amazon| Best Buy | Walmart

Jump Rope Challenge

Working from home can be rough on many people, which is why the development teams at Nintendo produced Jump Rope Challenge for free to shake things up a little. It's a simple game but make no mistake — it'll get you moving.

Players hold both their Joy-Con controllers in their hands the way that they would the handles of a jump rope, and simulate the act of, well, jumping rope! You can track your progress across several days, constantly challenging yourself to beat your own high score. And best of all, it's free!

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Jump Rope Challenge

Created by Nintendo developers who were working from home in 2020 as a way to get some quick exercise, this free game lets you use your Joy-Con as the handles of a jump rope while a cute bunny on the screen tracks your progress. You can compete against a friend or strive to beat your high score.

Download from: Nintendo

Best Switch workout games

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Committing to working out isn't always easy. It can be dreaded and feel like just another item on your to-do list. But with these games, working out is made a little more fun. For example, playing an adventure game and defeating monsters in Ring Fit Adventure sounds way more fun than doing basic squats at the gym as you stare at yourself in the mirror.

Since fitness games often use Joy-Con controllers, one great benefit to playing on the Nintendo Switch is that no matter what Joy-Cons you end up buying, they're all compatible across the board with all Nintendo Switch consoles, including the Nintendo Switch OLED.

If that's not your style, and you like to include friends or an accountability partner, there are options for that too! Dance the night away in a way that's easy for others to join in on, with or without a Joy-Con, by starting up Zumba Burn It Up! or Just Dance 2022. Or, bring in the element of music as you track your BMI and calorie burn more traditionally with Fitness Boxing 2: Rhythm and Exercise. Get out your sweatpants because these are the best Nintendo Switch games for working out. However, you choose to do it, get your fun in, and get fit!

Nadine Dornieden
Contributor

Nadine is a freelance writer for iMore with a specialty in all things Nintendo, often working on news, guides, reviews, and editorials. She's been a huge Nintendo fan ever since she got to pet her very own Nintendog, and enjoys looking at Nintendo's place in the video game industry. Writing is her passion, but she mostly does it so that she can pay off her ever-growing debt to Tom Nook. Her favorite genres are simulation games, rhythm games, visual novels, and platformers. You can find her at @stopthenadness on Twitter, where she'll more than likely be reposting cute Animal Crossing content.

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