Ring Fit Adventure vs Fitness Boxing 2: Which one should you buy?

Ring Fit Adventure vs Fitness Boxing 2: How are they different?

Source: Nintendo and Nintendo

Using a games to promote a healthy lifestyle is nothing new, but Nintendo is really trying to up the ante with the newest entries to the genre. You might see both Ring Fit Adventure and Fitness Boxing 2: Rhythm and Exercise and think that they're similar, but lets take a closer look at how they compare to one another.

What's the difference?

They might both be fitness games, but they're actually pretty different when it comes down to how you get your workout, as seen in our Ring Fit Adventure review and Fitness Boxing 2 review. Let's take a look at what both games offer.

In Fitness Boxing 2, you jab and cross punch while timing your movements to the icons on screen. It's similar to a traditional kickboxing workout you may experience at a real gym. Ring Fit Adventure, however, is a full blow adventure game powered by your real-life exercises. You'll explore over 100 levels in your quest to defeat a bodybuilding dragon. It's very much like a traditional adventure game. Now that we have the basics, let's check out what each title can do for your fitness regime.

Ring Fit Adventure vs Fitness Boxing 2: What do they feature?

Fitness Boxing 2: Rhythm & Exercise expands on the gameplay from the original game, introducing a new two-player mode and the ability to carry over your workout profile from the previous game. Fitness Boxing 2 includes 23 songs and 66 remixed courses to jab, uppercut, and dodge your way through. You can also customize workouts to remove difficult movements and even use the game as an alarm if you'd like to keep a tight workout schedule.

Ring Fit Adventure is a whole Adventure game disguised as a workout. You traverse over 100 levels in more than 20 worlds, using real-world actions to fight any monsters in your path. You have the option of playing a long-form adventure, or shorter minigames designed to give you a quick workout. Played for about 30 minutes a day, Ring Fit Adventure could take up to three months to complete. Ring Fit Adventure feels more like a traditional game than Fitness Boxing 2 does and because of that, it feels a lot less like work.

Ring Fit Adventure vs Fitness Boxing 2: How are the graphics?

There's a major difference in the graphics department when comparing the two games. Fitness Boxing 2 elects for a simple visual style. It works well enough, but character models are especially generic looking. There are a few customization options and nine different instructors to choose from, but the game does the bare minimum visually.

Ring Fit Adventure, on the other hand, looks and performs great. The game adopts a cel-shaded graphics style that looks great in motion. Whether you're battling a bodybuilding dragon or traversing grassy plains and dangerous rapids, Ring Fit Adventure is a visual treat.

Ring Fit Adventure vs Fitness Boxing 2: How do they control?

Both games make use of the Nintendo Switch's Joy-Cons in unique ways. In Fitness Boxing 2, you must hold the Joy-Cons in your hands and swing them in rhythm with the music. Think of them as your boxing gloves.

In Ring Fit Adventure, you are given a peripheral called the Ring-Con, where you insert the right Joy-Con, and the left gets strapped to your leg. Both are used to track your movements in-game as you jog in place and manipulate the Ring-Con. Your movements drive your character forward, though the game is entirely on rails.

Both games are meant to get you moving and make you use your body as a controller, but while Fitness Boxing does a decent job of this, Ring Fit Adventure genuinely gets your whole body moving and keeps it moving. There's hardly a dull moment. However, it's worth noting that the Ring-Con is needed to play Ring Fit Adventure. You can't play without it.

Ring Fit Adventure vs Fitness Boxing 2: Do they have any online features?

Both games don't support online multiplayer, but they both allow you to keep track of your workouts locally. Fitness Boxing 2 even allows you to import your fitness profile from the first game or from the demo available on the eShop. The first game didn't have an option to expand the game's song library, so we don't expect the second to offer any DLC either. However, it does feature two-player local multiplayer, so you can work out with a friend.

Ring Fit Adventure has no paid DLC but received a significant content update in March 2020. The update added a rhythm game that features 17 songs, including tracks from the main game as well as music tracks from Splatoon 2, Super Mario Odyssey, and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. So, while both may lack online multiplayer, you can compare your scores and progress with others online.

Ring Fit Adventure vs Fitness Boxing 2: Will I get a workout?

A fitness game is by no means a substitute for a real gym, but they're great for beginners or those looking to supplement their workouts with some additional cardio. If you're looking for something like that, Fitness Boxing 2 delivers. It's a simple rhythm game that simulates the cardio kickboxing routine you'd find at your local gym.

Ring Fit Adventure, on the other hand, is a full adventure game controlled with your body. Featuring a lengthy campaign to workout through, the game also includes mini-games for those who want a faster workout, and a rhythm minigame as well. There's a lot of different workout options with Ring Fit Adventure thanks to the Ring-Con, and because of this, you'll get a better workout with Ring Fit Adventure. In fact, you may be suprised when you wake up sore the next morning.

Ring Fit Adventure vs Fitness Boxing 2: Bottom Line

Working out is tough and being consistent is even harder. Both Ring Fit Adventure and Fitness Boxing 2 are great ways to stay active at home, but the Ring Fit Adventure is the superior option. The Ring-Con opens up a wide array of workouts, and the story mode does a great job at making it fun. Visually, Ring Fit Adventure looks as good as other first-party Nintendo titles. It's good enough to be one of the best games on the Nintendo Switch, and we recommend it even if working out isn't your cup of tea. However, getting your hands on it may be an issue. It's popularity has made it difficult to find. Because of the extra equipment necessary, the game is not available for purchase on the eShop.

If you can't get your hands on a Ring Fit Adventure bundle or you don't want to pay the price, Fitness Boxing 2 is a good second option. Fitness Boxing 2 will still provide a competent workout, and without additional hardware needed to play Ring Fit Adventure. Plus, you can download it at anytime. It also allows you to transfer your profile from the first game, which is necessary for tracking your personal growth.

Fitness Boxing 2: Rhythm and Exercise will release exclusively on the Nintendo Switch on December 4, 2020, and can be played on both the Nintendo Switch and the Nintendo Switch Lite, though you'll need an extra pair of Joy-Cons for the latter.