It’s been six years since the first time Bodybuilding boxing was released, during which time we had two main games and two spin-off games based on Fist of the North Star And Hatsune Miku. It’s now time for the third installment in this series and luckily regular Fitness Boxing players will find some new content here to freshen up their daily routine. There are new modes, new missions, and even a new way to explore the lore of Fitness Boxing. Well, it turns out now there is legend.
The main workout regime returns and brings with it the same strengths and weaknesses as always. Those who have played the previous games will know exactly what happens here: after selecting the workout of your choice (or accepting the Daily Workout chosen for you based on time, intensity and body area required target), you repeat a series of punches and dodging movements to the beat, almost like a violent rhythm game.
This part is big business as usual. There might be a few new options here and there to make things feel a little different but otherwise anyone who bought either of the first two Fitness Boxing games will be in very familiar territory in This. Thankfully, for those who were expecting a little more from the third entry in the series, this time there are some new modes that will shake things up a bit.
Sometimes you’ve had a long day and can’t do all the leaning, crouching, and dodging that the game sometimes forces you to do, especially during the more intense exercises. For such benches, the new Sit Fit Boxing mode is the answer. As the name suggests, Sit Fit Boxing allows you to sit firmly in a chair – or let’s face it, plop down on the sofa – while performing a modified set of instructions.
Your in-game trainer sells Sit Fit Boxing to you as a regimen “for those who are less physically fit or may have difficulty performing standing exercises,” but you can also add ‘lazy lazy’ on that list, because after a long day’s work, we appreciate the option of reclining in our chairs and swinging in the air for a while. Of course, it could be argued that you don’t get much of a workout in this mode, and that’s fair: we definitely sweated a lot less than we did standing up, but we’d say every little bit are all useful.
We got a lot more out of Mitt Drills, much closer to what we had in mind when the first Fitness Boxing prize was first announced. If you like the idea of boxing-based workouts but don’t care for the fact that this series has essentially been Just jump With punches instead of spins, Mitt Drills eliminates the rhythm element and offers a simpler punching program.
There aren’t many of these Mitt drills but we love what they have. Instead of waiting for the symbol to cross a line before throwing a punch, you can punch as soon as your trainer lifts their boxing gloves. In a sense there is still a gameplay element here in that if you punch for too long you won’t get the Perfect rating, but you will be shown your upcoming combo on the side of the screen shape, meaning it’s not really a reaction check because you know what’s going to happen.
The great thing about Mitt Drills is that they are often more intense than standard exercises because there is less pause and waiting for the next step. You can shoot through them, performing your combos at quite a fast pace if you want. There’s even a quick punching section at the end, where your trainer simply raises both gloves and you can hit them with the Fist of the North Star by struggling wildly: obviously There’s no skill involved in this one, but it’s a fun little final spike to the heart rate.
Speaking of coaches, this time there are six to choose from, fewer than before. Some of them return from previous games, meaning anyone fascinated by Bernardo’s Popeye-like arms can rest assured they won’t miss out this time, while newcomers Monica and Stella tick the ‘flirty’ and ‘mysterious’ boxes respectively for those who like to pretend their coach is a real person they’re trying to get to know. And if you are that kind of person then Fitness Boxing 3 There’s a treat for you.
A novel feature called Box and Bond will be unlocked when you spend enough time with a trainer. As you continue to train with them, you’ll fill a gauge that when full opens up a new Boxes and Bonds chapter. These are special sessions where your personal trainer will share their thoughts and feelings about certain topics with you, giving you insight into their personality. Don’t expect anything wild – they don’t give detailed analysis of the conflict in the Middle East or anything like that, they mostly just talk about fitness – but for those who like to play along thought their coach was a down-to-earth person, which was a nice additional touch.
By doing the game’s daily and weekly missions, you can earn coins, which can then be used to unlock new outfits and any of the 20 ‘licensed’ music tracks. ‘ of the game. And when we say ‘licensed’, we mean that Imagineer apparently found someone who had never played a MIDI keyboard in their life and then gave them a license to try and recreate each song. We were hoping that after two games like this, the quality would improve but the new tracks here still suck.
On paper, this is a great mix of songs from the likes of Britney Spears, Fall Out Boy and Billie Eilish (skip What did the fox say?), but sadly people tend not to listen to music on paper. In fact, the result – no exaggeration for comic effect here – actually sounds like bad polyphonic ringtones from the early 2000s. Danger zone by Kenny Loggins is a particular highlight – this guy is in his late 70s, make sure he never hears this or the next danger zone will be on his list.
Conclusion
Terrible music aside, Fitness Boxing 3 brings some much-needed variety to what could have been another release with new songs and not much else. Sit Fit Boxing and Mitt Drills modes offer options for those wanting less or more activity respectively, and the additional trainer options are ideal for players who like to pretend they’re fighting. face to face with a real person. And even better, because Mitt Drills isn’t rhythm-based, you can put on headphones and listen to your own tunes.
