There is a music synthesizer called Vocaloid that can replicate singing voices, and in Japan, they’ve created characters to go along with those voices.  Probably the most popular of those characters is Hatsune Miku, an anime styled girl character with long blue pigtails.  She’s been in a lot of other video games as well, and I’ve even reviewed a couple of them here and here.  And now she’s appearing in another video game, and this time strangely enough, it’s the Fitness Boxing game series on Switch!

If you’ve played one of the Fitness Boxing games before, you’ll know what to expect here.  Hatsune Miku doesn’t actually instruct you, though.  They still have a couple of the instructors from the regular games back that you can choose from (a gal and a guy).  Hatsune Miku just acts out the moves in the middle of the screen and comments on your performance every now and then, too.  Like saying “Awesome!” or “Wow, you look so cool!”  So if my coolness ever comes into question, at least I can say that Hatsune Miku thinks I’m cool.  You can unlock and use other Vocaloid characters as well, and you can purchase new outfits for them.  Some of the songs you can box to are from the Vocaloid singers as well.

Gameplay is super simple and just like the other Fitness Boxing games.  Symbols representing boxing moves will rise up from the bottom of the screen, and you must perform them in time with the beat to get a better score.  The game is motion controlled and you hold a JoyCon in each hand.  You can do daily workouts and choose how long and intense they can be, as well as which body parts to work on.  You can also do workouts any time in Free Mode as well as practice the different moves in training.  By completing achievements, you’ll earn coins you can use in the shops to buy characters, music, outfits, and more!  You can also edit your profile, fitness goals, etc.

My problems with this game are fairly minimal.  Sometimes I felt the motions controls didn’t read my movements as accurately as I would like.  Also, sorry Vocaloid fans, but while I think Hatsune Miku has kind of a cool character design, I just can’t stand the Vocaloid songs.  And the ones in the game are way harder to box to.  The normal songs have you practice and work up to the combos, but the Hatsune Miku songs are more like a traditional music and rhythm game and don’t follow much of a pattern, are really fast, and have weird time beats.  But if you are a Hatsune Miku fan and want to have some fitness in your gaming, you may want to check this one out anyway.

There is another Fitness Boxing game that came out a year or two ago that I’d like to try someday.  And it features characters from Fist of the North Star!  That was a hyper violent anime cartoon and manga from the early 80s with a post-apocalyptic setting.  The character in it could punch so hard they’d make people’s heads explode!  I’m just curious if they implemented that into the game, considering how family friendly the Fitness Boxing series is normally!

Kid Factor:

Nothing violent or too objectionable here, although some people may feel the Vocaloid characters’ outfits are a bit skimpy.  Reading skill is helpful, too.  Fitness Boxing feat. HATSUNE MIKU is rated E for Everyone.

Tags: Game Reviews