The 5 Best VR Games to Trick Yourself Into Working Out

It’s been nearly a year now since we’ve had to stay indoors to stem the tide of the COVID-19 pandemic, and you’d be forgiven if you’ve become a lot less active as a result. There’s no better time than the present though to get up and moving, and we’ve got five awesome VR games that can help you do just that.

Here’s our top five VR games to not only keep your heart rate up, but trick you into having a blast while doing it.

Warning: Make sure to clear your play area first, and stay far away from your TV, pets, babies, and priceless Fabergé eggs!

5 – Until You Fall

Doing intense cardio workouts is awesome for heart health, but if you’re looking for a more casual starting point, you definitely need to jump into this rogue-lite sword & sorcery game from the illustrious Schell Games, the same studio behind the I Expect You to Die VR puzzle franchise. You’ll be getting an arm workout in without even knowing it.

Steam – Quest – Rift – PSVR

4 – Thrill of the Fight

Thrill of the Fight (2016) is an oldie, but a goodie. Created by Sealost Interactive, this single-player boxing sim is considered one of the best ways to get a high intensity cardio workout and let out a little frustration while you’re at it. Sorry folks, there’s no PSVR version yet, but at this late date in the headset’s life cycle, there may never be. Look to our honorable mentions below for more great boxing sims!

Steam – Quest – Rift

3 – Pistol Whip

Shoot, dodge, and bash a dude in the face: that’s all there is to it in Pistol Whip (2019). But when more baddies come and you have to start dodging bullets like Neo from The Matrix, you’ll almost forget you’re basically doing a pretty comprehensive cardio routine. There’s also been a steady stream of free levels this past year, making Pistol Whip even bigger and cooler.

Steam – Viveport – Quest – Rift – PSVR

2 – Synth Riders

The promise of free-style dancing and addictive synthwave tunes will have you up and grooving to the beat in Kluge Interactive’s fun and funky VR rhythm game. It’s a great go-to for single-player action, but one of the best bits is the recent addition of power-ups and multiplayer Kart-style racing, which will have you playing against friends online to see who can get the highest score. PSVR version is set to come sometime in 2021.

Steam – Viveport – Quest – Rift

1 – Beat Saber

For the sheer density of levels, difficulties, and production value, Beat Saber (2018) still comes out on top, even years after its release. Time and time again, this block-slashing rhythm game manages to get you moving, dancing, and going back for more to get that perfect ‘S’ class result on your favorite Expert+ song, all the while tricking you into working out. Multiplayer isn’t perfect, but if you’re looking for an unbeatable workout you’ll love all of the single-player content Beat Saber has to offer.

Steam – Quest – Rift – PSVR

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Honorable Mentions

• Supernatural – Quest
• Racket: Nx – PC VR, Rift, Quest
• OhShape – PC VR, Rift, Quest, PSVR
• Path of the Warrior – Rift, Quest
• FitXR – PC VR, Rift, Quest, PSVR
• Thrill of the Fight – VR Boxing – PC VR, Quest
• Sprint Vector – PC VR, Rift, PSVR
• Knockout League – PC VR, PSVR, Quest
• CREED: Rise to Glory – PC VR, Rift, Quest, PSVR

Update (February 15th, 2021):  It’s been a long year of social distancing, but also a great opportunity for studios to mobilize and offer up some great fitness-focused games. We’re constantly keeping an eye out for fun, new games though. Let us know in the comments below your favorite fitness game!