Welcome to EXPlay, (Explain & Play) the review series where we care not for scores but tell it how it is when it comes to every game we get our hands on, whilst also taking the time to include some lengthy gameplay, to give you the reader, the chance to shape your own impressions and views whilst watching and reading.
In this explanatory review, we’re covering Fitness Boxing Feat. HATSUNE MIKU by developer Imagineer:
Fitness Boxing Feat. HATSUNE MIKU: (The Explanation)
The boxercise franchise is back with a new entry and a new partner to motivate you as you throw jabs, straights, hooks, and uppercuts to the beat of the music. Fitness Boxing Feat. HATSUNE MIKUÂ brings the energetic exercise routine of Fitness Boxing but this time, you can swing your punches with the assistance of Hatsune Miku, as well as Kagamine Rin, Kagamine Len, and Megurine Luka.
Now, I am not too familiar with Hatsune Miku or the other partners but according to Wikipedia, they are Vocalids which means that they are singing voice synthesizer software products that were developed by Crypton Future Media. Essentially they are virtual idols that have appeared at live virtual concerts.
With that out of the way, its time to talk about the game itself. Fitness Boxing Feat. HATSUNE MIKUÂ is an exercising rhythm game that will get the player moving and throwing punches when prompted. by planting your feet on the floor in a standard fighting stance and with a Joy-Con controller in each hand, you will need to sway forward and backwards to the rhythm while you throw the indicated punches on screen. You will see two lines on screen that will have icons moving up the line and towards a box. When the icons are just about in the box, that is when you need to throw your punch. By the time your punch is registered, the icon should be completely inside the box and you will get a “perfect”. If the punch was a little late or early, you will get a “great” or “OK” and if you failed to swing in time, you will receive a “miss”.
The general idea is to get as many perfect punches as possible before the time runs out. Your score will then be tallied, and depending on how well you did, you will receive an Age rating, much like the Wii Fit and Brain Age games with a 19 being optimal and 65 not so much. In each session, you will start off with your feet in one position and halfway through, you will be required to change your stance so you can work each side of your body equally. Some exercises may even have you change stance multiple times, depending on the length of the workout.
The core mechanic of the Fitness Boxing Feat. HATSUNE MIKU is to workout to the music and choose exercises that work best for you. You can choose the type of exercise you would like to do, the music you wish to listen to and the appearance of the stage that will be your background. Music is a big part of this game and while it has its own original music, you can also find music from Hatsune Miku and the other idols to listen to as you work out. You will need to purchase these with points to unlock them in the shop, which is acquired by completing exercises. So basically, exercise, earn points, buy tunes, exercise some more, earn more points, buy more tunes, et cetera, et cetera.
Music isn’t the only thing you can purchase with your points. You can also purchase costumes for Miku and the other partners to change up their look. Their looks are based on outfits they have appeared in at their virtual concerts and other games. Some of the outfits are kinda pricey though, so you will need to stock up on plenty of points if you are hoping to obtain them all.
With cosmetics and music covered now, it is back to the workouts. There are three game modes dedicated to your fitness. Daily Workout, Free Training, and Basic Training. The names of each mode are pretty self explanatory but we shall go into a little bit of depth for each one. Daily Workout is a short exercise that will have you go through a warm up, a short session, and then a cooldown. This is ideal for players who may not have a lot of time on their hands and just want a quick workout. Basic Training is where you can find tips on how to hold the Joy-Con, basic rules and how to perform each action from the simple jabs all the way to weaves, blocks and side steps.
Lastly, free training is where you can extend your training sessions with a selection of exercises that can combine punches and actions. You can also do some light or thorough stretching and if you are looking for a really energetic workout, the Miku Exercise will really get you moving on your feet. The standard exercises can also have their intesity adjusted to suit your pace and is handy if you are looking for a light workout or a more intense one.
Wrapping up this review, Fitness Boxing Feat. HATSUNE MIKU is certainly a fun game to help you get fit but I will admit that it may only appeal to certain audiences. The core gameplay mechanics are very much the same as previous entries and that isn’t a bad thing but you are not going to find anything new here in that regard. I already own Fitness Boxing and Fitness Boxing 2: Rhythm and Exercise and I do enjoy the music that both of those games have.
The biggest appeal for Fitness Boxing Feat. HATSUNE MIKU is that Hatsune Miku is in it and fans of her music are much more likely to enjoy this game than other people. The Fitness Boxing series is a niche in itself and this game is a niche within a niche that is more likely to appeal to younger audiences. That said, it is still a good game that maintains the fun and energy of the previous titles and makes it accessible to a different demographic of gamers.
Fitness Boxing Feat. HATSUNE MIKU: (The Gameplay)
Game Specifications:
Developer: Imagineer
Publisher: Aksys Games
Platform: Nintendo Switch (eShop)
Category: Sports, Training
No. of Players: 1-2 (Single System)
Release Date: September 5, 2024
Price: $49.99
File Size: 2.4 GB
Nintendo.com Listing
