Nintendo has a rich history of crafting workout titles that seamlessly blend fitness with fun, following the success of games like Wii Fit and Ring Fit Adventure. The Fitness Boxing series, which was developed by Imagineer, made its debut on the Switch in 2018, with each mainline title (excluding spin-offs like the Fist of the North Star and Hatsune Miku variants) published by Nintendo itself. Today marks the fourth anniversary of Fitness Boxing 2: Rhythm & Exercise, so let’s see if Fitness Boxing 3: Your Personal Trainer packs a punch in its latest iteration.
Fitness Boxing 3 begins with a comprehensive tutorial that walks you through the essential gameplay mechanics. With a Joy-Con in each hand, secured with wrist straps, your mission is to execute various boxing moves—such as jabs, hooks, uppercuts, ducks, weaves, sways, blocks, and front-back steps—according to the commands of your virtual trainer, all while grooving to the music. A progress bar appears at the top-center of the screen, indicating how much time remains in your workout, while your score is displayed in the top-right corner. This score reflects how accurately you time your movements, guided by indicators next to your trainer that correspond to your punches.
As a fan of rhythm games, I found the concept engaging, and chaining combos felt incredibly satisfying. However, it soon became clear that the Joy-Con motion controls aren’t as precise as one might expect. There were instances where I executed moves incorrectly—like throwing a hook instead of an uppercut—but it was still counted as a successful input. While this leniency can be beneficial, it compromises some of the challenge, making it a mixed experience.
During each workout session, your trainer will cue not only the actions you need to take but also your preferred stance and posture. Without a peripheral like the Wii Fit Balance Board or the Nintendo Switch Sports leg strap, the game cannot accurately assess your lower body movements. This limitation is particularly evident during the stretching segments that you can choose to engage in before and after your workout, which function almost like a fitness video rather than an interactive experience. Consequently, the quality of your workout largely depends on your commitment to following the trainer’s guidance accurately.
Fitness Boxing 3 offers players a choice of 6 different personal trainers, each showcasing their unique personalities and motivations. While this is a reduction from the 9 instructors found in Fitness Boxing 2, most players will likely form a bond with one trainer for their workouts, reducing the impact of this change. Returning trainers include Lin, Evan, and Bernardo, while newcomers Monica, Stella, and Guy join the lineup. The rationale behind the smaller cast is the game’s emphasis on forging a closer relationship with your chosen trainer. As you workout with your selected instructor, you’ll unlock one of five “Box and Bond” sessions, where they share a personal story, culminating in a specially tailored workout. Although this feature isn’t groundbreaking, it adds a rewarding touch to your fitness journey.
All six vibrant instructors are fully voiced, with support for English, Korean, Chinese (both Simplified and Traditional), and Japanese languages. Despite the frequent repetition of voice lines, the voice acting remains motivating rather than tedious. The reminders to hydrate and breathe are especially helpful for those new to intense exercise.
Customization options abound for your trainers, allowing changes to outfits, accessories, and even physical features like skin tone and eye color. While some clothing items are exclusive to specific trainers, accessories and shoes can be mixed and matched. As you progress, you’ll unlock additional customization options, some earned through achievements or daily/weekly challenges. With over 130 achievements to chase, the variety of stats and rankings in Fitness Boxing 3 serves as excellent motivation for daily play.
Your personal details play a role in the game’s functionality; by entering your birthday, height, and weight, Fitness Boxing 3 calculates your BMI, which in turn helps estimate calorie burn for each workout. Based on your preferences, including workout duration (ranging from 10 to 40 minutes), fitness goals, and body focus areas, you receive a tailored Daily Workout program. This feature is expansive, with over 30 exercises available, each offering three intensity levels.
In addition to the Daily Workout, you can access individual exercises through Free Training mode, which also includes a two-player function. Some exercises must be completed to unlock others, but the full catalog can typically be accessed within a couple of hours. You can create a personalized routine by selecting multiple exercises, ensuring a smooth transition between them with minimal loading times. Each exercise provides details on the expected duration, difficulty, calorie burn, targeted body areas, and involved boxing actions. A selection of five vibrant backgrounds enhances the visual experience without being overwhelming.
Free Training includes two additional modes: Sit Fit Boxing, which allows you to perform exercises while seated, and Mitt Drills, where you engage with your instructor’s glove prompts rather than the rhythm. While these modes each feature three exercises and two intensity levels, you can still choose your workout soundtrack. Fitness Boxing 3 boasts ten original tracks and twenty instrumental versions of popular licensed songs, with specific songs requiring points to unlock just like customization items. Additionally, you can adjust the tempo of songs to match your pace.
Track List:
- The Fox (What Does the Fox Say?) / Ylvis
- Ghostbusters / Ray Parker Jr.
- I Was Made for Lovin’ You / Kiss
- I’m Still Standing / Elton John
- Sugar, We’re Goin Down / Fall Out Boy
- Bad Guy / Billie Eilish
- Danger Zone / Kenny Loggins
- I’m a Believer / The Monkees
- Material Girl / Madonna
- Miss You / Oliver Tree & Robin Schulz
- Take on Me / a-ha
- Don’t Sweat the Technique / Eric B. & Rakim
- …Baby One More Time / Britney Spears
- Stay / The Kid LAROI & Justin Bieber
- Super Freak / Rick James
- Viva La Vida / Coldplay
- The Spectre / Alan Walker
- I Should Be So Lucky / Kylie Minogue
- Counting Stars / OneRepublic
- She’s All I Wanna Be / Tate McRae
Fitness Boxing 3: Your Personal Trainer offers an inviting workout experience that promotes an active lifestyle and serves as a motivating tool for improvement. The vibrant personal trainers excel at instilling motivation through enjoyable, albeit sometimes finicky, rhythm-based boxing exercises. While the game may not significantly expand upon its predecessors for returning players, it remains a solid fitness option for those eager to kickstart their New Year’s resolutions. Fitness Boxing 3: Your Personal Trainer is exclusively launching on Nintendo Switch on December 5, 2024, and a free demo is currently available on the eShop.
7/10
A copy of Fitness Boxing 3: Your Personal Trainer for review purposes was provided by Nintendo UK.