Virtual Fighting Championship (VFC)
VFC is a title that is in early access. Players melee fight in the ring in this first-person, single player, co-op, PvP, PvE game. Step into a gloves off cage fight against an opponent, waves of robots, and make your way up the ladder to become a top fighter. Use weapons like lasers, poison, or fire playing as Fala, Poison, and Karl.
Fitness Potential
Punch, dodge, parry, and either attack or defend yourself against fire, poison, and lasers. Assault your opponent in real time and in room scale to get the same upper, mid, and lower body benefits of boxing. There’s a real person cage fighting you in PvP and robots galore to smash in Infinity mode for a variety of fighting bouts to choose from! In the future, there’ll be a legit boxing mode, so watch out for that to step up your training.
Developer/Publisher: L&L Studio, Yang L./L&L Technology
Release Date: September 22, 2018
Compatible with: HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, Windows Mixed Reality, with tracked controllers
Also compatible with: SynthesisVR, PrivateLabelVR, and SPringboardVR for arcade use
Price: Check Steam Page
Link: Virtual Fighting Championship (VFC)
Chop It
I thought I’d never say this, but this is a rhythm karate chopping game with disco and funky tunes. Your Chop It Sensei will be throwing wood boards to chop, cement blocks to break, and throwing stars to well, throw. They’ll be flying in from all directions so you better hustle and chop and break to the beat for points.
Fitness Potential
Sadly, the ninja stars are thrown with the joystick and not actual arm movement. The real upper body workout comes from chopping blocks and boards. Coordination, timing, and accuracy are important in this rhythm game. Staying light on your feet with your legs squared off in a squat will help you move side to side.
Developer/Publisher: Giant Scam Industries
Release Date: September 17, 2018
Compatible with: HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, Windows Mixed Reality, with tracked controllers
Price: $9.99
Link: Chop It
Axe Throw VR
This is a single player and VR axe-throwing simulator with moving targets and ones that are at varying distances. Race against the countdown to send those axes spinning and flying through the air. Aim for the middle for the highest number of points.
Fitness Potential
Pop balloons and accurately hit targets by throwing virtual axes. Hit more targets, unlock 14 axes — simple. Throwing them is going to be a feat and an ambidextrous arm workout when you switch between both hands. Follow through with the throw for more accuracy. This is a coordination game and will work out the upper body if you toss them for a longer duration.
Developer/Publisher: Jeff Murray/PsychicParrot
Release Date: September 17, 2018
Compatible with: HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, with tracked controllers
Price: $5.24 to $6.99
Link: Axe Throw VR
Trickster VR: Dungeon Crawler
Credit to: Scythe Plays
This is a first-person Orc slaying combat game for VR that’ll equip you with some really cool weapons. Orcs will come at you in different sizes and abilities and with various weapons. You’ll want to use melee weapons like swords, shields, a frying pan, dual daggers, and other fun weapons (18 total) to take them down. Pick up gold, collect gems, use magic, and send nasty Orcs flying off the edge of the floating fortress.
Fitness Potential
There are so many different types of weapons, that using any one of them will target the upper body to your advantage. Fight Orcs and react to their attacks with shields and dodges for a combination of upper and lower body activity. There are 35 levels and 9 quests, 5 regions, and 2 game modes to play and get conditioning in.
Developer/Publisher: Daniel Karcher trading as Trickster Games
Release Date: September 18, 2018
Compatible with: PS VR, with tracked controllers
Price: $14.99
Link: Trickster VR: Dungeon Crawler
Unearthing Mars 2: The Ancient War
Unearthing Mars 2 is an intense sci-fi and VR FPS game where you’ll become Deputy Commander. The Earth and Mars mission will send you on a mission to a past war raging in order to uncover secrets. This game has over 6 guns and weapons, unique character powers, and other features to destroy mechanized enemies and colossal game bosses with.
Fitness Potential
Shooting virtual rifles and shotguns with help from the move or aim controller will give a one-sided upper body workout unless you switch between arms. Attacking and moving around in real life may work the legs too, but the movement mechanic isn’t explained on their site. However, there is a slow-motion ability that gets triggered for momentary invincibility.
Developer/Publisher: WINKING SKYWALKER ENTERTAINMENT LIMITED
Release Date: September 18, 2018
Compatible with: PS VR, with tracked controllers and aim controller
Price: $17.99 to $19.99
Link: Unearthing Mars 2: The Ancient War
Arcane Trials
As a lone wizard use your arcane powers to fight your way through dungeon corridors. Conjur spells and fireballs with your staff, and use two fists across 30 levels of gameplay. There are magical moving and floating boxes that players have to destroy with magic. Don’t let them crush you.
Fitness Potential
Using magical abilities and throwing fireballs will exercise the upper body. Dodging around boxes in long hallways and open spaces makes for some interesting leg movement. If you move side to side and around blocks and other objects like an obstacle course you’ll get a good leg workout.
Developer/Publisher: Sifermi
Release Date: September 19, 2018
Compatible with: HTC Vive, with tracked controllers
Price: $4.99
Link: Arcane Trials