Nintendo has always been at the forefront of fitness games, known for such titles as Wii Fit, Wii Sports, and most recently, Ring Fit Adventure on the Nintendo Switch. Now, they aim to get players moving with a new free title. Jump Rope Challenge is all the fun of jumping rope, without the hassle and noise of a real rope. It’s simple – you hold a Joy-Con in each hand, then jump and move them around as though you were really jumping rope. As you jump, you’re accompanied by a cute little cartoon rabbit, who keeps track of your number of jumps in a variety of different backgrounds. If you’re worried about making too much noise while playing, you can simply bend your knees while moving the Joy-Cons.
Jump Rope Challenge was created by a small group of Nintendo developers in Japan while they were on lockdown, and it stands as a testament to what can still be accomplished in the video game industry despite these trying times. You can get another set of Joy-Cons and jump with a friend, adjust your daily jump rope goal (it starts at 100), and keep track of how long it took you to reach your goal.
Ring Fit Adventure has been sold out for months at major retailers across the United States, as well as online platforms such as Amazon. As coronavirus has rapidly spread across the globe, players are looking for ways to exercise from home, and you have to give Nintendo some credit – they did put out an amazing exercise game. If you wanted to pick up a copy, your best bet would be a site like eBay or Craigslist, where you’ll likely pay more than the $79.99 retail price.
This brings us back to the draw of Jump Rope Challenge, its accessibility, and simplicity. While you obviously aren’t going to be able to get as rigorous an exercise as you’ll find in Ring Fit Adventure, Jump Rope Challenge can never sell out, and you don’t need to purchase anything to download it and start jumping, whether in docked mode in front of your television or handheld around the house.
Jump Rope Challenge is on a limited release and will be available to download until the end of September from the Nintendo eShop. You can check it out here.