- Primary Subject: Nintendo Switch Fitness & Brain Training (2026 Guide)
- Key Update: The article highlights how existing titles like Ring Fit Adventure and Professor Layton can be used as effective supplements for physical health and mental sharpness.
- Status: Confirmed
- Last Verified: February 25, 2026
- Quick Answer: Improve yourself by using Ring Fit Adventure for cardio, Aim Labs for reaction speed, and puzzle or cozy games for mental stimulation and stress relief.
Video games have always had a bad reputation among the general population. People often view gaming as a complete waste of time, and sometimes put it in the same conversation as drugs or alcohol because of how addictive it can be. Thankfully, this perspective has changed over the years as more gamers have gotten louder in their respective community, but we’re not all the way there just yet.
Truthfully, video games can have a powerful impact on a person’s development, which is why so many phone apps sell themselves on “gamifying” productivity. But what if, instead of downloading an app on your phone that aims to gamify self-improvement, you try to improve yourself with the games you already have?
Physical
Call them crazy or call their consoles flops, one thing remains true: Nintendo still revolutionized fitness in gaming. From the introduction of the Wii and Wii Fit all the way to the motion controls of the Nintendo Switch, Nintendo has done a great job getting players off their couch and moving their arms.
My gym trainer often says that the first step to integrating fitness into your daily life as a habit is to see it as something you enjoy, and that’s something video games excel at. Another measurement of physical improvement that’s often overlooked is our reaction time, which is going to be tested when you’re teaching throws in fighting games or when you’re trying to AWP mid cross. No lag here.
The Nintendo Switch game Ring Fit Adventure is one of the best examples of physical exercise blended with video games, and I can testify that hours of exercise will fly by without you even noticing. If the price of a Ring Fit Adventureis too steep and you just want to dip your toes in the experience, then maybe the free jump rope game from the Nintendo Store is more your style.
As for reaction time, there are a ton of games like Aim Labs or repeated defense drills with a sparring partner in a fighting game. The options for physical improvement in video games are vast, and all that matters now is taking that first step.
Mental
Video games are more mentally taxing than they are physically taxing. After all, if you’re not jumping around with the Nintendo Switch, then odds are, you’re slumped over on your desk with the posture of a shrimp. While that may be the case, the brain is still a muscle, and you've got to work it to get it swole.
Puzzle games like Professor Layton and Brain Age reigned supreme on the Nintendo 3DS, challenging our brains to be more creative when it comes to problem-solving tasks. And as much as I hate giving praise to them, menial mobile games like Wordscapes still count as video games, and help keep the brain stimulated and working.
Not only do video games keep the mind sharp, but they also keep all of us sane. Everyone needs a hobby to unwind with at the end of the day, and if playing video games is your stress-relief of choice, then I say godspeed.
Cozy games like Stardew Valley and Fields of Mistria remind all of us to slow down, giving us the little hit of dopamine that we need to get through the day. If cozy games aren’t your style, then why not try every other video game? Flow state exists even in the most competitive and stressful of games, and we all know how good that feels.
Not An Excuse
Hold it! Before we go any further, I want to clarify that this article isn’t an excuse to play video games all day. I like to believe that everything is good in moderation, and excessive video game time under the guise of self-improvement is just plain foolish.
In this case, video games should only be used as a supplement to self-improvement and not a replacement for any actual effort. Sure, the Ring Fit Adventure does a great job at getting you off your couch, but you are the only one who can get yourself out the door to get some fresh air.
Tekken cannot teach you the discipline of martial arts (although it’s pretty close), the same way NBA 2K games won’t teach you how to do a windmill slam on the fast break. I say this not as a jab at video games, but as a reminder that video games are just… games.
They’re not meant to be taken seriously (unless you plan on going pro), but that’s the entire appeal of it in the first place. If you’re ever intimidated to go to the gym, or to learn to socialize, or to practice your puzzle solving, then let video games be your stepping stone.
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