For those who may have some difficulty finding the motivation to work out, there’s a new game in the Google Play Store called Fitness RPG – Gamify Your Pedometer designed to join step counting with RPG gameplay. Developed by Shikudo, the title centers around saving a world called Fitland from a “Dark Force” that’s been occupying it for the past 12 years. The player takes on the role of a protagonist leading a diverse team of heroes in RPG combat across a map of Fitland. It’s free-to-play, of course, with some items being purchasable in-app – as is often the case with modern mobile games. The AIP range in cost from one dollar up to a hundred but shouldn’t be required to complete the game.
Like other games falling into the RPG category, the primary focus of this title is on leveling up characters in order to earn new skills and better stats. That progression will help the player beat up on the bad guys a bit more easily, though there will still be some strategy involved. What’s more, characters can be equipped with new wearable gear, skins, and weapons to make them stronger, alongside the various classes of hero that can be teamed together to fill every role. Unlike other titles, however, the leveling and earning process is directly tied in with a pedometer. That can be from the user’s phone or a fitness wearable and the Google Fit app. So winning against players in the included online Arena or beating the primary quest is going to require walking rather than battling.
Coupled with a blended art style that fits somewhere between cute and classic, Fitness RPG – Gamify Your Pedometer seems to be a near perfect gamification of walking. It may not be the first to accomplish that – with Pokemon GO often being referred to as a walking simulator. However, this is likely among the first to be classified on the Play Store as a Health & Fitness app rather than a game, in spite of its game-like nature. So it may be well worth a look for anybody who’s been interested in getting back into shape but hasn’t been able to find motivation.
