A “Perfect Fit” with a Quiet Debut
On September 12, 2019, Nintendo ‘announced’ a new IP, Ring Fit Adventure. The problem is, they barely announced it, debuting it on their social media and publishing a seven-and-a-half-minute video on their YouTube channel outlining its details.
I don’t know why Nintendo is keeping this game on the sidelines and announcing it only a month before its release. It looks like a brilliant game that everyone should know about.
Ring Fit Adventure combines two gameplay styles that are synonymous with grinding: RPGs and Fitness games. It sounds weird at first, but the pairing makes perfect sense. You control the Ring Fit Adventurer on her quest to defeat the antagonist, a weightlifting dragon aptly named Drago, and you use the newly created Ring-Con and Leg Strap controllers to perform a series of motion commands. Each command corresponds to a different in-game attack or move. Jogging in place moves your Adventurer forward along a course, various positions form attacks on enemies, and pressing the Ring-Con into your core defends against them. As you progress through the game, you progress in your own fitness.
A fitness RPG, Ring Fit Adventure‘s artwork looks like a cross between a Reebok ad and Journey. And I love everything about it.
This game is conceptually brilliant and visually stunning. It holds the same “new Nintendo” flavor as IPs like Splatoon and ARMS by mixing colorful characters with engaging, competitive gameplay. Striking a perfect balance between the hardcore Nintendo fan (who loves the lore and lives to grind) and the casual, fun-loving family (who play games together for the social experience), Ring Fit Adventure appeals to both of Nintendo’s primary target audiences. If this is the case, why wasn’t it announced at a Nintendo Direct like most other major titles?
As a public relations student, I have learned about how timing is everything for a successful campaign. Promotion for large projects needs to be planned months if not a whole year in advance, and even small projects require a sizable amount of time to form sound promotional strategy. With this in mind, Nintendo is either doing one of two things with their launch of Ring Fit Adventure:
Choosing to announce it outside of a Nintendo Direct and shortly before its launch date to give undivided attention, as a Direct announcement would have been overshadowed by Animal Crossing, Luigi’s Mansion 3, and Sans in Smash
Choosing to announce it in a short window before release and under the radar of most because, despite having a brilliant concept, it is either a shallow game or the company doesn’t think it will perform well
Depending on how you look at it, the choice to use social channels only a month prior to release to announce the game is a very calculated decision. Nintendo knows that hardcore fans may not pay attention to a new game (that is more family-oriented in nature) if announced alongside more established titles, but they may also believe that a sizable investment into promotion is not worth the ROI. I will give Nintendo the benefit of the doubt (and my $80 for this game), but depending on the game’s quality and financial performance, it could make an interesting case study in the future.
A strong female protagonist, goofy enemies, and unique gameplay mechanics. This seems like a recipe for success to me.
Ring Fit Adventure has potential to be a terrific game that marks a new generation in the Switch library. A perfect game for the console, it balances engaging, competitive gameplay with Nintendo’s trademark spirit: bright, colorful, and “fun for the whole family.” It also solves a problem, providing a fun gaming experience and a (hopefully) good workout at the same time. As someone who really only has time to do one or the other, I’m excited to see if Ring Fit will serve as a happy medium. Will the workout be enough to keep me fit? Not sure, but with modes specifically created for isolating muscle groups, a built-in performance tracker, and a Silent Mode for when you don’t want to wake up your housemates, I have hope that it will.
Is this the first game I’ll be buying on launch day since Super Smash Bros. Ultimate? Yes. Will I incorporate Ring Fit workouts into my daily life? Yes. Will it be long enough, enjoyable enough, and difficult enough to be both a great game and a challenging workout routine? I will have to find out.
For more information on Ring Fit Adventure, check out Nintendo’s website for it here. You can also watch the explainer video for the game below. Ring Fit Adventure releases October 18 for the Nintendo Switch and retails for $79.99.
Photos and video courtesy of Nintendo.