The Greatest VR Health Video games for the Oculus Rift

If you’re searching for the best Oculus games you can play for fitness then we’ve got ones that are going to leave you sweaty and ready for more! There are so many different types of VR games that anyone, regardless of their exercise level, can find one that they enjoy playing for fitness.

Each of these gaming titles will boost the heart rate and target specific muscle groups, while others will be a full body workout on their own. Players that are super fit, active, or are looking for a solution for resistance training and to trigger excess calorie burn during a game in VR should wear a weighted vest.

Get your VR cover, headband, Touch controllers, and Oculus headset ready! Let’s get started.

VR Boxing

BOXVR

BOXVR is a fun yet seriously energetic VR boxing game that will blast the upper body as you punch orbs and skulls with accurately timed combos while surprising you with squats and side lunges to zero in on the lower body. Add your own playlist with mp3’s and Itunes, and even create a multiplayer workout group. Their music driven boxing games are curated by fitness experts and instructors frequently, so players will get a range of exercise options to choose from.  

BOXVR, $19.99

Soundboxing

Shadow boxing is great for cardio and sets fat ablaze when you add in your favorite music and music videos to it. Soundboxing has user-generated beatmaps that players hit to the beat of the music and music video playing in the background. Punch high or low for upper body conditioning and to keep your thighs and quads from standing in one place for too long. Many fit gamers credit this game for helping them to lose weight and keep it off. Make your own beat map challenges to level up the difficulty or to motivate others to elevate their workout.

Soundboxing, $7.99

Knockout League

If you’re looking for a cartoon and arcade-style boxing game for VR, Knockout League is it. Players train with Doug Johnson in Reflex Alley for some seriously fun and effective punch, block, and dodge practice and then move to a real fight inside the ring. This game will have you taking on iron-fisted heavyweights like Crimson Fang, Tri-Tip, and even Sir Octopunch as you get a full upper body and core workout with punches and a lower body workout with room-scale movement and dodging. VR Institute of Health and Exercise gives this game a Rowing rating.  

Knockout League, $29.99

The Thrill of the Fight

Thrill of the Fight is a boxing sim for boxers who want a realistic experience that will push you like you were really in the ring. Dodge or block incoming blows to your face and body in room scale or throw punches at Ugly Joe or Gene Priest in game. Get punch practice in with the speed bag and hustle around the ring in room scale so your legs won’t feel like two anchors. This is the only game the VR Institute of Health and Exercise has given a Sprinting rating to.

The Thrill of the Fight, $9.99

Mech League Boxing

This is a robot boxing game that’s been compared to Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out. Mech League Boxing is a great beginner to advanced boxing game that teaches players how to punch, block, use weapons and special moves on challenger bots. Once you’re in the arena against another mech you’ll be blocking, guarding, punching back and using weapons against their attacks. This game is standing only and without room scale, so players will need to jog in place or do quick squats to get an additional core and lower body workout in between hooks and jabs.  

Mech League Boxing, $9.99

Player vs. Player (PvP) and Multiplayer VR

Sprint Vector

Play Sprint Vector solo in single player or join in a multiplayer race of up to 8 racers to see who’s the fastest sprinter! Sprint Vector is an intergalactic racing game that uses pumping arms to replace the movement of the legs to get around obstacles like toxic sludge and death blocks. This is a cardio-heavy and upper body game that will have you standing in a power stance with one leg in front of the other or in a wall sit or squat formation as you grab boosts and special abilities to take out other racers.

Sprint Vector, $29.99  

Echo Arena

Echo Arena is a 3v3, competitive, e-sport game where players face off against the other team while boosting and throwing their disc into the opposing team’s goal. Players are flying around in zero gravity, strategizing with teammates, throwing and bouncing their disc around, and avoiding obstacles as they make or miss goal shots. This game is very active for a seated and standing game and can be played in room scale as well. Players can even punch other players in the face if they want, making this an active upper body and lower body game.

Echo Arena, Free

Sparc

Go PvP or player against player in Sparc, a dodgeball meets racquetball VR game. Start off by playing as a rookie and then work your way up as a pro-level player, the higher up you go the faster and more intense the gameplay. Hit the ball with force and at angles to hit and catch players off guard while getting an upper body workout. Do a deep squat and move around your platform in room scale to avoid getting hit by your opponent’s ball but also to get your legs and core moving.

Sparc, $19.99

VR Sword Fighting

Sword Master VR

Players will sword fight against beefy armored challengers in this single player arena game. With skeletons cheering from the sidelines for your demise it’s up to the player to level up and unlock a variety of swords and shield to hack through armor in room scale. Sword Master VR requires quick ducking, deep squatting, and fast sidestep reactions that are going to save your head from being taken off and jump starts leg conditioning. Using the sword with wide sweeping motions and stabs will push your upper body the most, while little motions will not.

Sword Master VR, $9.99

GORN

GORN is a single player and local multiplayer combat game that’s set in a gladiator arena where blood will flow and body parts will fly (they also have a Low Violence mode). Players get their legwork in by walking around, parrying an attack, and fighting in room scale to avoid getting sliced, stabbed, dismembered, or being attacked by a honey badger. Use your controllers and upper body strength to punch with caestus gloves, swing your mighty sword, use nunchucks, knives, and war hammer to attack and defend against waves of muscled up enemies.   

GORN, $19.99

Music, Rhythm and Coordination VR

Beat Saber

Audioshield

Players use their controllers as shields to block the red or blue music orbs flying at them to the speed of the music that’s playing (music files and streaming are available). The faster the song that gets picked, the faster the orbs will come at you. Audioshield is a top-heavy game that focuses on working out the arms, shoulders, back, and chest more than anything else. Players can add squats or run in place to supplement for the lack of lower body activity. This game is compared to the intensity needed to do Rowing by the Virtual Reality Institute of Health and Exercise.

Audioshield, $19.99

Holodance

VR gamers who love to dance to the beat of their own rhythm will really like Holodance. It’s a stylized rhythm game that will have you hitting the beat, spinning them, and holding the notes in a way that looks like dancing. The range of the motions is great for upper body activity but players have even crouched down and hit notes with their face, which uses a well-timed squat to reach. This is a music and dance lovers game with osu! maps and can be used with your own music library.

Holodance, $19.99

VR FPS, Archery and Range Attack

Skyrim VR

After 7 years of being a hugely popular video game The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim has made it to VR. Skyrim isn’t a classic fitness game on purpose, but players have used it’s free motion control system while jogging and even high-kneeing in place along with their character as they travel in the game for real cardio and weight loss results. Using range weapons like a bow and arrow or a melee weapon like a sword and shield will use the upper body, but the real workout will come from pumping your arms while running in place.

Skyrim VR, $59.99

Holopoint VR

Put your archery skills to the test with Holopoint as you aim and shoot arrows at blue targets, ninjas, and samurais. Cover more area by walking around in room scale and speed shooting arrows to shatter your enemies. Shots that you take will bounce back around so you’ll need to squat, sidestep, and dodge while shooting to survive increasingly difficult waves. If there are any momentary breaks players will want to jog in place or do jumping jacks to keep their heart rate elevated. Holopoint has been compared to aerobic and cardio-heavy Swimming by the VR Institute of Health and Exercise.

Holopoint, $14.99

In Death

This is a castle crawler and archery game that’s set in a godless afterlife where hooded monks with arrows, knights with sword and shield, and other lurking dead are after you. In Death payers get a good upper body workout when they fling arrows at enemies through long corridors, staircases, and levels only to get killed and return back to the entryway or save point from whence they came. They’ll also target their lower body when they hide and duck behind corners, doorways, and ledges to escape getting picked off from a distance or up close.

In Death, $19.99

Superhot VR

Superhot VR is a great game to play through if you want to be oddly satisfied at shattering red polygonal mannequins that will attack you in slow-mo or in real time. Pick up or steal guns, throwing stars, and katanas from these polygonal baddies as you matrix dodge away from bullets and activate your quads, hamstrings, and tighten your abdominals as you squat or lunge from attacks. Uppercut them in the mug as they approach for a quick box or group them up and then knock em’ down to target the upper body. This game works in segments that you have to beat to advance to the next stage. VR Institute of Health and Exercise rates it as being equal to Walking.   

Superhot VR, $24.99

The Wizards

There’s spell casting, archery, defense, and combat in The Wizards that involves upper body movement that mimics pitching in baseball to tossing a basketball. Invading ugly ogres and battle beasts will swarm towards you, so be prepared to hold back their power by conjuring and throwing magic and projectile damage. Arena mode will elevate your heart rate the best and will pit you against waves of orcs when you’re in room scale which also lightly targets your legs.

The Wizards, $19.99

Arcade Saga

This is a 3-in-1 game with VR arcade games Fracture, Smash, and Bowshot. Arcade Saga has a variety of levels to play through and opportunities to level up in difficulty, which turns up the heat on your upper body. Fracture is more of a warm-up for your upper body where you’ll hit a ball against a wall of cubes with a racket. While Smash is much like virtual handball, where players face off and hit a ball against the wall at angles. This upper body game makes a cameo in Ready Player One: OASIS beta. Bowshot is the archery game where players fling endless arrows at cubed virus targets. The VR Institute of Health and Exercise gives it a comparable rating of being on an Elliptical.

Arcade Saga, $19.99

OVERTURN

This first-person shooter is a short action game with puzzle elements that turn it into a lighter workout. Play OVERTURN as an anime amnesiac and femme fatale as she punches, shoots, and blocks her way to escape out of the lab. Use the force of your upper body to hit aliens and block their attacks. This isn’t a heavy leg game so players will want to jog in place or do high knees to get lower body exercise.

OVERTURN, $29.99

Dracula: Vampire Vs. Zombies

Dracula: Vampire Vs. Zombies has been called a B-movie wave shooter that’s got all the characters you’d expect: bloodthirsty zombies, dolls that jump at you, grisly wolves, a rock monster, and of course Dracula. The waves get harder the longer you go and will crank away at your arms and shoulders when you shoot arrows at enemies and throw fiery molotovs. Putting one leg in front of the other in a forward lunge and then swiveling and picking off characters is going to be your best bet to get those legs simmering.

Dracula: Vampire Vs. Zombies, $14.99

Rescuties

Catch cute puppies, kitties, hedgehogs, and even babies that look like wizards from a burning building and other locations as they get thrown at you from different directions. Toss them to safety and collect points and power-ups as you go. This is a good hand-eye coordination game that relies on fast reflexes and is a light workout for the arms and shoulders. The game uses the lower body in “giant mode” where players become as large as buildings and have to squat down, pick up the Rescuties crew, and toss them to safety.

Rescuties, $0.99

VR Sport and Training

Goalkeep VR

Gloves up! Guard the goal and train to improve coordination and blocking when soccer balls get bounced or thrown at you from different heights and intensities. Goalkeep VR has training modes like Endurance, Increasing Speed, Two Balls, Bullet, and more for a tough upper body workout. Taking a goalie stance and squatting and then lunging towards soccer balls in room scale in front of the goal will keep your core and legs actively engaged. Be careful where you’re lunging and put on those boundary lines! This game has been rated by VR Institute of Health and Exercise as a workout that’s compared to Elliptical training.

Goalkeep VR, $3.99

Racket NX

Play racquetball in a futuristic environment as a single player or dual multiplayer inside of a polygonal arena. In Racket NX you’ll need to time the hit impact and rack up points for combos and streaks as you get a good upper body workout from quick reaction times. Stay light on your feet and pivot your legs in 360 to hit at shots that bounce across the board and ricochet back at you. If you want to push yourself to workout at a faster pace hit the ball harder. VR Institute of Health and Exercise says that Racket NX is a workout that’s equal to the Elliptical.

Racket NX, $19.99

Hot Squat

This is an essential lower body conditioning game that will strengthen and shape your legs and booty with your own body weight. Hot Squat is a challenging and straight to the point VR exercise game that can be used to fill in for games that have little to no leg benefits or simply because it’s leg day. Train in single player or toss the headset to a workout buddy for a social squat session. Keep your arms up or your squat count will dwindle. This game is compared to playing Tennis by the VR Institute of Health and Exercise.

Hot Squat, Free