Fitness Boxing will be getting a crossover game with the classic anime property Fist of the North Star on the Nintendo Switch next year.
Fitness Boxing: Fist of the North Star is a crossover game between the popular anime and Nintendo Switch exercise game that will be released next year. This incredibly strange but fitting crossover was announced at the most recent Nintendo Direct, published by Imagineer. Much like the other two games in the Fitness Boxing series, this game sees the player using the Joy-Con motion controllers to box in tune to the music and give the player a workout based on a variety of factors. This includes how fit they are, the player's age, their height and weight, and more.
This spin-off sequel however makes the game a full-on crossover with the Fist of the North Star anime and manga property, first published in 1983. It follows the bloody adventures of Kenshiro, who is a practitioner of the martial art style Hokuto Shinken. The anime became a cult classic in the West, becoming a fan favorite and influencing many other Shonen anime for years to come. With this popularity and emphasis on punching enemies, it's a fitting crossover with Fitness Boxing.
As revealed in the game's brief trailer, Fitness Boxing: Fist of the North Star will be released in March 2023. Players will have some of Fist of the North Star's strongest characters as their instructors, where they learn to box to the beat and train themselves in "Exercise Mode" as the trailer dubs it. This includes the deadly practitioner of Hokuto Shinken himself, Kenshiro. Like other Fitness Boxing games, these workouts can be daily, and players will get a better score if they are precise with their punches and other techniques.
The game isn't just limited to practicing punches and dodges, as players can also participate in battles. This includes taking on waves of enemies, or fighting against some of Kenshiro's rivals from the anime, like his elder foster brother Jagi. It's likely players will encounter some other iconic big bads and enemies from the series such as the dominating Raoh and Kenshiro's other rival Shin.
While some fans were happy to see Fist of the North Star get some love in this fitting but bizarre crossover, many others were just as disappointed that the Nintendo Switch wasn't getting a proper game based on the series. The last console game based on the anime series was Fist of the North Star: Lost Paradise by Studio Ryu Ga Gotoku, which was a Like a Dragon crossover title released back in 2018.
Fitness Boxing: Fist of the North Star will be launching for Nintendo Switch in March 2023.
Freelance writer and enthusiastic gamer regarding all things Sonic, Mario, Yakuza, Persona, and much more.