I am a big fan of exercise games, as seen by my reviews of Fitness Boxing and Ring Fit Adventure, and I am always looking for more. Zumba Burn it Up! looked to be another experience I would like, so I tried it out without knowing what to expect or having any expectations. The results were rather interesting to say the least.
Zumba is a form of dance exercise, but not one I am very familiar with. Its set to music and the game allows you to decide if you want a full routine, which can last anywhere from 15 to 45 minutes, or just dance to certain songs. You can do this in multiplayer, but I did not do so. I will be blunt, this is a hard game to learn. You arent penalized as much as other games for missing a beat, but it does throw you off immesnsely. You will need a lot of practice just to get any sense of what you are doing.
My fault with the game is that there is no tracking of heart rate measurements, calories burned or anything like that. The game is very basic in this regard and just throws you in. The music selection is fine, and there are more options available as DLC, but they are not really needed. What is here are filmed Zumba instructors guiding you through the workout and it comes off fine, if a bit stilted in terms of what they say Zumba Burn it Up! doesnt wait for any health information from you and just throws you headfirst into the game and if you are not ready like I wasnt, then you will be in for a hard time at first.
The brief exercise routine at 15 minutes long is a great way to start yourself, as it eases you into the routines and lets you work your way up to 30 minutes and 45 minutes. However, this is still a difficult routine and the filmed trainers will walk you through it with actual advice. I just feel this game doesn’t take advantage of what the Switch can do. No real features scream Switch except for the joycons and I feel a lot more could have been done. HD Rumble doesn’t feel used well for instance, and I feel it could have been a bigger impact on the game.
Overall, this is a decent exercise game but not the best. Play it if you are looking for more but its not the place to start. Its good, but a bit barebones and should be seen as the next step after other workout games.