Nintendo provides a way to work out your kid’s energy even if coronavirus has you stuck at home!

As coronavirus continues to threaten the people of Japan, more and more precautions are being taken to help prevent its spread. That means conventions and concerts have been cancelled, theme parks are closed, revolving sushi chains have stopped revolving, and the government has suggested that people refrain from holding sakura blossom viewing parties.

For parents of small children, that also means that there isn’t much to do with your kids, and if you have your own kids or have ever worked with young kids, you know that after a certain amount of time of being stuck indoors, they start to get a little stir crazy. Young kids have a lot of energy and need an outlet–so what’s a parent to do when there’s nowhere to take them?

Luckily Nintendo has inadvertently provided a coronavirus quarantine entertainment and exercise solution: Ring Fit Adventure. The Nintendo Switch’s take on a fitness game has kids running, jumping, squatting, and all-out exercising, and is saving parents’ sanity in the meantime.

Japanese parents on Twitter shared this life-saving advice with their fellow parents, as it seems to keep their kids busy and exhaust their energy, which means they’re not driving their parents–who are probably also getting stir-crazy–up the wall. Father Toyo Teramoto (@teramoto_toyo) wrote in his tweet above:

“All of the places kids can play are closed right now, so I’ve been racking my brain for a way to let my kid play. But it turns out three-year-olds can play Ring Fit Adventure, and I highly recommend it. He got some exercise and was really satisfied, and is now napping lol”

More than just a fitness program, Ring Fit Adventure is also an adventure game with levels and battles, which you play by using your body instead of a controller. You have to run to make your character run and jump to make your character jump, and whatever you do, your character will do, so it’s a great way to get some exercise and have fun at the same time!

As you can see from the videos, it’s a perfectly acceptable alternative to a playground, and perhaps just as exciting, since kids seem to love it! In response to Teramoto’s original tweet, lots of parents chimed in about how their kids can’t get enough of the game:

“My kid slept sooo good (2 years 10 months). It also has a system that adjusts to different players.”
“My six-year-old loves it. I’m so glad I bought it.”
“Ooh, I need to get this. (Mario Kart is too easy for my kids so they’re bored with it)”
“I’m going to get it. Theme parks and even Aeon playcenters are closed so this is great advice!”
“I want it but no one is selling it!”

The last point is the caveat–right now, the Ring Fit Adventure seems to be sold out everywhere, perhaps because of the high demand as a result of coronavirus, or perhaps because production of the game has slowed thanks to quarantines in China. Even Amazon, which usually has everything, doesn’t seem to have any in stock in either Japan or the U.S., which means resellers are charging double or more than the retail value.

▼ “My nephew’s playing it too!”

So if you already happen to have Ring Fit Adventure, why not share it with your (non-quarantined) friends? If you don’t have it, we recommend, for everyone’s sake, that you find a friend who does. Otherwise you might have to find other, less exciting ways to entertain your kids until it comes back in stock. Maybe some crafts, or Lego? If not…well…there’s always YouTube.

Source: Twitter/@teramoto_toyo via My Game News Flash
Featured image: Twitter/@teramoto_toyo
● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!