NARUTO TO BORUTO: SHINOBI STRIKER

A four on four ninja fight sounds like it should be ideal treadmill entertainment, but I think the online competition asks for more attention than your feet are going to enjoy sharing. I’d start with the VR missions instead, where you can focus on learning the fighting without worrying about three teammates waiting on you.

Gameplay

The team fights are the reason to play this. You’re working with three other people against another team, and I like that your choices can matter to the group instead of every match being a contest to see who can swing fastest. It gives the action a purpose, and there’s usually something happening that pulls your attention back to the screen. That’s useful when your workout needs a distraction.

The different ninja roles and abilities give you room to figure out what kind of help you want to be, which I think is more interesting than just picking the person with the biggest attack. You can build around how you like to fight, but there’s enough to learn that I’d probably avoid treating your first online matches as casual button mashing. I would be the person trying to remember what my own ability does while the other team is already on the objective.

VR missions are the place I’d spend time first. They let you get used to the combat and your setup without immediately making the match depend on strangers, and that sounds like a much nicer way to ease into it. I don’t know how much variety you’ll want from those before returning to online play, but having a less pressured option matters. Sometimes you just want to practice being a ninja without becoming a team issue.

Once you move into the online battles, the game’s team focus becomes a strength and a bit of a demand. You’re not just doing your own thing, and that makes a good match feel more involved than a series of random fights. It also means the experience depends on how well your team works together, which is not something you can control from a treadmill. A lot of the game is still action, though, and you aren’t sitting through a long story every few minutes.

Category Score: 3 out of 3

Treadmill and Bike Compatibility

The controller is the right way to play this, and I’d use one rather than trying to do anything clever with keyboard controls while moving. The issue isn’t learning which button attacks. It’s that an online fight can ask you to turn, aim, react, and keep track of what your teammates are doing at the same time, and those are all things I’d rather do while standing still. Your thumb can be a little imprecise on a treadmill, and the other team is not going to wait for you to get your footing.

I’d begin with VR missions at a comfortable walking pace, or on a bike where your upper body can stay steadier, and see whether the camera movement feels manageable. The camera is doing a lot of work in a team fight, and I think trying to steer it accurately while bouncing along could get old fast. You can still exercise while playing, but I wouldn’t start at a pace that turns every small adjustment into a negotiation with the controller.

Online matches are the part I’d skip while running. They’re competitive team play, so there isn’t a natural moment to stop and sort yourself out when you’ve lost track of the fight, and I don’t love making your workout depend on everyone else’s timing. If you’re riding a stationary bike and can keep your hands steady, you might be more comfortable trying a match, but I’d still expect to miss things. There’s plenty going on.

Category Score: 1 out of 3

Computer Requirements

This doesn’t ask for a recent high end gaming computer, and the minimum graphics card is old enough that I wouldn’t start by shopping for a new one. I’d check whether your computer can meet the processor requirement and has room for the 40 GB install, then make sure your internet connection is reliable since the team fights are online.

Category Score: 3 out of 3

Conclusion and Score

This is for you if team based ninja action sounds fun and you’re happy to keep the more competitive matches for when you can give them your full attention. For exercise, I’d use the missions as a low pressure starting point and leave the online battles for after the belt stops.

Overall Score: 2.33 out of 3