What Makes a Game Good to Play While Exercising?

A good workout game keeps your brain busy without needing perfect hands. It should work with a controller, keep cut scenes short and let you pause when you need to. It is also just plain fun, because that is what keeps you moving.

This is what we look at when we review a game.

It keeps you interested

The whole point is to forget you are exercising. Games with a constant loop work really well here. One more run, one more level, one more turn. Long cut scenes and long stretches of nothing give your brain time to notice your legs are tired.

It forgives messy inputs

Your hands bounce when you walk and your thumbs miss things. So the best games dont need frame perfect timing or precise aiming. Good signs include:

• Aim assist or auto aim
• Slow combat or turn based combat
• Generous timing windows
• Difficulty or accessibility settings

It works with a controller

Full controller support is close to a must. Games that need a keyboard and mouse are hard to play on a treadmill, and a pain to play on a bike without a desk. Steam’s store page lists controller support for many games, but it isnt always complete, so check before you decide a game wont work.

You can stop any time

Things happen in a workout. You need water, your foot slips or you want to change your speed. Single player games with a real pause button are great for this. Online matches you cant pause are much harder, and they tempt you to keep playing when you should stop. See our list of the best pause friendly games.

The session fits your workout

Look for games that break up into chunks that match how long you exercise. Short runs fit a 20 minute walk. Long sessions suit people who like to settle in for an hour. You can filter by session length on our all reviews page.

It runs smoothly

You dont need to play at max settings. A steady frame rate matters more because stutter is even more annoying when you are moving. Games that are easy on your computer are also easier to run on a Steam Deck or a basic PC.

It doesnt make you feel sick

Fast camera moves and shaky first person views can make some people feel dizzy, and moving your body can make it worse. If a game bothers you, stop playing. Try lowering the motion blur and camera shake, or switch to a game with a fixed or top down camera.

Some games that fit

Vampire Survivors is simple to control and has short runs. Slay the Spire is turn based so nothing rushes you. Euro Truck Simulator 2 is about as calm as driving games get. For more, look at our best of list.

How we score this

We score every review on gameplay, treadmill and bike compatibility, and computer requirements, each out of 3. A game that is great to play at your desk can still score low if it falls apart when you are moving, and that is the point.