Have you ever thought to yourself, “I wish my fitness instructor was a dragon?” Or ever wanted to float in the sky dancing to the beat of your favorite song. Look no further, Holodance may be your jam.
Holodance is a VR boxing game where you physically punch to the beat of the music. Like the growing trend of VR Fitness games joining the market, this can be a strong cardio workout. Ready your Vive wands and turn up the sound as we flow into Holodance on the HTC Vive.
Those familiar with virtual reality may know titles such as Soundboxing, Audioshield, and Box VR. Holodance makes a strong argument for adding a bit style to your VR Workout. What separates Holodance from the other beatboxing games is the ability to slide and spin notes as you box.
For those new to VR, Holodance is an excellent introduction to VR Fitness as it has both a Free Mode and Story Mode that teaches you how to play while floating in the sky with dragons. Dragons!
While Soundboxing focuses on how hard you punch the beat Holodance offers a different angle. Sliding, spinning or holding notes adds a brand new dimension to gameplay that feels natural and much more like dancing.
For a quick overview of gameplay, here’s a trailer:
Preparation
The VR Health Institute has not studied Holodance, but their site claims Audioshield burns between 8-10 Calories per minute. In my own trial of Soundboxing, I burned 289 calories. Based on this comparison, I should burn 240 to 300 calories during my 30-minute test. This is the equivalent of rowing for 30 minutes. I used my Fitbit Charge 2 to track my progress.
Intensity 7-9/10
Though Holodance is intense at top speeds to get the full intensity you need Vive Trackers on your feet. I did not play with lower tracking but based on this guy’s gif I’d assume this can get pretty intense.
Like other beatboxing games, Holodance lets you punch each beat as it comes toward you. Some notes just fly by but others require you to spin, hold and drag notes while the barrage continues. This made for some crazy moments as my hands tried to keep up. 
Holodance in LIV Cube
Here are the results of my 30-minute workout:
- Calories burned:251
- Average heart rate:117
- Max heart rate: 142
Not a bad workout for dancing in place. I didn’t get my max heart rate as high as I would have liked but by adding lower body tracking and more practice I have no doubt this could be a great cardio workout.
Arms 8/10
I prefer punching notes, but sliding and spinning adds a new variation to the workout. The notes can come really fast so when the beat slows down, try to hit them like it’s a boxing game. Wrist waits are not recommended for this workout.
Legs 6-8/10
With lower body tracking the leg workout could get pretty intense. It’s crucial to actually dance while playing. Jogging in place or jumping up and down during slow parts of the song are needed to keep your heart rate up as well as get a lower body workout.
Core and Balance 6/10
Depending on your concentration and dance skills this could be a good core workout. This is a dance game so the more style you put in the more muscle groups you’ll work. Sometimes the notes approach too quick to engage your lower body but whenever possible be creative. I didn’t try this but apparently, you can also use your head.
Time Perception 8/10
Much like the other beatboxing games, time goes by pretty quick. With a number of different environments and the fast-paced nature of the game, my 30-minute workout went by fast.
Replayability 10/10
With plenty of music variety, your workout is only limited by your music choice. For those who like to dance or like the challenge of sliding and spinning notes this game can become addicting quickly.
Fitness Scalability 9/10
Holodance can be used as a warm-up, a cooldown or a full cardio workout. Songs typically last 3-4 minutes so it’s really up to you how you’d like to scale this. My max heart rate reached 142, but I think I could get it up to 150 or 160 by making a couple of tweaks such as adding a weighted vest and learning the tricks of the game.
Lack of Nausea 10/10
This is a standing game for the HTC Vive which generally does not produce motion sickness. I felt zero nausea during the 30 minutes, however, if you’re afraid of heights and this is your first time in VR you might want to be ready for that.
Social Competition 7/10
Holodance has a leaderboard but the real social competition comes with playing with friends. Holodance is much more like DDR than other games so having friends over and trading in and out or going to a VR Arcade is sure to be an entertaining night.
VRFI Fit Score 8.5/10
The Good
The story mode is great for first time VR players. The motions feel much more like dancing than working out but the results speak for themselves. I loved the environments and the point tracking. I’d highly recommend this to anyone looking to get into VR Fitness or improve their existing regiment.
The Bad
The game does not connect to Youtube like Soundboxing but the library is vast and replayable.
