How many calories do exercise games burn?
Exercise games can be a genuine workout — but the number on screen is only as good as the method behind it. Here is how Movus estimates it, and what you can expect from each game.
How the estimate works
Every activity has a MET value: how many times your resting metabolism it takes. Running is high, sitting is 1. Movus gives each game a MET based on the Compendium of Physical Activities and on what the game actually asks of your body.
It then estimates your resting metabolism from your height, weight, age and sex using the Mifflin–St Jeor equation, and counts only the active part — (MET − 1) × resting rate × minutes. That is the same thing Apple Health calls active energy, so the two agree.
Typical figures
For a 35-year-old, 170 cm, 70 kg adult, ten minutes of continuous play:
| Game | Intensity (MET) | Active kcal / 10 min |
|---|---|---|
| Move Rush | 8.5 | ≈79 |
| Squat Rush | 8.0 | ≈73 |
| Slash | 7.8 | ≈71 |
| Boxing | 7.8 | ≈71 |
| Swim | 6.8 | ≈61 |
| Penalty Hero | 6.0 | ≈52 |
A heavier or more muscular person burns more for the same game; a lighter person burns less. Movus uses your own numbers from Apple Health if you allow it.
What makes the real number higher or lower
- How much you move. A round you barely moved in burns less, and Movus logs the movements it actually read.
- Rest between rounds. The table assumes continuous play.
- Depth and range. Deeper squats and bigger arm strokes cost more.
Is it enough to count as exercise?
Most adults are advised to get around 150 minutes of moderate activity a week. Activities above about 6 MET count as vigorous, and most Movus games are in that range when played continuously. Fifteen to twenty minutes a day of play adds up.