Nintendo's free Switch game 'Jump Rope Challenge' is good for keeping active but terrible for your neighbours

The coronavirus pandemic has kept most of us holed up for months, barring the occasional grocery run or police brutality protest. So, to help keep our muscles from atrophying and our minds spiralling into sucking tar pits of despair, Nintendo has now surprised Switch owners with a free jump rope game.

Called simply Jump Rope Challenge, the cute exercise game challenges you to at least 100 real jumps of a virtual rope per day. Your efforts are detected through the Switch's JoyCon controllers, with the game keeping count and emitting a small cheer for every 10 jumps. It records your daily progress too, so you can look back and see how you've improved.

"This simple game was created by a few Nintendo developers while working from home in Japan to add quick and fun physical movement into their daily life," Nintendo of America tweeted on Monday. "Give it a try and get moving while at home!"

The game also has a multiplayer element, allowing you to jump with a family member or roommate. Great news for your household health, less great news for the apartment below you.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

Maintaining an exercise routine is difficult at the best of times, but it's even harder during this simultaneously terrifying and mundane historical moment that demands everyone stay indoors. Hopefully Nintendo's Jump Rope Challenge will make it a little easier for some.

Jump Rope Challenge is available for free in the Nintendo eShop right now.