Ever wish your workout had higher stakes than just closing a ring? A new iOS app called LightsOn links your daily activity to the survival of a virtual city that only stays lit up if you keep moving.
Your activity keeps the city’s lights on
The app assigns you a city with a small population when you first set things up, so the initial energy demand is low. A short walk is enough to cover the daily energy requirement, but as the city grows and more residents move in, you have to put in more effort to keep things going. If you’re not able to meet the demand for an extended period, the city goes dark and residents start moving out.
Beyond this core mechanic, you can adjust tax rates on the city’s residents to accumulate credits, which can be spent on improving infrastructure. Any excess power you generate can also be used towards extras, like a fireworks display, which keeps the residents happy.
A personal project now available for free
In a recent Reddit post, LightsOn’s developer says they created the app to stay accountable to their own workouts, then decided to make it available to other users. The app is free, with no ads or in-app purchases, so you can try it out without making any commitments. According to the developer, LightsOn has no online component, so all activity stays on the device. Everything is processed locally, and there’s no sign-up requirement to start building a city.
Most health and fitness apps on the market rely on streaks, badges, or simple daily goals to keep users engaged. LightsOn isn’t the first app to gamify activity this way. Walkr, an older fitness app on Android, uses a similar premise and lets users power a virtual spaceship with their steps. But LightsOn’s city, with its taxes, infrastructure, and population that can grow or empty out, adds more depth, giving users a stronger reason to stay consistent.