Active Life: Outdoor Challenge


Active Life: Outdoor Challenge is a video game for the Wii produced by Bandai Namco Games. Players use a mat similar to the Power Pad in conjunction with the Wii remote in order to complete a variety of mini-games. The game is comparable to Wii Fit. As of January 30, 2009, the game has sold one million copies worldwide. A sequel, titled , was released on August 11, 2009.

Gameplay

Active Life: Outdoor Challenge is a fitness game controlled by a mat on the floor that responds to hand or feet movement on specific areas on the mat. The game has multiple control styles, which vary depending on the game. The mat used to control the game has a total of 10 buttons, each with different purposes. In the middle of the mat, there are 2 square buttons, one orange and one blue. These buttons are used in most games for basic movement such as jumping or running. There are 6 arrows surrounding every side of the mat, 3 orange and 3 blue. These buttons are mostly used for directional movement in single player, and for running in the two player games. The mat also features a plus and minus button on either side of the mat. The buttons essentially act as a way to help navigate menus without having to pick up the controller, as well as to pause the game.
The game features many minigames, split up into to categories, and 3 main modes per category. The two categories are single player games, and 2 player games.

Reception

The game received mixed to positive reviews from critics, receiving a 69 out of 100 from Metacritic. Louis Bedigian on Gamezone gave it a 5 out of 10, stating that "while the game is successful in some areas and downright creative in others, Active Life: Outdoor Challenge is not be the most entertaining or most beneficial way to get in shape." Nintendo World Report reviewed the game, saying that the game "is a very promising start to a series and a great complement to Wii Fit."