I have a problem. I have a tendency to pre-order workout dvds and Wii games. I really should sign up for an Amazon credit card. I pre-order the Active Life Outdoor Challenge mid-August. I was debating between this game and Jillian Michaels Fitness Ultimatum 2009. They were both released around the same time in mid-September. I went with the Active Life Outdoor Challenge because of the mini-games.
I love mini-games. You can play a mini-game by yourself or with a friend in just 5 minutes. One of the most important key to changing your lifestyle is to incorporate 5-10 minute blocks of physical activity in throughout the day. We will get the same health benefits when we break down the recommended 30 or 60 minutes of physical activity into 5 – 10 minute workout sessions.
Active Life Outdoor Challenge Game
I brought the Active Life Outdoor Challenge bundle which comes with the game and a mat controller. So now I have a DDR mat, a Wii Fit Board, stirring wheels, and this mat controller. It almost feels like I need some kind of storage chest for all these extra accessories. There are 16 mini games in Active Life Outdoor Challenge. The mini games include:
1. Timber Trail – you run in place on the mat as fast as you can while jumping over logs.
2. Mole Stomper – you try to quickly hit all of the moles as they appear by stomping on the hole they pop out of in the corresponding button on the mat.
3. Kayak Attack – you go kayaking down a raging river using the wii remote as a paddle.
4. Pipe Slider – you slide down a slick pipe (think water tubing) while dodging obstacles.
5. Mine Cart – you hold the wii remote and pump your arms to move the cart on the rail, balancing on one leg when making a turn, and jumping in order to get across broken rail segments.
6. Mountain Boarder – you slide through a grassy field on your board and land tricks during your jumps.
7. Speed Roller – you speed through the course as fast as you can while running in place on the mat.
8. Lake-top Trampoline – you jump on the mat and do tricks in the air based on the button combination you step on while in the air.
9. Stone Stepper – your sprint across stone pillars in a race.
10. Sprint Challenge – you run as fast as you can on the mat to earn the best time.
11. Head-on Hurdler – you run in place on the mat to reach the goal while jumping over the hurdles to get the best time.
12. Log Leaper – you jump over logs as they come at you from all sides to avoid getting knocked off the platform.
13. Conveyer Runner – you run in place on the mat in order to stay on the conveyor. You know those images of people falling off the treadmill when it is going too fast? For this mini game you have to be able to time the conveyor correctly in order to stay on. Run too fast or too slow and you will fall off. They also throw in stone pillars for you to jump over in case you were not paying any attention.
14. Seesaw Battler – You press the buttons when the icon changes before your opponent do in order to feed your opponent to the alligators. This is the least physical of the mini-games. This mini-game is more about hand-eye coordination.
15. Jump Rope – as it sounds. You jump rope.
16. Waterfall Climber – you work in synch with a friend to climb a waterfall. One player has to pump her arms up and down for the rope climbing at the same time when the other player jumps on the mat. But I played this mini game by myself without any problems. Just that I have to pump my arms while I am jumping.
Multi-player Mode
I like the multi-player mode. When I workout, I like solo activities because I want to concentrate on my body movements. When I play video games, I like playing with another person. It can get pretty competitive to see who can score more points with tricks or jumps.
I do not like that you can only have two players in the multi-player mode. When I have a Wii party, I usually have another couple plus some kids playing with us, so a two players option forces us to play in teams. In addition, it is easy to hit the pause button since the buttons are crowded together on the mat.
Exercise Training
The Exercise Training Mode is cute. You can select training courses such as Full Body, 5 Minute Easy or Hard, Relaxed Exercise, Upper Body, and Lower Body. You get Active Points (AP) from after a training course. The number of AP received is graphed on a daily line graph. Unlike the Wii Fit, it does not compare your weight and BMI.
If I have to classify Active Life Outdoor Challenge, most of the mini-games are in the cardio/plyo category with its running in place and jumps. I am able to keep my heart rate up when I play even though it is less strenuous than Dance Dance Revolution – Hottest Party.
I usually think of a split routine for strength training when I see the words “Upper Body” or “Lower Body.” In the “Upper Body” training course, you are pumping your arms while holding the wii remote. So you are not really building any muscle here. But this is a game, not a substitute for work at the gym.
My recommendation
I enjoy playing Active Life Outdoor Challenge and would recommend it for families with young kids. The moves are simple to learn and you can start and finish a mini -game within 5 minutes. It is another way to get moving while you are having fun.
Until next time and thanks for stopping by Small Steps to Health.
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