Athletic World - for NES

Athletic World is a sports game for the Nintendo Entertainment System, developed by TRY and published by Bandai in 1986. It is one of the earliest games to swap the controller for your own two feet: you play it by running, jumping and stepping on a floor mat, the accessory Bandai sold for exactly this purpose and which Nintendo later marketed as the Power Pad. Billed as an athletic training camp in your own home, Athletic World turned the living room floor into a track and asked everyone in the house to get up and move.

Five playing fields make up the program, and each is scored on how quickly and accurately you move your body. Three skill levels take you from Training through Beginner to Expert, so there is somewhere sensible to start and somewhere to aim. A customized advice screen adjusts to your age and gender before telling you how you did, a thoughtful touch for 1986. One player takes the mat at a time, though in practice Athletic World is at its best with a room full of people shouting encouragement and waiting impatiently for a turn.

Athletic World is remembered as the beginning of something: the idea that a video game could ask you to sweat, decades before motion control became normal. It is genuinely good exercise, very funny to watch and more tiring than anyone expects. Collectors look for Athletic World because it marks that first step in Nintendo's history, and because it still works beautifully as a party piece. Do note that the floor mat accessory is needed to play Athletic World the way it was designed. With the mat in place, it remains one of the liveliest things you can do with a NES.

• Genre: Sports
• Players: 1
• Region: NTSC
• Release Year: 1986
• Developer: TRY

Cartridge Only: No Box or Manual
Please note that this listing is for the game cartridge only. The original box, instruction manual, and any other accessories are not included with this purchase unless explicitly stated in the listing. What you receive is exactly what you need to play: the cartridge itself, tested and confirmed working.

Condition & Authenticity
This game has been tested and is fully functional. We do not authenticate or certify originality, and listings are intended for players and everyday collectors rather than professional grading or authentication purposes.

Images & Regional Differences
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