Play Athletic World (europe) Online

Athletic World came out for the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1987, published by Bandai. It was one of the early games designed for the Power Pad, that big flat controller you put on the floor. This placed it among a small group of NES titles that tried to get players moving beyond the standard d-pad.

You control an athlete on screen, but your real input comes from running in place and stepping on the Power Pad's panels. The main objective is to complete a series of track and field events, like the hundred meter dash and the long jump, by physically matching the on screen actions. Signature mechanics involve timing your footfalls to build speed for a running start, then jumping onto specific panels to launch your character into a leap or a hurdle. The pacing is frantic as you try to keep up with the game's demands, and the difficulty comes from the physical coordination required more than complex button presses. It feels like a chaotic workout where you are never quite sure if you or the pad is at fault.