Kombo writes: "Most mini-game compilations are a boring fare. You swing the Wii-mote this way, you waggle it that way and all the games boil down to the same experience. Not true with Active Life. There is a mat that comes with the game that looks like a cross between an old NES Power Pad and a DDR Dance Mat that separates Active Life from the rest of the crowd. Throughout the course of gameplay, you'll be sitting down on it, hopping on it, stomping on it and using it in conjunction with the Wii-mote for a few games. The tag team approach style of the mat is nice so you don't clutter up your living room with yet another peripheral when more than one person plays.
The cell-shaded visuals are very appealing on the Wii. Years down the road this game will retain its unique visual style. You can import your Mii so you can have a virtual you playing the games. The target audience for the game is on the front of the box. For that generation, there is plenty to enjoy but don't let that spoil the fun for older games, sitting on the floor pounding the buttons to make the street luge turn was admittedly fun..."
Players can incorporate their Miis into game, but, without stronger graphics, this feature losses its luster. The appealing settings and large scope surrounding the player action needed stronger visual support. The missing balance board option is yet another missed opportunity in this entertaining, yet unpolished experience.
GreenPixels writes: "There are lots of Wii games that promote living a more active life. There's Wii Fit, My Fitness Coach, Jillian Miachaels' Fitness Ultimatum, EA Sports Active, and more. These are all family-friendly titles to be sure, but most of these are so overtly about getting fit that they're sure to entice the typical kid about as much as math homework and broccoli. And that's where this compilation of sports-based mini-games is different: Active Life: Extreme Challenge is a kids' game at its core. This isn't to say that adults wouldn't enjoy playing too, but from the Wii menu intro screen with an audio clip of a group of kids screaming "Active Life: Extreme Challenge," it's obvious that this title is for a short crowd."
Active Life: Extreme Challenge contains a variety of mini-game activities, most of which have different difficulty levels and variations. Activities include rock climbing, wake-boarding, in-line skating, kite surfing, jump roping, BMX biking, and more. The main mode is the Extreme Tournament, where players have to meet a certain objective in anywhere from three to five different activities to unlock a new or more difficult set. There's also a Challenge mode, which offers a variation on each activity, such as a longer course or different objective to meet. And finally there's Free Play, which is just as it sounds -- pick what you want to do. Kids can play alone or with friends: Extreme Tournament and Challenge mode have multiplayer options, and there's also a mode for friends to face off in activities designed specifically for multiple players.
