Pump It Up Aerobics

Have you been a couch-potato in need of a bit of a workout? Well, if so then this game will possibly encourage you to get active.

Well, alright, this game’s only likely to work out your thumbs, but it is actually quite entertaining and could easily get your heart racing as you get more and more sucked into its simple, yet addictive qualities.

The game starts out quite simple with three people doing various aerobic exercises. Besides each person you see a number and a visible energy level bar which decreases as people tire. As the beats increase, the workout intensifies and the energy levels drop much more swiftly. What you must do is keep the energy levels up by pressing and holding the associated number on the screen.

This task of ensuring the people in the class keep full of energy is made more tricky due to the fact that the game increases the number of participants in the class in steady increments and also increases the intensity of the workout – meaning you have to work your thumbs feverishly to ensure the people don’t drop out, because the second one falls down due to exhaustion, it’s game over for you!

The way you’re scored is by the length of time you keep the class going. Already by about 90 seconds you’ll have 7 people in the group for you to keep an eye on and will be finding it quite a challenge ensuring everyone’s energy is topped up. From my experience getting much higher you’ll be breaking records and possibly the number-pad on your phone. To see where you rank globally you get to post your score on the world chart and compare your record with other players.

From my experience you’ll be challenged by the sequences of key presses as some characters get tired more quickly than others. Mostly however, the numbers just need to be pressed in a sequence to keep them recharged for long enough.

The most difficult element of the game is making sure you press only one key at a time. As I was playing this on my Sony Ericsson C905 I found that my keys at times weren’t always responsive as I’d end up tapping two keys at a time – meaning at best, one would get re-energised, or at worst, neither get an energy boost!

Unfortunately the game developers have forgotten to put something into this title to boost your energy levels due to the repetitive nature of Pump It Up Aerobics.

So if you enjoy rapidly pressing keys and want to try your hand at running a gym class and helping some computerised clients shed some pounds – then look no further, this game’s probably for you. If however you like something a little less repetitive then I’d recommend you keep your eyes peeled.

Rating 64%

Positive

Moderately addictive

The casual pace soon turns into frantic moments

Keeping the game playing over 2 minutes will be bordering on record-breaking

Good for killing a few minutes

Negatives

Very repetitive

The only reason to keep playing it is to try and break your own record

The game doesn’t progress to any more interesting challenges