- This article is about games and activities in the World of Avatar. For a list of Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra video games, see List of Avatar games.
There are a wide variety of recreational activities in the world, created for both simple enjoyment and fierce competition. These range from physically demanding sports such as the Air Nomads' airball or the Southern Water Tribe's ice dodging[6] to games that challenge the mind like Pai Sho.[5]
Some games that are unique to particular nations may incorporate that nation's native bending element. For example, airbending and earthbending are utilized in airball[1] and earthbending ball, respectively.[3]
Air Nomads[]
Airball[]
- Main article: Airball
The airball court consists of a number of large vertical poles.
Played on a field of evenly spaced vertical poles, airball was a popular sport with the objective of scoring points by shooting a ball into a goal. The aforementioned goal is a circle that spins when hit. Players can score a point by either leaping from pole to pole until they are able to simply toss the ball in or by airbending the ball and causing it to ricochet and eventually enter the goal. As the game is greatly dependent on airbending abilities, players who lack airbending are at a great disadvantage.[1]
Bison polo[]
Bison polo was a popular game played by the Air Nomads. The main objective of the game was to force a ball into an opponent's goal while flying on a sky bison.[7] Championships for the game were held at the Northern Air Temple.[8]
Kite flying[]
The Air Nomads fashioned kites in the likeness of cranefish for use after the celebration of Yangchen's Festival. These kites did not require strings, since they were controlled using airbending.[9]
Water Tribes[]
Ice dodging[]
- Main article: Ice dodging
Ice dodging has long been a rite of passage for young men.
Ice dodging is a rite of passage for young men in the Southern Water Tribe. When a young boy reaches the age of fourteen, his father takes him along with two others in the tribe, and lets the boy captain the boat through a series of icebergs that are difficult to maneuver through. If the boy manages to steer through, he and the two others will be awarded a mark from the boy's father. The mark with a crescent moon is the Mark of the Brave, the mark with a curved line and a dot underneath is the Mark of the Wise, and the Mark of the Trusted is a curved mark.[6]
Ice marbles[]
Ice marbles is a game played by the citizens of the Northern Water Tribe. The game is never shown being played, but it is noted that Sangok wished he could play ice marbles instead of attending his waterbending training.[10]
Penguin sledding[]
- Main article: Penguin sledding
Penguin sledding is a children's pastime in which one mounts the back of an otter penguin,[2] and sleds down hills of snow and through natural channels carved through glaciers. It is thoroughly enjoyed by both the rider and the "sled".
Poundy-poundy[]
Poundy-Poundy is a carnival game where the aim of the player is to ring the bell suspended on top of a tower by striking a lever at the base of the tower with enough force to catapult a puck attached to the tower high enough to ring the bell at the top. The mallet used to strike the lever is made from wood. This game is known to be enjoyed both in the Water Tribes[11] as in the Fire Nation.[12]
Stick pull game[]
The stick pull game is a game played by the citizens of the Northern Water Tribe. It is a game that can involve multiple people, which Kavik taught a group of young monks at the Northern Air Temple how to play.[13]
String game[]
A variation of the string game exists for those who know how to waterbend, as Tayagum passed the time by melting and refreezing water between his fingers to create different strand patterns.[14]
Water gun booth[]
The water gun booth is an attraction that was featured in the Southern Water Tribe during the Glacier Spirits Festival. It is played in groups of six people, and the objective is to accurately squirt water through an opening; squirting enough water through said opening will cause a bell to ring, and the player will win a prize.[15]
Weaver's ball[]
Weaver's ball is an arcade game involving a net. It was the most popular game of the year when Korra began her firebending training. It was a popular game with pre-teens during the Glacier Spirits Festival.[16]
Earth Kingdom[]
Earth Rumble[]
- Main article: Earth Rumble
Earth Rumble is a popular Earth Kingdom attraction.
This underground earthbending tournament is held in a giant earthen arena in Gaoling. The Earth Rumble competitions feature flamboyant fighters with theatrical stage names, each trying to verbally intimidate their opponent before knocking the other out of the ring with earthbending. The competition is a popular Earth Kingdom attraction; the stands at Earth Rumble are typically full except for the front rows, which are in danger of being pummeled by flying rocks and losing competitors.[17]
Earthbending ball[]
- Main article: Earthbending ball
Earthbending ball is a game played just like soccer, but with earthbending to guide and move the ball. Earthbending ball, being a somewhat gritty sport, is commonly played by the lower-class citizens in the Lower Ring of Ba Sing Se.[3]
Elephant koi riding[]
The elephant koi is a fish that resides in the Kyoshi Island bay. These gigantic koi are very friendly and do not mind taking on a passenger. Being able to hold one's breath is a must, as is keeping an eye out for the unagi, a monstrous-sized eel; if the koi gets eaten by the unagi, the rider goes down with it. Aang rode an elephant koi at least twice in his life.[18]
Gliding[]
- Main article: Glider
Teo had a glider built for him by his father to allow him a new life in the air.
At the Northern Air Temple, the mechanist designed and built gliders based on the ones used by the Air Nomads. His gliders did not require airbending to fly, instead using a system of pipes that delivered hot air updrafts around the temple. One pilot would demonstrate a series of fancy or difficult maneuvers, and challenge another pilot to match them.
The wingspans of the mechanist's gliders were longer than those the Air Nomads used, and were rectangular to maximize lift. On the back of the glider under the tail wing is a leg 'hammock' for the pilot's feet. Teo's unique glider was connected to the footrest and the top of his wheelchair, and used two levers for steering.[8]
Lei tai[]
- Main article: Lei tai
Fighting competitions are held on an elevated platform called the lei tai, where anyone can challenge someone by climbing onto the platform.[19] Lei tai duels end when the winner decides, regardless of how severely their opponent may be injured, and they can be fought to the death, such as when Avatar Kyoshi killed Xu Ping An.[20] The fighters decide before the start whether the use of weapons or bending is allowed.[21]
Omashu mail system slide[]
The mail delivery system in the Earth Kingdom city of Omashu contains miles of tubes and chutes. Though not an official city sport, Bumi invented this game when he was a child, as he perceived that the mail system could be used as a huge slide.[22]
Power disc[]
- Main article: Power disc
Power disc is an acrobatic game involving the use of metalbending.
Power disc is a game that involves the manipulation of a metal disc within a large rectangular arena utilizing solely metalbending; the objective is to ultimately land the disk in one of the two nets on either end of the playing field. A player attempts to score a goal by using metalbending to ricochet the disc against the walls of the arena or any of the four pillars situated in the center of the field in the hopes of preventing their opponent from blocking the shot. When a goal is scored, a buzzer sounds, signaling the scorer's victory. The game was invented in the city of Zaofu by the twin sons of the city's leader Suyin Beifong, Wei and Wing.[23]
Redemption[]
A reconstructed version of the Gan Jin tribe's Redemption ritual, Aang described this game to persuade the Gan Jin and Zhang tribes to end their one hundred year feud. The story explains the events that transpired between the tribes' founding patriarchs, Jin Wei and Wei Jin. The sacred crystal orb was just a regular ball, and the Eastern and Western gates were goal posts. Jin Wei was running with the ball when he fumbled it. Wei Jin picked it up and began heading toward a goal post, but he stepped out of bounds. By rule, he was put in a penalty box for two minutes, not twenty years, as the Gan Jin had believed. Game-wise, this is a typical "run the ball to the goal" game, but with panda referees, and when a player scores a goal, everyone yells, "Redemption!"[24]
Fire Nation[]
Dragon Hunts[]
- Main article: Dragon Hunts
The blood sport of hunting dragons was introduced in the reign of Fire Lord Sozin, wishing to seem more fearsome than his father, and repair his popularity with the nobility after seizing the Fire & Air Center of Learning that they had funded. The noble class embraced the sport voraciously, as whoever slew a dragon received the honorary title of "Dragon", and it was rumors that their firebending abilities increased thousand-fold. Many were eager for the prestige associated with the the title, and the ability to one-up on their competitors.
At first, only a few dragons were slain, and there was opposition to the practice on the grounds of ethics by spiritual authorities such as the Fire Sages.[25] However, the hunts grew far more brutal into the Hundred Year War, and the dragons became an extremely endangered species as a result. They only came to an end because it was believed that General Iroh had slain the last dragon and fully driven them to extinction, although some remained in secret and lived past the age of Fire Nation aggression, being treated with respect again after the end of the war.[26][27]
Gambling[]
Toph used her seismic sense to cheat while gambling in the Fire Nation.
There are several popular types of gambling seen in the Fire Nation, including the shell game, where the dealer places a rock under one of three cups and shuffles them around, challenging the player to guess which cup contains the rock. Toph was able to fix the game by using her seismic sense to see where the rock was and prevent the dealer from fixing the game himself.
The "dice" game is similar to craps. Toph was able to use earthbending to ensure the dice landed in the combination on which she had bet.
Another game consists of a player using a hammer to hit a base that throws a puck upward along a track. At the top is a bell. The game is won when the player strikes the base hard enough to ring the bell with the puck.[12] This game is known as "poundy-poundy".[11]
Hide and explode[]
- Main article: Hide and explode
Hide and explode is a children's game similar to hide and seek, but with a twist. After playing a game of hide and explode, Aang's clothes were covered in burns, meaning that it more than likely involves fire, but not necessarily firebending since Aang had not yet learned it.[28]
Kuai ball[]
- Main article: Kuai ball
Kuai ball is a sport similar to volleyball, but played with both hands and feet, and it is played in a round field. It is usually played on the beach and is popular among vacationers on Ember Island. A background in martial arts is beneficial in order to be competent against opponents.[4]
Snaps[]
Fire Nation snaps were invented by the Fire Nation. These are small toys made of sulfur and flint that snap when thrown on the ground.[29]
Street Bender[]
Street Bender is a fighting game featured in the Ember Island Arcade. Two players face each other using warrior dolls to simulate combat. A game costs one silver piece, and the players use two metal rods to maneuver their dolls. Pressing the button on the rods causes the dolls to attack, and firebending into the metal rods gives the player a super attack. Each hit costs the player one of their three life bars, and the player who loses all of their life bars loses the game.[30]
United Republic of Nations[]
Automobile racing[]
The mass production of motor vehicles has led to a considerable automobile culture on the rise in Republic City. Some local neighborhoods or communities of mechanics choose to host automobile shows, where people can show off the latest designs. However, a rapid rise of illegal street racing has also taken place. Daredevils often hold races at night in sections of the city not well populated or policed. Racing even includes tunnel racing, which takes place in the Republic City underground. There is a considerable amount of money to be made in the races and the gambling associated with them, which means that the triads are often happy to muscle in. The most common form of racing in Republic City is called bending doubles or "speedbending", where each car holds one driver and one bender. This setup allows for greater excitement, as benders can hinder competing vehicles while their racer tries to get to the finish line.[31][32]
Pro-bending[]
- Main article: Pro-bending
Pro-bending is popular throughout the world.
Pro-bending is an extremely popular sport in Republic City, spread throughout radio broadcast to the rest of the world. Gameplay involves two teams of three benders, and the objective of the sport is to gain as much territory within the ring as possible within a set amount of time during each round, or, alternatively, to push the opposing team over the edge of the ring. A tournament is held every year with the winner earning a cash jackpot.
Mover[]
- Main article: Mover
The films from The Adventures of Nuktuk: Hero of the South were the first movers developed for public screening.
A mover is a recording of moving pictures synchronized with sound, affording the capability to capture theatrical performances and subsequently exhibit them repeatedly.[33]
Movers or cinema represent one of the most modern forms of recreational activity in the world. This innovative medium emerged in 171 AG with the release of The Adventures of Nuktuk: Hero of the South in Republic City, an endevaor driven by Iknik Blackstone Varrick and Varrimovers International, a subsidiary company of his conglomerate that focused on the production of films, thereby pioneering the motion picture industry.[15][34][35]
Four nations[]
Elemental solitaire[]
Elemental solitaire played across all four nations.
Elemental solitaire cards are the size of hanafuda cards. On each of the card faces is one of the elemental bending symbols: airbending, waterbending, firebending, or earthbending, and in the upper right corner is a different element symbol.[2][14] The cards are sometimes called "Four Nation Tiles".[36] The game was played by Iroh,[2] and by Katara and Sokka;[37] it can be played by one or two people. The setup of the cards is similar to the forty-card kabufuda deck, which has four suits of ten cards each, numbered one through ten.[14]
King of the Hill[]
King of the Hill involves any number of players in their attempt to "dethrone" the reigning king or queen, who is located on a pre-designated plot of land called the "throne" or "hill". Those who oppose the monarch may, depending on the rules decided by the players, use whatever skills they have to take the throne, but the game is not meant to be dangerous. Weapons, such as a bender's respective element or another item, may be employed in the effort. To win the game, at least one player must find a way to remove the monarch from their throne and claim it by taking the place atop the "hill" or other pre-chosen destination. The reigning king or queen may retaliate, however, if they feel it is necessary to defend their royalty, but leaving the throne forfeits the monarch's title and leaves the throne up for grabs. While choosing that the destination of the throne is a different place from the predetermined location mid-game is considered cheating, the king or queen literally moving the hill, or the throne's location, by means of using a skill is not.[38]
Pai Sho[]
- Main article: Pai Sho
Pai Sho is enjoyed by people of all ages and nations.
Pai Sho is a two-player game that is popular throughout the world, appealing to people of all ages. Dating back to the era of Raava, legend has that it was invented by the spirits, and the game has remained popular among people all over the world since that time. It bares a resemblance to both Chinese chess and checkers. A popular pastime enjoyed by people around the world, Pai Sho is also used by the secretive Order of the White Lotus in order to identify its members by constructing a lotus pattern on the board, as shown by Iroh.[39] The most famous Pai Sho tile is the white lotus.[5]
Sparrowbones[]
- Main article: Sparrowbones
Sparrowbones is a tile-based game, typically played among four people in a standard match. It dates back to a generation or two before Avatar Szeto. Players are not able to see their opponents' tiles, meaning that Sparrowbones is often considered both a game of skill and luck although Avatar Yangchen believed that a good grasp of mathematics was what was truly essential to understanding the game. The game was hugely popular in the shang cities during the early era of Yangchen, especially Jonduri. Many Sparrowbones games involve gambling, and wealthy shang merchants were even prone to particularly high-stakes Sparrowbones games with massive sums of money or objects of enormous value on the table.[40][41]
Tai chi[]
Tai chi is a martial art that is practiced for health benefits and meditation as well as defense training. It is common to see people practicing tai chi in Avatar Korra Park.[42] Elderly people also often practice waterbending meditation movements in Roku Park every morning.[43]
"Water, earth, fire, air"-game[]
The name of this game is never given, but it bears a great resemblance to rock, paper, scissors, except that it uses the four elements. As shown by Aang and Sokka's game, earth beats fire.
If earth beats fire, it can be presumed that it uses the Avatar Cycle, which follows the order: water, earth, fire, and air. Water would beat earth, earth beats fire, as shown by Aang and Sokka, fire beats air, and air beats water. It is very likely that each hand symbol is made by one of the typical moves of the bending arts like the clenched fist, which is a frequent earthbending movement. The hand position for fire, however, seems to represent the element itself.
During one of Aang's flashbacks, two Air Nomads are seen playing this game and in a tie, both hold out their hands perpendicular to the ground.[44] This seems to be air, since they are airbenders and would favor this element, and because this is a common airbending tornado technique.
Yoga[]
Yoga is a type of exercise and a natural therapy used for meditation, relaxation, and medical benefits like stress reduction; it has many types of positions and respiration techniques. Yoga can be practiced next to steams; Katara and Aang practiced yoga inside of a steaming cave when Aang was stressed and restless because of the upcoming invasion of the Fire Nation.[45]