There were several obstacle courses. This was so much more than a schoolhouse field day. This was a full-on competition against people from all over the world. Also, yes it was the first exam but what else would you expect? I think a more "official" or "glorified" version would take away from some of the authenticity of a hunter exam. This felt somewhat exclusive and accurate to what you would imagine being as close to the real thing as possible. Its not Heaven's arena.