Theme Park World

This may sound crazy, but Theme Park World at the time it was released was one of my most wanted games of the day! I am a massive fan of the original Theme Park; it is probably my favorite sim building game of all time and this was the sequel to that game. They tried to “modernize” the game, but truth be told apart from the visuals and presentation, not a great deal had been changed in all honesty.

They Call Me Walt

The goal of the game is what you would expect and that is to build the most awesome theme park in the world. Actually, there is more to it than that, building your park is a huge aspect of Theme Park World as it was in the original game. However, you also have to maintain your park, keep it up to date, keep the customers happy, ensure your staff are cool and always be looking for the next big thing. Not a great deal has changed in the aim of the game and I am fine with that. I do feel that they could have put a bit more “story” here as that is something I do feel was missing.

Theme Park In 3D

I know that some people will look at what this game claims is 3D graphics and laugh, but at the time I was blown away by the visuals of this game. they let you get in and see the action super close and you can also go on the rides as well. This was something I thought was freaking awesome at the time… even though if the character models do look like cardboard cutouts! I know that Theme Park World has not aged gracefully, actually, I feel that the original holds up better than this one does.

Drink A 12 Dollar Soda!

The core gameplay that is on offer here is pretty much the same as what we had with the original game and that is fine by me. You have to hire people to work in your park and you also have to keep them happy. You do this by making sure you have bathrooms and that they are treated well and paid right. You also need to keep on top of the latest rides and make sure that new stuff is getting added to your park all the time.

For me, when I play this game it is all about the mark up on stuff like merchandise and food and drinks! You can make huge leaps in your park’s future by ensuring you have plenty of funds. You can do all kinds of research as well (including a new scientist) that help you progress in the game. The PlayStation version of the game actually has cool mini-games, but these were not on the PC.

Theme Park World may not have been a game-changer in comparison to what the original game offered. However, I still think that this is a fun time, I do prefer the original, but at the time I thought this game was the greatest thing ever! I do feel that the visuals have aged a bit poorly, but the rest of the game is still a lot of fun to play. Newer games may offer more in terms of the “sim” approach, but I think this one here is more about having fun.

Pros:

• Lots of awesome rides!
• I liked the fun personality the game offers
• You can go on the rides which is cool
• Playing the game is a very fun and relaxing experience
• You can have different styles of parks

Cons:

• The visuals have not aged all that gracefully
• It may be a tad simple for some people

There are plenty of action-packed games for the extreme emotion seekers out there, but Theme Park World certainly isn't one of those. Theme parks are a huge market all over the world, after all, who doesn't love them? These are magical places full of emotions and games to bring joy. They are the very definition of having fun, but there's a lot behind those parks, and it's not easy to keep them going.

But is Theme Park World as exciting as a rollercoaster ride? Electronic Arts bring yet another simulation experience here, we're here to talk about it.

About the game

This is a simulation game about theme parks, but we're not going to be attending different parks or anything like that. Theme Park World is more of a SimCity taken into Theme Park-scale instead of cities. A simulation game where we'll be the manager in charge of keeping the park running.

We start the game with only the Lost World Prehistoric theme park, and as we progress we'll earn more points, money, and we'll be able to expand. As you get more visitors you earn more money and unlock new attractions. Design your park carefully to keep the visitors happy and everything running like a clockwork.

Managing the parks

The game works a lot like the Zoo Tycoon titles, where we have to take care of even the planning of the park. Setting up the locations for the attractions, keeping an eye on the outcome/income comparison of the park, customer satisfaction, and even keeping it clean.

You'll have to pick the best attractions to keep your visitors happy in Theme Park World, but keeping them happy is not just about the attractions. Your park must offer bathrooms and cleaning services, even gift shops. It's an excellent managing simulation experience, and it would be the beginning of many other similar titles that were heavily inspired by this.

Review

This game is a little odd, you'd expect it to be first released on the PC, but the original PSOne version isn't that great. Mostly because of the controls and the graphic capabilities of the original PlayStation. Making decisions feels great, and it's super important to make the right ones to get your visitors happy and make your park more successful.

Being in a theme park is not all fun and games, but this game is pretty addictive and nice, especially for those looking for a relaxing and comfy title.

• Graphic and visuals: The limited graphic capabilities of the original PlayStation aren't all that great. That's the reason why this game looks the way it does. But even with that, it still has a pretty solid visual style that makes it enjoyable.

• Gameplay: Getting more points and upgrading your park is highly addictive, and it feels rewarding. The controls aren't too great, but they are alright. As you progress enough to get 4 golden tickets, you can get a video camera. This camera will allow you to interact with the park from a first-person point-of-view. This adds more fun since now you can finally play in all the games you've kept running for so long.

• Sound: There's a decent soundtrack throughout the whole game. The basic theme park music is pretty much always playing in the background but it's not annoying. There are cool sound effects for the different rides, and all the attractions in the park sound completely different and unique. There's also some voice acting from our assistant, and the sound of kids' laughter makes the game feel much more alive.

Unlike Theme Hospital, this was made when most of the talent had left Bullfrog, making a mockery of the original Theme Park with garish, blocky graphics, a very console feel and none of the charm that made the first game such a joy. Sure, you've got a 3D engine so you can inspect your rides and even get a first-person view of a rollercoaster user, but it's poorly executed. It doesn't help that even the wildest rides are so slow you could take your granny on them without fear of her chucking her breakfast all over you.

That doesn't mean it doesn't hold your attention for a few hours, since the Theme Park mechanics are still all there. You research new rides, play about with the salt content of the fries and the ice content of the colas, compete with local rivals for customers... But it doesn't take long before you're reduced to a maintenance person rather than enjoying the thrill of discovering new rides and seeing lots of little brats hand over their money before turning green. The original game's idea of opening parks all over the world - despite this one's title - is gone. Instead you have a couple of kiddie Theme choices to begin with (Halloween and Lost Kingdom) and have to unlock the other two (Fantasy and Space). I doubt anyone will bother though.

What we thought

"Even the rides with the highest 'excitement' levels are tamer than a sedated penguin and about as graceful."

What you think