Theme Park (computer game)
Encyclopedia
Theme Park is a construction and management simulation game designed by Bullfrog Productions
and originally released in 1994, in which the player designs and operates an amusement park
.
Like most of Bullfrog's games, Theme Park is permeated by an eccentric sense of humor.
Theme Hospital
is Bullfrog's thematic successor to the game, while Chris Sawyer
's Roller Coaster Tycoon series has evolved the concept to offer a far more realistic selection of rides.
Theme Park has been announced for IPhone at Gamescom 2011 and it will be an all new game and it will be coming out this winter for free.
and few hundred thousand dollars, the player must build a profitable amusement park
, making money by opening rides and selling merchandise and refreshments. The goal is to increase the park's value and available cash so that the park can be sold and a new lot can be bought from another part of the world and start building a new theme park. Newer products can be bought after researching them. Once enough money has been made the player can move on to newer plots. Plots are located all over the world and have many different factors that affect gameplay, including the economy, weather, terrain and land value.
There are over thirty attractions available in the game. Depending on the platform, it is possible to tour the park or the rides. There are simple rides like the bouncy castle and tree house
, and more complicated and expensive rides like the roller coaster
and the Ferris wheel
.
There is a focus in the staff side of the park as well. People employed in the park include entertainers, security guards, mechanics, and handymen. Lack of staff can cause problems, including messy footpaths, rides breaking down (and with sufficient neglect, exploding), crime, and unhappy visitors. Occasionally, wages and the price of goods must be negotiated; failure to negotiate results in staff strikes and loss of shipment. Theme Park offers three levels of simulation, with the higher difficulties requiring more management of aspects such as logistics
.
to a wide variety of different gaming platform
s.
Nintendo DS
The game was remade for the Nintendo DS
by EA Japan. It was released in Japan on March 15, 2007 with releases in the US and Europe on March 20, 2007 and March 23, 2007. New features of the game are the user interface, which was designed to fit the stylus
functionality of the DS platform, and bonus rides/shops exclusive to certain properties, such as a Tea Room themed on an AEC Routemaster bus for England
, Japanese dojo-style bouncy castle for Japan
, A Coliseum themed Pizza Parlour for Italy
, a La Sagrada Familia-themed Paella restaurant for Spain
etc. The remake is based on the DOS
version.
The game differs from the original in that the game provides four different advisors who each provide different advice. In-game music depends not on the ride that is focused on, but rather the adviser that is chosen. In addition, there is only one save game slot.
(sold as Sim Theme Park in the United States
and some other places) and Theme Park Inc
(also known as SimCoaster).
Bullfrog Productions
Bullfrog Productions was a UK computer game developer that was founded in 1987 by Les Edgar and Peter Molyneux. The company achieved recognition in 1989 for their third release, Populous....
and originally released in 1994, in which the player designs and operates an amusement park
Amusement park
thumb|Cinderella Castle in [[Magic Kingdom]], [[Disney World]]Amusement and theme parks are terms for a group of entertainment attractions and rides and other events in a location for the enjoyment of large numbers of people...
.
Like most of Bullfrog's games, Theme Park is permeated by an eccentric sense of humor.
Theme Hospital
Theme Hospital
Theme Hospital is a simulation computer game developed by Bullfrog Productions and published by Electronic Arts in 1997, in which the player designs and operates a hospital. Like most of Bullfrog's games, Theme Hospital is permeated by an eccentric sense of humour. The game is the thematic...
is Bullfrog's thematic successor to the game, while Chris Sawyer
Chris Sawyer
Chris Sawyer is a Scottish computer game developer who is best known for designing and programming Transport Tycoon and the RollerCoaster Tycoon series.-Career:...
's Roller Coaster Tycoon series has evolved the concept to offer a far more realistic selection of rides.
Theme Park has been announced for IPhone at Gamescom 2011 and it will be an all new game and it will be coming out this winter for free.
Gameplay
Starting with a free plot of land in the United KingdomUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and few hundred thousand dollars, the player must build a profitable amusement park
Amusement park
thumb|Cinderella Castle in [[Magic Kingdom]], [[Disney World]]Amusement and theme parks are terms for a group of entertainment attractions and rides and other events in a location for the enjoyment of large numbers of people...
, making money by opening rides and selling merchandise and refreshments. The goal is to increase the park's value and available cash so that the park can be sold and a new lot can be bought from another part of the world and start building a new theme park. Newer products can be bought after researching them. Once enough money has been made the player can move on to newer plots. Plots are located all over the world and have many different factors that affect gameplay, including the economy, weather, terrain and land value.
There are over thirty attractions available in the game. Depending on the platform, it is possible to tour the park or the rides. There are simple rides like the bouncy castle and tree house
Tree house
Tree houses, treehouses, or tree forts, are platforms or buildings constructed around, next to or among the trunk or branches of one or more mature trees while above ground level...
, and more complicated and expensive rides like the roller coaster
Roller coaster
The roller coaster is a popular amusement ride developed for amusement parks and modern theme parks. LaMarcus Adna Thompson patented the first coasters on January 20, 1885...
and the Ferris wheel
Ferris wheel
A Ferris wheel is a nonbuilding structure consisting of a rotating upright wheel with passenger cars attached to the rim in such a way that as the wheel turns, the cars are kept upright, usually by gravity.Some of the largest and most modern Ferris wheels have cars mounted on...
.
There is a focus in the staff side of the park as well. People employed in the park include entertainers, security guards, mechanics, and handymen. Lack of staff can cause problems, including messy footpaths, rides breaking down (and with sufficient neglect, exploding), crime, and unhappy visitors. Occasionally, wages and the price of goods must be negotiated; failure to negotiate results in staff strikes and loss of shipment. Theme Park offers three levels of simulation, with the higher difficulties requiring more management of aspects such as logistics
Logistics
Logistics is the management of the flow of goods between the point of origin and the point of destination in order to meet the requirements of customers or corporations. Logistics involves the integration of information, transportation, inventory, warehousing, material handling, and packaging, and...
.
Ports
Theme Park has been portedPorting
In computer science, porting is the process of adapting software so that an executable program can be created for a computing environment that is different from the one for which it was originally designed...
to a wide variety of different gaming platform
Platform (computing)
A computing platform includes some sort of hardware architecture and a software framework , where the combination allows software, particularly application software, to run...
s.
PlayStation Network
In November 6, 2008 Theme Park was released in Europe on PlayStation Network.Nintendo DSNintendo DSThe is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
The game was remade for the Nintendo DSNintendo DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
by EA Japan. It was released in Japan on March 15, 2007 with releases in the US and Europe on March 20, 2007 and March 23, 2007. New features of the game are the user interface, which was designed to fit the stylus
Stylus (computing)
In computing, a stylus is a small pen-shaped instrument that is used to input commands to a computer screen, mobile device or graphics tablet...
functionality of the DS platform, and bonus rides/shops exclusive to certain properties, such as a Tea Room themed on an AEC Routemaster bus for England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, Japanese dojo-style bouncy castle for Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, A Coliseum themed Pizza Parlour for Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, a La Sagrada Familia-themed Paella restaurant for Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
etc. The remake is based on the DOS
MS-DOS
MS-DOS is an operating system for x86-based personal computers. It was the most commonly used member of the DOS family of operating systems, and was the main operating system for IBM PC compatible personal computers during the 1980s to the mid 1990s, until it was gradually superseded by operating...
version.
The game differs from the original in that the game provides four different advisors who each provide different advice. In-game music depends not on the ride that is focused on, but rather the adviser that is chosen. In addition, there is only one save game slot.
Sequels
Bullfrog has since released two sequels: Theme Park WorldTheme Park World
Theme Park World is a construction and management simulation, and is a sequel to the successful video game Theme Park. Theme Park World was developed by Bullfrog Productions and released by Electronic Arts in 1999...
(sold as Sim Theme Park in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and some other places) and Theme Park Inc
Theme Park Inc
Theme Park Inc is the last game of the series that started with Theme Park in 1994 and continued with Theme Park World in 1999....
(also known as SimCoaster).