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.
Theme Park is the first in Bullfrog's series of theme park games, also included in this series is Theme Park's Sequels, Theme Park World and Theme Park Inc.
Gameplay[]
Starting with a free plot of land in the United Kingdom 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.[1] 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 cleaners. Lack of staff can cause problems, including messy parks, blown up rides, crime and sad visitors. Occasionally wages must be renegotiated; failure to renegotiate results in staff strikes. Theme Park offers several levels of simulation, with higher difficulties requiring more management of aspects such as logistics.
The game contains quite a few cutaway scenes which can be viewed on this page: Theme Park cutaway scenes
Setup[]
The player can chose from Sandbox, Sim and Full player mode. Which are:
- Sandbox - This level is for beginners. You can enjoy all the fun of the fair and design a park without the stress, strains and complications that comes from visits to the Bank Requester screen. There's no need for Research and your shops can't run out of stock so there's no need to visit the Stock screen. However, you may still need to take out a loan, an keep one eye on your bank balance to avoid going bankrupt. Needless to say, you're missing out on an awful lot of Theme Park's features.
- Sim level is intermediary. You're involved in Research to develop new park facilities and the Negotiation screen pop up periodically. However, if you visit the stock screen and Stock market screens you'll find that these features aren't available to you.
- Full level - Only on Full level do you get to utilize all of Theme Park's options. Now you're not only expected to Research new facilities, but purchase stock for shops and shares in other parks. You're responsible for every financial transaction, and rival operators can have a say in your success. On full level, you're playing with the big boys.
Main features[]
- Theme Park Rides - There are a total of 25 rides/improvement which are featured in the the Theme Park game. When you start a new park you start with four (Bouncy Castle, Merry-Go-Round, Tree House ,Ghost House) and gradually get as time goes on in the game.
- Theme Park Shops - Theme Park consists of shops which are used by the population of the park and create a good income for the park. The shops are quite realistic with stock ordering needed and are customizable with the player able to easily adjust the item prices.
- Theme Park Features - The player can use feature items to further decorate the park by adding thing such as trees, lamps, lakes and the much needed toilets as well as many others.
- The Staff - The park needs different classes of staff to keep it running smoothly which is where the staff management part of the game comes in. The player is able to hire, fire and manage the park's staff and also have to watch out for striking.
- The Visitors - The visitors of the park are the little people who come to your park to experience the wonder that is the players rides, shops as well etc.
Bankruptcy[]
Game Over- Theme Park
If the player's park goes bankrupt, a cutscene of the park owner jumping out a window to Chopin's Funeral March plays, though - in line with Bullfrog's usual dark sense of humor - the owner immediately peaks over the sill of the window, revealing it to have only been on the first floor of the building.
The following text about bankruptcy in the game is from the manual booklet: "' When the value of all the shares and stock in your park won't cover the cost of your loans, any interest you owe, debts to the bank, and the 20,000 leeway you're given, you are legally declared bankrupt. The park has to close, your life's work collapses around you, and there's only one honorable way out.
It's a long way down..."
See Also[]
External links[]
- Theme Park (DOS) on TCRF