Theme Park (DS) Review
Posted by Morakoth Tang on 03.30.2007
I spent countless hours on my PC playing Sim Theme Park. Can the DS version have the same addictiveness? Let's find out.
Title: Theme Park DS
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Type: Simulation
Players: 1-2
Graphics:
Theme Park DS is done in 2d. The sprites are simple and the art is creative. It has the same charm and simplicity it did back when I played the PC version. When I wanted to build a Hamburger Stand, it was literally a big Hamburger shaped building, and when I wanted to build a Soda shop, the sprite that represented that was a large Soda Cup with a straw extruding out of the top. I love the cheesy art style. It’s simple and gets the information across when I’m scrolling around the scene. The art is all done in isometric view, so you get some depth to it.
Game Play:
The game is a “simulation” of owning and running a Theme Park. The addictiveness is and has always been to me is trying to be successful and make a park to your desire. In the PC version of Sim Theme Park, you created a park where there was no real goal. The game permitted you to play as long as you willed in one park. It would unlock others, but you could always revisit and play any of the parks you’ve created. In the DS version the game’s goal is to make a park in one of many countries and raise the park’s value to a certain amount then you beat it. You then start from scratch and use certain elements and assets native to another country i.e. in the UK there’s a tea shop where in the U.S. there is not. You distribute resource “money” and invest in research to get new shops and rides or other assets to contribute to the park’s value. After you are done raising the park’s value to a certain amount you’re done and cannot return to that park. Perhaps this is due to the limitation of the DS’ cart memory size; nevertheless, this is a big turn off in the game’s appeal. The game is played on both DS screens. The top screen initially displays the satellite view of the park, while the bottom touch screen shows a close up view of the map. When clicking on object in the park, the top screen will display its properties. This is very efficient and slick. Movement in game is done via the D-pad and the XYBA buttons. Selection is done solely through the stylus, you tap and either make a check or circle around the object you want to affect. It’s real simple; however, clicking individual employees or guests is a bit difficult because they are so small on screen. I wish there was an extra zoom function to get to finer details but hey…it’s the DS’s limitations.
Sound:
The music and SFX in game is repetitive. The same song loops over and over again. I think there’s only one soundtrack, granted I’ve only played three levels, there may be more. The sound effects on the other hand is a bit more versatile, here are some that I hear often kids barfing, cash registers bells ringing and roller coasters breaking down. The sound in Theme Park is there and it works, that’s all I can really say about it.
Lasting Appeal:
The game has a lot of potential to last a very long time. There are a lot of countries to build Theme Parks in. Honestly I’m hooked on the game for the time being. I don’t know how long this will last. It could be tomorrow when I decide to stop playing. I say this because I have to start from scratch every time I complete the goal. It’s a bit repetitive and the inability to play and revisit parks is a real turn off. It doest feel right to start on a new park every time. All the work I did to make a successful park does not carry over, except for some money that the park was worth. So I don’t know how much I like playing and doing the same thing over and over from scratch; it’s a tricky negotiation with this design.
Fun Factor:
I have always been a fan of Sim Theme Park and Theme Park DS have satisfied my nostalgia for it. It’s not as robust in the way the PC version is when it comes to zooming in and out, saving games, and riding on rides you’ve (plus many other things), but it makes it up by being portable. It took mostly all the fun things from the PC version and packed it into a small cart. The DS version however also improved on other things such as the simple interface and Duel Screen format and the employee wage negotiation mini game. I can’t stress enough how much the two screens help out the game’s enjoyment.
The 411:
To all Sim Theme Park fans out there…go try Theme Park DS. It’s fun and will bring back some nostalgia factor to the fun. It’s not exactly the same game but it’s very closely related. Don’t expect Roller Coaster Tycoon or its iterations. Theme Park DS is a simple simulation game with little complexities here and there to keep it interesting. It’s intro to Park Management. Go try it!
Graphics
5.0
Simple sprites in isometric view.
Gameplay
7.0
The game is simulation and fun to anyone who digs this kind of genre.
Sound
4.5
It’s repetitive.
Lasting Appeal
6.5
The game could potentially last a long time and at the same time end very quickly if you get bored of starting over.
Fun Factor
7.0
The game is fun, you should try it if you like Sim Theme Park for the PC.
