Theme Park - Original Amusement Park Sim, Returns - 7/10
Theme Park is a classic point and click sim experience that holds up well in portable form. It uses the touch control and double screen set-up of the DS in a natural way, making it easy to get involved in the game. And getting involved is what sims are all about – they're definitely not about winning.
That's not to say that Theme Park has no end goal to aspire to. It does. But the fun of the game is not in seeing your profits climb to the final level needed for your park to be declared a success, it's in the creation and management that get you there. In Theme Park, you're an aspiring amusement park developer. You've been given an empty plot of land, a fistful of cash and a dream – to build the greatest showcase of rides, restaurants and attractions this side of Disney World. It's a lofty pursuit. Luckily, you're not alone.
The game begins with an in-depth tutorial, hosted by one of four advisors. These cartoon characters are here to help, explaining the basics to you at the start and then transitioning into a voice of gentle commentary throughout the rest of the game. Computer-controlled business partners can be overbearing in sim games. Here, they hit the right balance.
Your chosen associate will teach you how to lay down paths, install rides, hire staff and performers and more. With the basics under your belt, you're given free rein to design your park as you wish. It's satisfying, simple and fun to manage the placement and maintenance of rides and eateries for your visitors. But that's just scratching the surface.
There are added layers of depth to explore in Theme Park, and once you're comfortable with the building and maintenance aspects of amusement park design, you can dive deeper into the meat of micromanagement. You can adjust the rate of speed at which a ride operates. You can tweak each individual staff member's salary down to the dollar. You can even alter the level of fat content contained in your ice cream shop's servings of frozen yogurt. Theme Park lets you live in the minutiae.
And at its most advanced, you'll be able to play the stock market to capitalize on or compensate for the rising and lowering profit margins of your park. Theme Park looks simple on the surface, but there's hours worth of exploring to do in the most minor of menus.
Closing Comments
The vision and fun live on here in this new version, the first time Theme Park's ever gone portable. And though you'll definitely see that this game came from over a decade ago, you'll still have a lot of fun changing ticket prices, hiring guys in rhino costumes, and cleaning up after queasy kids just stepping off the rollercoaster 
Presentation: 8 - The game opens with a great 3D cinematic that sets the theme for Theme Park.
Graphics: 7 - The style works well on the DS, but there was room for improvement here.
Sound: 5 - An uninteresting soundtrack that doesn't match the liveliness of the game's visual presentation.
Gamplay: 7 - One of the strongest simulations to hit the DS so far, though the design does show its age when compared to more modern takes on the same concept.
OVERALL 7.5
Submitted by smashbro
06/18/2007
8
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Comments
swifty222
says:
why would you listen to him. i have this game and hes barley played it. i should know, im his bro
07/13/2007
Alfords point, syney, nsw
Azza123
says:
I found this on IGN this review will be deleted and Smashbro you have been ADMIN WARNED
06/19/2007
Brisbane,Queensland ''Blades Will Bleed''
firzen
says:
nice nice nice!
06/19/2007
Sarasota, Florida (USA)
Guyver
says:
I love the Sim series, this is a well written review good job.
06/18/2007
Keysborough, Melbourne, Victoria
smashbro
says:
cool thanks guys!
06/18/2007
NSW
wiifan98
says:
hey its pretty good
06/18/2007
im lost...
andre3000
says:
nice review
06/18/2007
NSW