Xbox

Thrillville

I have always enjoyed the Roller Coaster Tycoon games on the PC and was pretty excited when I heard about Thrillville for the Xbox. Getting used to the controls for this game might take a little bit, but once you do and see everything in action you will really enjoy all that this game has to offer.

Once you unlock the other parks you can visit them with a push of the button. Each park has a well-detailed map that allows you to access any area or mission in an instant. Graphically the parks are a little on the low-res side, opting for more of a cartoon format than realism. The character models aren’t very good looking and the closer you get, the worse they look. However, the game is solid technically. There are no bugs or glitches. Everything runs smoothly including the coasters that you design and construct which you can also ride. The cutscenes feature your uncle Morty pontificating about the industry and expounding his wacky personal opinions and suggestions not unlike a real eccentric tycoon. The dialog is well acted and quite humorous. The music is perfect for this game and maintains a consistently light and upbeat mood. It’s hard to be in a bad mood when you’re in Thrillville.

With twenty mini-games and a hundred or so interactive attractions, Thrillville makes it fun to be penny-wise (or actually care at all about finances in a campaign). PC sim veterans should steer clear, but all other park nuts should grab their tickets now to avoid the long lines.

Thrillville is definitely a solid, well-designed Xbox title which can be enjoyed by the entire family. It offers gamers a taste of just about every gaming genre out there and even finds a way to bundle them together and present them along with a light-hearted story. Don't expect a lot of depth here; this game is just for quick arcade action fun. If you are looking for a title which you can jump right into and play with a small group of friends, or even just to kill a few minutes by yourself, give Thrillville a try.

Thrillville is LucasArt’s attempt at bringing the “theme park” genre to an audience that may have found the more complex and PC-oriented titles on the market too off-putting. By organizing the daily tasks of the management and building process into discrete missions, it does manage to make it more approachable for younger gamers or those that simply don’t want to get bogged down in the minutia of hot dog pricing. It also has a large number of minigames, ranging from a rhythm dance contest to small-scale FPS levels. It’s definitely fun, and demonstrates an offbeat sense of humor (especially in your interactions with customers), but probably doesn’t have the depth to give it the long legs of other titles in the genre. However, it’s likely that this could succeed in bringing new gamers into the simulation fold.

Thrillville is a nicely made game that offers enjoyable and often complex minigames, a diverse gameplay experience, and a great soundtrack. It might prove a bit too simplistic for some, and as tends to be the case with most minigame collections, not every one of them is a winner. However, the whole of the experience is a good one, and it makes for a nice change of pace from the usual style of theme park-management games.

Even if your idea of a good time doesn’t include hosing vomit and getting rejected by girls, you’ll still have a wild time at Thrillville, for forty dollars. It may not be the most open ended theme park on the planet, but it’s full of different ways to have fun, and that’s what matters most. Buy the ticket, and take the ride.

An amusement park is a complex beast to get a hold of, but Thrillville makes all of the parts easy and fun to take care of. The simulation aspects are translated smoothly over from the PC roots to its console home and simulation fans will find a lot to like here. There are some hiccups, such as the visitor management, but in general the variety holds up. If anything, the gameplay is too gentle and not nearly demanding enough. There are too many elements that add to the feeling, but become entirely optional. Greatness is within Thrillville's grasp, but it doesn't push it all the way through.

Of course, the combination of sim and action game is sometimes a bit jarring, making the game seem like it doesn't really know what it wants to be. Regardless, Thrillville is a fun game, and if you're a fan of sim games on the PC, this would be a good way to introduce the genre to a child or younger sibling. It definitely has that "family game" vibe about it.

There's no question that Thrillville offers a metric ton of activities for you to engage in. The sheer variety is unheard of for this genre (on a console anyway), and it all works. That said, little of it is outstanding, and while all the pieces are in place, there isn't a single aspect of this game that will blow you away. It can be fun at times, but mostly, it's just kind of there, lacking that extra spark of polish and inspiration that would make it a must-play. We'd rent first unless you're really into this genre, but if you're looking for a single game that offers a ton of variety, this is a good choice.

If you're hard up for a game with lots to do, the sheer size of this one will keep you busy (though the juvenile aspect might put you off). It has lots of small pluses, but not enough of it feels new or captivating. Far too short on thrills, Okayville just needs more pizzazz.

LucasArts has a few products here, each perfectly acceptable as their own products. The multi-player mini-games are fun and addictive. With Xbox Live play, they could fit right in amongst the rest of the Xbox library. Shoved into a park simulation with only local play, they're merely an annoyance. Thrillville is worth a peek for curious simulation fans only.