Sea World Adventure Parks 2-Pack (PC)

GameSpot editors' review

• Reviewed by:
  Jason Ocampo
• Reviewed on: 11/26/2003
• Updated on: 12/03/2008
• Released on: 06/20/2006
• Originally published on GameSpot: Sea World Adventure Parks 2-Pack (PC) Review

When Chris Sawyer and MicroProse published RollerCoaster Tycoon in 1999, virtually no one could have imagined the impact it would have. While there were earlier games built around the idea of constructing roller coasters or theme parks, Sawyer brilliantly merged the two ideas into an addictively simple game that sold a gazillion copies. It also launched a wave of competitors, from Microsoft's Zoo Tycoon to the latest takeoff, SeaWorld Adventure Parks Tycoon. It's probably a good thing that SeaWorld is published under Activision's budget label, because it comes off as an extremely lightweight imitation of the original.

If you've played any of the recent games with "tycoon" in the title, you'll instantly recognize the interface and mechanics of SeaWorld Adventure Parks Tycoon. Your job is to create a moneymaking theme park, from scratch, by designing everything from the layout of the park to which rides and amusements are available. You control everything from ticket prices to concession prices, and you can even charge customers, known as peeps, to use the bathroom. Once it's all set up, just sit back and watch the peeps enjoy your park while you tweak and fiddle along the way.

It turns out that it's a good and bad thing being the only game to bear the official SeaWorld Adventure Parks license. While you get to use most of the rides and attractions found at SeaWorld's three main parks, including Shamu Adventure and Shipwreck Rapids, that's all you get. You can't design your own coasters, and, as SeaWorld has a limited number of rides and attractions, there's not a lot to choose from. After a few levels, it begins to feel like you're reconfiguring the same park again and again. To paraphrase Henry Ford, "you can build any adventure park you want, so long as it's SeaWorld."

The game comes with 12 levels that are split into three groups of varying difficulty, so it's easy for new gamers to ramp up to more difficult challenges. Most of the levels have objectives that are fairly easy to reach, though some of the latter levels put you under considerable time constraints to accomplish your goals. These time limits can be frustrating, as you've got to build an almost perfect park to reach your objectives. There is a sandbox mode that allows you to build to your heart's content without worrying about objectives or time limits, though, once again, the limited amount of content doesn't allow for a lot of variation in park design.

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