Thrillville

Best For: Ages 10 and Up
ESRB Rating: E-10+
Genre: Strategy/Sim
Available For: PlayStation 2, Xbox, PlayStation Portable
# of Players: 1-4
Fun Factor: 4 out of 5

Step right up, if you dare! "Thrillville" brings the sights, sounds, and nonstop action of a theme park to your living room by putting your child in charge of the fun. All that's missing is the smell of popcorn and cotton candy. Up until now "amusement park simulation" meant the "Theme Park" or "Roller-Coaster Tycoon" series (the latter is available on the PC and highly recommended for families). "Thrillville" looks like more of the same, but it isn't. "Thrillville" is a fresh take on the concept that leaves "Tycoon's" business and economic aspects out of the mix and concentrates on the reason people really love theme parks -- the sights, the midway games, the sounds, the people, and of course, the rides.

Seems your Uncle Mortimer -- owner of no less than 5 amusement parks -- needs some assistance running them. To help him out, players have to visit each park and keep guests happy, while being challenged with a bunch of minigames. There are 20 of them in all, and they range from target shooting to performing tricks while jumping on a trampoline. There's also a game where you have to build rides and it's easy! My 7-year-old could do it, and boy did she have a great time riding the rides she built. Another great idea is PARK, a radio station that plays top-40 tunes as you visit each park. One drawback is the lack of non-linear style of gameplay, also known as "sandbox" mode. A game like this really inspires creativity, and it's a pity to see that limited.

Parents take note: The game isn't violent, despite the shooting gallery. The social aspect of the game involves making park patrons fall in love, and to do it players have to choose cheesy pickup lines. There's nothing really offensive, but that's how the game got its E-10 rating.

The game might make players a little nauseous when it comes to interacting with park guests. Chatting up other teens to become a love interest is an adventure in some of the cheesiest pickup lines heard on this side of a Ferris wheel. Even non-romantically charged conversations become a bit tedious as the originally interesting factoids and phrases get overused as the game progresses.

A great feature is the multiplayer mode. Most of the minigames are available from the beginning, making it easy to find a good game to play with a friend. Up to four players can challenge each other, and there is even a tournament mode to really get the competition going.

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