Visions Fantastic: An Imagineering Competition (Game Thread)

[TheOriginalTiki]

River Rampage is the second signature E Ticket attraction of Donkey Kong Country. This is a highly themed river rapids boat ride. It's similar in scope to Popeye and Bluto's Bilge Rat Barges but doesn't get you nearly as wet, instead focusing on larger scale set pieces. The goal of this attraction is to be the most highly themed, large scale storytelling based river rapids ride in the world.

The queue starts by winding through the Pacific Northwest inspired forest of the Northern Kremisphere, the part of DK Island where Donkey Kong Country 3 takes place. After a brief outdoor forest section, guests find themselves in the wooden shack of Funky's boat house from that game. The queue winds its way through the various water crafts that are playable in the third game and past a series of photographs outlying the extensive Kong family tree, including deep cut characters such as Lanky, Tiny, and Chunky Kong from Donkey Kong 64 as well as Bluster Kong from the infamous DKC animated series.

The penultimate room of the queue reveals that we've been stealth dropped into the middle of a Kiddie Kong-centric story, as we find ourselves in Kiddie Kong's nursery. The rambunctious infant gorilla is swinging from a mobile structure hanging above his comedically oversized crib. The roof is very obviously threatening to cave in on itself. In a transition hallway guests hear a large crash, followed by a second pre show room where an AA of Funky Kong laments that he had the responibility of watching over Kiddie (his nephew) and now Kiddie has broken loose and is lost in the middle of the DK Island jungle. Funky recruits the guests to go out and find Kiddie, and with that we're off on our River Adventure.

The first scene is a basic recreation of the general atmosphere of Jungle Hijinks, the original first level from the first game. On ground level we see an AA of Diddy Kong riding on Espresso the Ostrich. On a higher level we see DK riding on Rambi the Rhino. After hitting a series of rough rapids, guests careen into the side of the Mine Cart Carnage show building and find themselves in the middle of the Stop and Go Station section. This moment reveals this particular spot in the land to have a ton of kinetic energy, with the raft ride, the Mine Cart queue, and the actual mine Cart coaster all weaving through it.

Emerging from the cave, guests find themselves back outdoors but under a canopy that actually "rains" on the boats. This mixed with Dolby Atmos sound effects of booming thunder and projection mapped lightning strikes against the jungle river backdrop create a very convincing outdoor thunderstorm and acts as a signature moment of the attraction. As we exit the thunderstorm, we see an AA of Dixie Kong riding Enguard the Sword Fish in the water and that a whirlpool is starting to form.

The rafts then make their way around a corner and find themselves in the middle of a large whirlpool. Several very large scale AA octopus tenticles pop out of the water, with the looming red face of the giant octopus from the infamous "Irate Eight" level of Tropical Freeze emerging out of the water. This is the singular major reference to the Retro Studios DKC games. The whirlpool sends the rafts spinning into an industrial part of the jungle forest, where they see a forced perspective KremCo factory on a hill. We see that were heading towards the center of a giant tree about 20 feet above where the attraction's layout started.

Heading into the large tree trunk, the rafts enter the finale set piece. We see Kiddie Kong trapped in a giant spider web, with the horrific spider boss Arich from DKC 3 looming above him. Suddenly, Funky Kong bursts through the side of the tree piloting his barrel helicopter. Diddy Kong is in the passenger seat of the copter firing his peanut gun. He hits the web that's holding up Arich, leading to the room going black and a comedic loud *snap* sound effect which sends the rafts into a surprise drop track. At the base of the drop we see Arich tangled up in his own web while Funky Kong thanks guests for reuniting him with his nephew.

​

 

[TheOriginalTiki]

Mini Game Mayhem!
The power band mini games will still be present in Donkey Kong Country. While the overall storyline won't be as integrated into the land as it is in Super Nintendo World, the actual mini games will be closer to more full scale attractions while still being quick enough to cycle through guests in a reasonable amount of time. Guests get a DK Coin for each mini game they complete, and need to collect five DK Coins in order to enter K. Rool's Keep for the final boss battle. The mini games are all themed to different members of the Kong family and are as followed.

Wrinkly's Ghostly Grotto
Entering a murky cave attached to the Kremling Cove show building, the canonically dead Wrinkly Kong appears to guests in the form of a (Pepper's) ghost and guides them through a Simon Says style mini game. About a dozen different glowing boulders of different colors surround the room in various colors. The room is also drenched in fog. In order to get the DK Coin, guests must complete five rounds of Simon Says hitting various colored boulders in the correct order. The harder version of this mini game that gets unlocked after getting the first DK Coin has the sequence of the boulders light up much faster and lasts for seven rounds.

Swanky's Sideshow
Located in a stand alone sideshow circus tent, the Kong family's resident carnival huckster invites guests to compete in a game of target practice. There will be three different game arenas here, each fitting six guests and lasting about two minutes. Guests stand at air canons and must use them to blast down wooden targets that pop up continually throughout the duration of the challenge. The top three scoring guests will all get a DK Coin, making this perhaps the most directly competitive game that's ever been devised for the power bands.

Cranky's Cabin
An AA of Cranky will interact with guests Turtle Talk style asking trivia questions. The set up here has about 20 guests at a time filtered into Cranky's Cabin as he asks five trivia questions. The answers are first come first serve to shout out. Once answering a question correctly, guests are able to approach a team member to get their DK Coin uploaded to their profile.

Funky's Fresh Frequencies
Set in a small warehouse that Funky Kong has converted into a DJ studio, this mini game features five different stations of four bongos where parties of up to five guests a piece can drum on the bongos in a rhythm game that's basically a more large scale version of the bongo mini game featuring Rambi that's currently available in original Donkey Kong Country land. An AA of Funky is at the center of the warehouse, with a crate that Rambi bursts out of still being present. In order to get the DK Coin guests must complete three of the five drum sequences that Funky cycles through. There's two different rooms that each contain exact cloned set ups here to increase capacity.

Candy's Clone Chaos
In a deep cut reference to one of the most unhinged moments from the Donkey Kong Country animated series, guests enter a factory and are shown a picture of the correct version of Candy Kong who they must identify from a line up of two, three, and then five different Candy Kong clones that K. Rool has invented. Guests must correctly identify the real Candy Kong in each of the three sequences in order to get the DK Coin.


K. Rool's Keep

The final boss of the mini games takes place within the interior of the pirate ship used for the Kremling Cove queue. Using the same motion technology present on Bowser Jr's Shadow Showdown, Captain K. Rule on a screen fires a series of canon balls directly at a group of about a dozen guests. The goal here is to use your arms to fling the canon balls back at K. Rool. If the guests can manage to fling more canon balls back at K. Rool than he is able to directly hit at us the whole group will get the final DK Coin achievement.

In addition to going directly through the five mini games, guests can also earn DK Coins through collecting the K O N G letters or eight puzzle pieces scattered throughout the land.

 

[TheOriginalTiki]

I don't have much left to do besides rounding up the links to all the posts and doing one final brief post on some shopping/dining ideas I have, but I'm heading off to stand up class for the evening so I'll definitely be pushing the deadline to close to the last minute. @PerGron just to clarify I do have until midnight PST right? If I don't then just consider what I already have turned in the final project. The shopping and dining is very much a secondary feature as that kind of stuff has never been my strong suit but I figure I better include something in that department.

 

[PerGron]

I don't have much left to do besides rounding up the links to all the posts and doing one final brief post on some shopping/dining ideas I have, but I'm heading off to stand up class for the evening so I'll definitely be pushing the deadline to close to the last minute. @PerGron just to clarify I do have until midnight PST right? If I don't then just consider what I already have turned in the final project. The shopping and dining is very much a secondary feature as that kind of stuff has never been my strong suit but I figure I better include something in that department.

You have until midnight, yes

 

[Lizzy May Bee]

It’s time for some classic and iconic @Lizzy May Bee guest reviews! I wouldn’t put the most stock in these given that all of you are literally better at this game than me, but I hope that having the perspective of someone who actually plays video games on a regular basis is helpful to both all of you as well as Pergron.

@Lord Fozzinator - Wolfenstein

I was always gonna approach this one with a little skepticism, as even though I don’t mind these Imagineering projects getting a little darker, the concept of a theme park land that’s just straight up adorned with swastikas is a hard sell for me. For what it’s worth, I think you did well tonally with the concept, focusing on action hero “let’s f*ck up some Nazis” stuff, while still portraying the setting with a certain somberness and care for history, I just don’t think the concept particularly gels with me (especially considering that out of the IPs represented in the park, Wolfenstein is the only one that I’ve never played a game from). All that being said, execution is always more important than concept to me, and I’ll immediately say that you definitely executed your ideas well, so I’m not gonna treat this project unfairly just because the premise isn’t really for me.

I’m gonna cover the shopping and dining first because I have the least to say about it, and unfortunately that’s really just because of my initial reservations, as when I think of places that would be fun and unique to shop/eat in, Brutalist Nazi megastructures don’t come to mind. I hate to harp on it, but I just don’t think I’d want to eat while staring at a portrait of Hitler. However, it’s not very helpful to repeat my opinion on the premise over and over, so instead I’ll point out just how much I like your write-ups on shopping and dining, you do a great job coming up with and detailing merch and food that feels specific to where it’s bought and not just like very bland theme park stuff that could be sold anywhere in a park, which is a compliment I wouldn’t give to every person on this forum, and definitely not to Disney or Universal a lot of the time. Your menus in particular reflect a decent knowledge of cooking, and I always love when an interest like that shines through in these projects. Also, while his name might be a little silly, I appreciated the addition of Heinz Frankfurt, having theme park original characters always gives these projects that little extra flair that helps make them something special.

Now, despite my reservations, I must say that the “Battle of Deathshead’s Compound” attraction showcases the upside of choosing Wolfenstein when picking an IP to represent shooters specifically, as the genre is full of (somewhat) realistic bloodshed which might be a turn-off in a theme park setting normally, however by making the blood that’s shed that of Nazis’, any potential discomfort is replaced by the feeling of being an awesome action hero. I can’t speak to the realism of the ride system, but I must say that it is very creative and fitting for the IP, while also sounding like a blast to play, with a particular highlight being the mech final boss, I know my heart would be racing but like in a fun way for that part.

As for “Rampage of the Mechaniker Krieger”, I think this one would be very fun to ride but I do have a couple criticisms, namely that the aesthetic and content of the ride sounds somewhat repetitive with the previous, and that while the cooperative aspect of piloting the mech does sound enjoyable with friends, I imagine it could get quite stressful and uncomfortable with strangers, certainly not a ride I would board if I wasn’t traveling with a full party.

I can’t say that I personally think of the Panzerhunds as being very iconic (again, not too familiar with Wolfenstein), but as (presumably) the main big threat in the series, I’m a fan of giving them a dedicated attraction (where’s my Goomba ride at Nintendo Land, Universal?), and having a blown up version of a Nerf watergun fight in a shooter-based land is ingenious. I also appreciate that there’s an actually valuable reward for winning in this one, but at the same time I know what both gamers and theme park fans are like so introducing that element would almost certainly lead to nuclear levels of toxicity (at least it would lead to some funny videos though).

The walkthrough sounds like a great time for hardcore Wolfenstein fans and absolutely no one else, while the streetmosphere is not especially notable, but appreciated. Also shoutout to you for being the only person to do anything special for their presentation, I imagine that might boost you up in the final rankings.

As far as my conclusion about this project goes, I still stand by the fact that I don’t really think that Wolfenstein works as a concept in the context of a theme park land, and even if I did I would always be a little biased against this project just because it’s the only one of the four to feature a franchise I’m not personally a fan of. That being said, I think it was the right pick for YOU, Lord Fozzinator, as you handled it with grace and enthusiasm, which is not surprising given that you were campaigning for it before everyone agreed to make a video game centric park, and I can certainly respect doing anything that spreads the good word of killing Nazis. I also want to say that while this project was not my preferred cup of tea, I think that your consistent talent when approaching a wide variety of aspects of Imagineering, as well as your unique (if admittedly not always successful) ideas might just make you the strongest contender for 1st in my eyes (which, y’know, doesn’t actually count for a lot given that Pergron is the one making that call, but what can you do?).

 

[TheOriginalTiki]

Shopping and Dining

Step inside an elegant glass crystal tree house to experience the signature table service restaraunt of Donkey Kong Country. Named after the McGuffin plot device from the 90s cartoon, the Crystal Coconut is an elevated dining room that places guests four stories above the rest of the land for incredible views. The structure is inspired by the Crystal Palace, with the entirely glass facade offering an amazing panoramic look out into the land from any table.

Food on offer here leans towards the more adventurous, with traditional African cuisine and vegetarian options taking up a majority of the menu. Don't worry, Kiddie Kong has a kid's menu with the traditional burgers and chicken nuggets for picky eaters, and Engaurd the Swordfish is represented through a robust sushi bar where unique rolls are prepared fresh at the table as chefs work under the glow of a large scale aquarium. The Crystal Coconut offers a truly memorable dining experience that's a surprisingly classy affair for a monkey of a theme park land, while still being casual enough for the average tourist.

Located inside Donkey Kong's famed banana horde cave, DK's Banana Bar serves as the park's ultimate desert destination. The main mission statement of the Banana Bar is to essentially be the Bubba Gump's of bananas. Anything banana you can think of you can get here. Banana bread, banana cream pie, banana milkshakes, banana splits, banana fruit salad, fruit bananas, banana cobbler, banana ice cream, banana cream pie. You get the idea. The Banana Bar is directly attached to the Monkey Mines show building that houses Mine Cart Carnage. It contains the actual bar and a small collection of seating. More seating can be found further into the caves, where the Kongvention Cave merch marketplace offers several different seating areas scattered around its large collection of different miniature shops.

The last stop on our tour of Donkey Kong Country is the sprawling subterranean mall of the Kongvention Cave. The storyline behind this location is that the Kongs have kicked a group of Kremlings out from the cave which used to serve as their hideout, and have now opened up various stores in a flea market style convention show floor. Each store is located within its own stand alone "cave" found in the larger overall floor plan, with various scattered seating breaking up the building's footprint.

Espresso's Espresso
A simple coffee and pastry stand sits near the entrance to the mall, the one location within the Kongvention Cave that doesn't have a stand alone cave attached to it.

Funky's Fly N' Buy
This is essentially a clone of the other merchandise stand found within the other Donkey Kong Countries, offering generic DKC merch as well as acting as the premier location to pick up Power Bands.

Cranky's Good Ol' Days Antiques
Probably the most enticing stop for the serious Nintendo fan, this store offers genuine Nintendo antique collectibles, from old Donkey Kong Country themed issues of Nintendo Power to vintage figurine and first edition copies of the NES game. A pricey store that doubles as a sort of museum of Donkey Kong themed Nintendo collectibles.

Candy's Confectionery
Candy Kong runs a store as sweet as her name, offering every candy you could want as well as a robust collection of fresh fudge and ice cream.

DK's Banana Slamma
This store is dedicated to all things related to the main man himself. Plushies, t shirts, posters, action figures, and more all featuring Donkey Kong can be found here. One of the most unique offerings is a booth that allows guests to record a karaoke cover of the world famous DK Rap to upload to their social media profiles.

Dixie's Fashion Den
This cave offers more high class fashion leaning more on women's boutique clothing with a Donkey Kong twist. popular items include Dixie Kong's trademark pink shirt and hat.

Swanky's Gaming Gala
Another one of the more unique stores and a must stop for Nintendo fans, this shop offers reprints every Donkey Kong game that has ever been released for their respective consoles. In addition to this lucrative opportunity for retro game collectors, guests can also pick up Arcade 1Up cabinets of the original Donkey Kong and Donkey Kong Jr. as well as a board game and deck building trading card game built around the battle between the Kongs and the Kremlings.

Kiddie's Plush Palace
Kiddie Kong's cave gets the Jenny Nicholson seal of approval. Here guests can purchase plushies of every single Kong who has ever appeared in the series as well as K. Rool's various aliases and a collection of fan favorite Kremlings.

Diddy's Hatapalooza
It sells hats. Lots of hats. What more do you want from me? I want to go to bed ​

 

[TheOriginalTiki]

Alright, my project is officially locked in with the first post having a directory with links to all the other parts just to make sure nothing gets lost in the shuffle. I'd like to thank @PerGron for hosting this absolutely fantastic competition. It's truly inspiring to me that after all these years we can still pull the talent and passion together to collectively create such an engaging bunch of projects. A big congrats to @Tegan pilots a chicken, @Outbound, and @Lord Fozzinator for making it to the end with me. I think it's super cool that the final prompt really went out of its way to let us showcase our individual talents and passion projects, and I definitely think this is going to be a close call. Special thanks to everyone in the cast but specifically all the finalists and semi finalists that were cut last round. This has truly been one of the most staked end games I've ever seen in any of these competitions and I'm on the edge of my seat to see how it all Pan's out!

 

[Lizzy May Bee]

@Tegan pilots a chicken - Rollercoaster Tycoon

This is, safe to say, a VERY gimmicky premise. At first glance one might assume that this is a copout to make a land themed around a game without really making a land themed around a game. I say that one MIGHT assume that because I would not, I in fact think that RCT is perhaps the literal best IP to adapt in a theme park setting because it can be adapted one to one, not to mention that it has a very distinct and nostalgic aesthetic that could totally work in a park. Not everyone would see this vision, but let me say that you clearly did and ran with it in a way that could never be described as a copout.

A big problem with adapting any sort of sandbox game, is the struggle of how to design an area that doesn’t have a set design in game, but luckily RCT offers a way out in its premade scenarios and you took it, adding a sense of recognizability without necessarily being constrained by set in stone landmarks. Right away, the presence of the purposely fake looking grass is a great way to convey the game’s look in reality, even if it is a little obvious. What is not so obvious, however, is the added touch of using unfinished “player built” coasters as decorations, which is super clever and meta, however a bit counterintuitive to sightline design, as I can imagine a guest getting confused on what the actual attractions are when there’s non-rideable decor that look like they’re actually rides placed about. I’m not quite sure how the color changing canopy on the Chris Sawyer Carousel (very nice name, by the way) would actually work, but I’m not gonna dwell on it because it’s frankly just such an ingenious gimmick for the franchise, and I really appreciate including a carousel at all because A. They’re typically some of the first attractions you place down when making a park in RCT, subsequently making them very iconic to the franchise imo & B. Despite being such a ubiquitous amusement attraction, I feel like carousels are never included in Armchair Imagineering projects out of a fear of being generic, but honestly parks need that type of attraction every now and then.

Recreating a prebuilt coaster from one of the scenarios such as See No Evil, Hear No Evil, Speak No Evil is honestly brilliant, because you’re taking an element from the game and bringing it into real life in such a direct manner, but then you also modify the coaster to have each track be a different difficulty, taking the coaster’s most striking design element in-game and using it to add depth to the actual ride-through experience in such a cool way. I’ll say that I’m usually not really a fan of having guests on their phones in parks, but I’ll make an exception this time around because incorporating the game’s UI, not just in general, but in a way that actually conveys useful info to guests via the RCT Land app is one of the best ideas I’ve seen in an adaptation of a game to a land.

The Lakeside area is definitely the most lacking part of this land in both its description and things to do, but I’ll cut it some slack because the flow of a land is definitely helped by having calmer, more “boring” sections, and it does sound like it’d be a nice place to walk over to during a trip if you were getting exhausted/overstimulated. Specifying the model of the ferris wheel is a really nice touch, and the name “Boat Hire 1” got a sincere chuckle out of me.

Using another prebuilt scenario coaster, Dynamite Blaster, is still cool, though I must say if I was visiting I would be a little bummed that the layout is nerfed, but given that theme parks are typically not designed for me specifically (shocker) I won’t frame this as an abject criticism.

Having actors play fake, cartoonishly dressed, maintenance workers is a really creative touch that helps sell the feel of being in the game environment. The food stands are not particularly exciting, but that is very game accurate, and I appreciate that you bothered doing little menus for them when it probably would’ve gone unnoticed if you hadn’t. The future development segment was a nice touch, but what I really appreciated was the bit about why you chose RCT, that personal touch was a really nice note to end on.

Overall, this outing was definitely a success in both concept and execution, being filled with a great amount of love (I mean actually mapping out the park in RCT was next level stuff), but it didn’t necessarily feature any one aspect that stood out super high, instead this one was more about the little things, which is certainly still a valid approach, but it’s yet to be seen if it’s a winning approach, good luck! (Also I would have loved if you included the weird “Fairground Organ” songs from the game’s soundtrack as reading music, those are the most iconic part of the whole game to me!)

 

[Tegan pilots a chicken]

@Tegan pilots a chicken - Rollercoaster Tycoon

This is, safe to say, a VERY gimmicky premise. At first glance one might assume that this is a copout to make a land themed around a game without really making a land themed around a game. I say that one MIGHT assume that because I would not, I in fact think that RCT is perhaps the literal best IP to adapt in a theme park setting because it can be adapted one to one, not to mention that it has a very distinct and nostalgic aesthetic that could totally work in a park. Not everyone would see this vision, but let me say that you clearly did and ran with it in a way that could never be described as a copout.

A big problem with adapting any sort of sandbox game, is the struggle of how to design an area that doesn’t have a set design in game, but luckily RCT offers a way out in its premade scenarios and you took it, adding a sense of recognizability without necessarily being constrained by set in stone landmarks. Right away, the presence of the purposely fake looking grass is a great way to convey the game’s look in reality, even if it is a little obvious. What is not so obvious, however, is the added touch of using unfinished “player built” coasters as decorations, which is super clever and meta, however a bit counterintuitive to sightline design, as I can imagine a guest getting confused on what the actual attractions are when there’s non-rideable decor that look like they’re actually rides placed about. I’m not quite sure how the color changing canopy on the Chris Sawyer Carousel (very nice name, by the way) would actually work, but I’m not gonna dwell on it because it’s frankly just such an ingenious gimmick for the franchise, and I really appreciate including a carousel at all because A. They’re typically some of the first attractions you place down when making a park in RCT, subsequently making them very iconic to the franchise imo & B. Despite being such a ubiquitous amusement attraction, I feel like carousels are never included in Armchair Imagineering projects out of a fear of being generic, but honestly parks need that type of attraction every now and then.

Recreating a prebuilt coaster from one of the scenarios such as See No Evil, Hear No Evil, Speak No Evil is honestly brilliant, because you’re taking an element from the game and bringing it into real life in such a direct manner, but then you also modify the coaster to have each track be a different difficulty, taking the coaster’s most striking design element in-game and using it to add depth to the actual ride-through experience in such a cool way. I’ll say that I’m usually not really a fan of having guests on their phones in parks, but I’ll make an exception this time around because incorporating the game’s UI, not just in general, but in a way that actually conveys useful info to guests via the RCT Land app is one of the best ideas I’ve seen in an adaptation of a game to a land.

The Lakeside area is definitely the most lacking part of this land in both its description and things to do, but I’ll cut it some slack because the flow of a land is definitely helped by having calmer, more “boring” sections, and it does sound like it’d be a nice place to walk over to during a trip if you were getting exhausted/overstimulated. Specifying the model of the ferris wheel is a really nice touch, and the name “Boat Hire 1” got a sincere chuckle out of me.

Using another prebuilt scenario coaster, Dynamite Blaster, is still cool, though I must say if I was visiting I would be a little bummed that the layout is nerfed, but given that theme parks are typically not designed for me specifically (shocker) I won’t frame this as an abject criticism.

Having actors play fake, cartoonishly dressed, maintenance workers is a really creative touch that helps sell the feel of being in the game environment. The food stands are not particularly exciting, but that is very game accurate, and I appreciate that you bothered doing little menus for them when it probably would’ve gone unnoticed if you hadn’t. The future development segment was a nice touch, but what I really appreciated was the bit about why you chose RCT, that personal touch was a really nice note to end on.

Overall, this outing was definitely a success in both concept and execution, being filled with a great amount of love (I mean actually mapping out the park in RCT was next level stuff), but it didn’t necessarily feature any one aspect that stood out super high, instead this one was more about the little things, which is certainly still a valid approach, but it’s yet to be seen if it’s a winning approach, good luck! (Also I would have loved if you included the weird “Fairground Organ” songs from the game’s soundtrack as reading music, those are the most iconic part of the whole game to me!)

Thank you so much for the thorough and detailed review!!

I didn’t realize you were also such a fan of the game/series! Should an opportunity arise to do a sequel we should collab!

Dang flabbit Miley, I always forget about including reading music. That was such a good call! I had that soundtrack in my head while typing this up and everything!

Hopefully I get extra points for not resorting to Metroid this time hahah.

 

[Lord Fozzinator]

It’s time for some classic and iconic @Lizzy May Bee guest reviews! I wouldn’t put the most stock in these given that all of you are literally better at this game than me, but I hope that having the perspective of someone who actually plays video games on a regular basis is helpful to both all of you as well as Pergron.

@Lord Fozzinator - Wolfenstein

I was always gonna approach this one with a little skepticism, as even though I don’t mind these Imagineering projects getting a little darker, the concept of a theme park land that’s just straight up adorned with swastikas is a hard sell for me. For what it’s worth, I think you did well tonally with the concept, focusing on action hero “let’s f*ck up some Nazis” stuff, while still portraying the setting with a certain somberness and care for history, I just don’t think the concept particularly gels with me (especially considering that out of the IPs represented in the park, Wolfenstein is the only one that I’ve never played a game from). All that being said, execution is always more important than concept to me, and I’ll immediately say that you definitely executed your ideas well, so I’m not gonna treat this project unfairly just because the premise isn’t really for me.

I’m gonna cover the shopping and dining first because I have the least to say about it, and unfortunately that’s really just because of my initial reservations, as when I think of places that would be fun and unique to shop/eat in, Brutalist Nazi megastructures don’t come to mind. I hate to harp on it, but I just don’t think I’d want to eat while staring at a portrait of Hitler. However, it’s not very helpful to repeat my opinion on the premise over and over, so instead I’ll point out just how much I like your write-ups on shopping and dining, you do a great job coming up with and detailing merch and food that feels specific to where it’s bought and not just like very bland theme park stuff that could be sold anywhere in a park, which is a compliment I wouldn’t give to every person on this forum, and definitely not to Disney or Universal a lot of the time. Your menus in particular reflect a decent knowledge of cooking, and I always love when an interest like that shines through in these projects. Also, while his name might be a little silly, I appreciated the addition of Heinz Frankfurt, having theme park original characters always gives these projects that little extra flair that helps make them something special.

Now, despite my reservations, I must say that the “Battle of Deathshead’s Compound” attraction showcases the upside of choosing Wolfenstein when picking an IP to represent shooters specifically, as the genre is full of (somewhat) realistic bloodshed which might be a turn-off in a theme park setting normally, however by making the blood that’s shed that of Nazis’, any potential discomfort is replaced by the feeling of being an awesome action hero. I can’t speak to the realism of the ride system, but I must say that it is very creative and fitting for the IP, while also sounding like a blast to play, with a particular highlight being the mech final boss, I know my heart would be racing but like in a fun way for that part.

As for “Rampage of the Mechaniker Krieger”, I think this one would be very fun to ride but I do have a couple criticisms, namely that the aesthetic and content of the ride sounds somewhat repetitive with the previous, and that while the cooperative aspect of piloting the mech does sound enjoyable with friends, I imagine it could get quite stressful and uncomfortable with strangers, certainly not a ride I would board if I wasn’t traveling with a full party.

I can’t say that I personally think of the Panzerhunds as being very iconic (again, not too familiar with Wolfenstein), but as (presumably) the main big threat in the series, I’m a fan of giving them a dedicated attraction (where’s my Goomba ride at Nintendo Land, Universal?), and having a blown up version of a Nerf watergun fight in a shooter-based land is ingenious. I also appreciate that there’s an actually valuable reward for winning in this one, but at the same time I know what both gamers and theme park fans are like so introducing that element would almost certainly lead to nuclear levels of toxicity (at least it would lead to some funny videos though).

The walkthrough sounds like a great time for hardcore Wolfenstein fans and absolutely no one else, while the streetmosphere is not especially notable, but appreciated. Also shoutout to you for being the only person to do anything special for their presentation, I imagine that might boost you up in the final rankings.

As far as my conclusion about this project goes, I still stand by the fact that I don’t really think that Wolfenstein works as a concept in the context of a theme park land, and even if I did I would always be a little biased against this project just because it’s the only one of the four to feature a franchise I’m not personally a fan of. That being said, I think it was the right pick for YOU, Lord Fozzinator, as you handled it with grace and enthusiasm, which is not surprising given that you were campaigning for it before everyone agreed to make a video game centric park, and I can certainly respect doing anything that spreads the good word of killing Nazis. I also want to say that while this project was not my preferred cup of tea, I think that your consistent talent when approaching a wide variety of aspects of Imagineering, as well as your unique (if admittedly not always successful) ideas might just make you the strongest contender for 1st in my eyes (which, y’know, doesn’t actually count for a lot given that Pergron is the one making that call, but what can you do?).

Yeah, I knew that Wolfenstein would be an acquired taste since it’s a video game and a shooter so that would probably cut off a portion of people but I thought it was worth it.

As you mentioned I was really worried about it looking like I was supporting the Nazis or Fascism in general but since you can buy First Order or Empire merchandise, a Fascist Dictatorship that killed millions, I thought it would be fine.

Perhaps I should give an explanation to why I chose Wolfenstein. I love killing Nazis, any game where I hurt some Fascists, I’m gonna love it. I’m also a sucker for alternate history and while the Nazis winning WW2 is not my favorite scenario, I still loved doing this land.

Thanks for the feedback nonetheless. I like to think that I’ve been pretty consistent throughout this game with some minor hiccups along the way. I just thank @PerGron for creating such a fantastic game.

 

[PerGron]

PerGron's Final Reviews

This game has been a really fun one from a judging point of view, truly it has. Everyone playing has been pretty phenomenal and going into these finals, I truly think it could be anybody's game. A lot of times you have a frontrunner in these games throughout the whole thing but I don't feel we had that in the slightest and it's made for a really fascinating time. A huge thank you to everybody who has played or has just followed along and I hope my duties as a host have been serviceable. But it's time to wrap this one up with my reviews of the Final Four.

For starters, I think the fact you guys did a video game park is hilarious. It's obviously a running joke that I don't know anything about video games, but what I do know about is passion and the challenge wasn't to create a park I was passionate about, it was to create a park YOU were passionate about and so I think you guys nailed it with the theme. It also may come as a surprise to all of you, but I've actually played all four games you guys were referencing here! Some more than others (Lego Batman) but I've at least spent some time with friends as a kid playing all four games and so I think it's neat it panned out that way.

I will say, I would've liked a little bit more about a hub land, the challenge was to make it unifying despite separate lands, but knowing how much detail you guys put into the respective lands themselves, I'll let it slide I suppose. But with that, let's get those reviews ready!

@Tegan pilots a chicken- Roller Coaster Tycoon Land

So as a kid I played A LOT of park sim games. Shocking everybody, I mostly played Zoo Tycoon and Zoo Tycoon 2, plus Marine Park Empire, Wildlife Park 2, etc. but at the same time I did have plenty of hours logged on Roller Coaster Tycoon as well. The idea to take this very simplistic and also very nostalgic game and turn it into a theme park land is incredibly unique and interesting certainly, but I will say it had me worried about how it'll function properly. I also think you made the land just a bit too big for what you were able to do and I probably would've cut Lakeside as a subland due to there not being a lot of offerings and taking up space otherwise, but I do think what is there is solid.

The map that you did IN Roller Coaster Tycoon is amazing though! I've always wanted to do something like that with a park sim game for a zoo but my laptop can never run it for too long. The work you put into it is fantastic and I love the way it feels very grid-based and I think that would really sell the feeling in the park. I Also love that the low polygon graphics are supposed to be represented with the hills in the park, that feels very nostalgic and fun as a way to enter the land and give it just that bit of authenticity.

I agree with @Lizzy May Bee's critique that including unfinished tracks as decor would certainly confuse visitors and while I love that you addressed it later in the "Future Developments" section, I kind of feel like that's a bit too meta and maybe you should've just done the updates in the main body of the project. The slide not being a slide is fine, it's a pretty iconic piece of imagery from the game, though I do think making it just a playground would've worked too. Finally, the carousel is one of the most iconic rides in the game and a pretty damn iconic ride in real life. I think the color changing features of the roof is a phenomenal idea and I assume it's done by some sort of projection mapping or light up screens which does make me wonder how it'll work during the day, but for a nighttime look, it would be absolutely beautiful.

As for Coaster Courtyard, this is very much what every one of my parks would look like; a big square of pathways with some food stands and decorations everywhere, so I love the commitment to realism here. I also love the in-jokes of the food stands just being shaped like and named after what they sell like in the game. I always thought it was hilarious that if you wanted a soda and a hamburger you had to go to two entirely separate buildings and while the commitment to authenticity is great and I'm sure you didn't mean to imply that was the case, the existence of the soda specific stand does, in fact, mean that you have to do that in this land too. Besides that very nitpicky piece, I think a huge hamburger building selling just hamburgers is fun and iconic and people would love it.

Incorporating See No Evil, Hear No Evil, and Speak No Evil is such a genius idea. They're iconic elements of the game but at the same time just a unique and thrilling way to do a coaster lineup. It gets you three rides build into one which means the re-rideability is incredible and the kinetic energy would go absolutely crazy. Watching the three coasters duel it out would just be an absolute blast, but riding it feels like it'd be the ultimate adrenaline fuel. The inclusion of an app that gives you ride stats like the game is really fun as well and while I agree with the point that guests being on their phones all the time kills the vibe, it works for a game like this.

I mentioned Lakeside being a bit lacking in detail and so I'd probably cut it, that's more for scaling down the land than anything to do with the offerings. A Ferris wheel is a classic attraction that doesn't get used often in theme parks so I do think its inclusion makes sense, I just wonder if it wouldn't have fit in one of the other sublands. I do like the Boat Hire joke quite a bit though.

Old Town as a subland is also short on detail and it feels a lot like you frontloaded the project which isn't itself a huge issue, but it is noticeable during this back half. There's a ton of detail for Forest Frontiers and Coaster Courtyard, but less for Lakeside and Old Town. That said, including a more scaled-down version of Dynamite Blaster makes a lot of sense. I kind of wish you had gone whole-hog and just put the ride in as is, but I respect the choice to make it less of a death trap and more family friendly.

I also love the inclusion of the costumed characters wandering around, that's very fun and cute. The reasoning why you chose the land was also a really nice touch here!

Ultimately, this was a phenomenal land and a clear passion project. Some things were less detailed than others and the reading experience ultimately ended up feeling a bit rushed due to this, but at the same time it's insanely creative and fun! Amazing job Tegan and good luck!


​

 

[Tegan pilots a chicken]

I guess I should also let everyone know how our park is actually laid out.

Guests enter directly into the center of the park and all four lands radiate out from that hub.

We unfortunately never got around to determining exactly what that entrance hub would be like, but I did suggest we have our own version of the Partners statue featuring a zookeeper holding hands with an anthropomorphic GameBoy.

 

[Lizzy May Bee]

@Outbound - Lego Batman

I think that going with one of the Traveller’s Tales Lego games for your land is honestly a bold pick, as while they’re certainly very well known and beloved, almost all of them are based upon pre-existing IP, leading to a double adaptation, which could end up muddied and confused (And I’m just gonna gloss over the whole Legoland problem, we can ignore realistic IP rights this time around). As for going with Lego Batman specifically, I think that was the best pick to get around this issue (besides maybe going with the fully original Lego City), since Batman hasn’t REALLY been featured in a fully themed land before, and also because Lego Batman is probably the biggest TT series, given how many entries it has had, including an upcoming release, which makes it one of the most distinct of their adaptations (especially because it’s not based on another pre-existing version of Batman). I saw that you were originally gonna include a variety of different TT Lego games in your land, but I think that cutting back was absolutely the right call. Anyways enough waffling about the premise, let’s move on to what’s actually here!

From a pacing perspective, opening with the streetmosphere is appreciated because as much as it adds to the atmosphere of any given land, it does tend to be the least important aspect of real theme parks, and thus the aspect I usually have the least to say about it when comes to these projects, so I think starting with it before getting into the more major stuff is a good call. From a humor perspective, I think including the villains’ goons (I too, hope we can reclaim that word) is a very fun pull from the original games, and the mention of the Bat Credit Card certainly got me feeling very nostalgic.

I’ll use the map section to give you a shoutout on the original concept art. I think that the visuals of these projects can be super important, because at least to me, it’s so much easier to imagine an environment when you can see a representation of it instead of just having it be described, and while I think all four of you did decently on this front, you and Tiki definitely get extra points in my book for the original art. I will gripe that the picture you took of the map is a little blurry, but only to cut the praise I’m gonna give you for having a bit of light shine over the part of Gotham that would be illuminated by the Bat Signal, which I’m almost certain is just a coincidence but if it’s not you’re actually a genius.

Forgive for being presumptuous, but I definitely got the impression that dining was not at all a priority for you, so I’m gonna cover all the restaurants real quick. Everything mentioned is clever and fun enough in premise, but not really detailed enough to spend all too long on, which is fine given that if my assumption that you weren’t super enthusiastic about covering this stuff is right, then I’ll give you huge props for taking the time to get it done anyways, and I’ll definitely say that little details like the specialty ice creams at Mr. Freeze’s shop were appreciated, they just left me wanting more. There is definitely one dining related element that does not fall short however, and that’s the focus on Killer Moth! The weird prevalence of this absolute jobber of a villain in Lego Batman is honestly one of my favorite parts of these games, and the fact that you gave him a whole character dining experience is so funny and shows such an appreciation for the games that it might as well make any criticisms I had about this aspect of your land moot.

I’m gonna cover Robin’s Roadside Ruckus, Gotham City Zoo, Gotham Swings, & Batboat Battle in a single paragraph as well. Inclusions like these are something of a double edged sword, because on one hand bothering with smaller scale attractions is great because it adds a sense of realism (ignoring barren lands like Galaxy’s Edge), while also making the area seem more fun to visit, as having B/A tickets in a land just lead to a more relaxed and fun park going experience imo, but on the other hand there’s only so much to say describing these and thus and only so much to review about them. Overall these are appreciated additions, but too small to give any real praise or criticism to.

I think Big Top Blast is an amazing inclusion for a few reasons. First off, giving Lego Joker and Harley their own attraction is a must in my eyes, given that these versions of the characters are some of the absolute best, but also because they’re an essential part of this game series, especially given that they’re essentially the headlining characters in the pseudo-spinoff, Lego DC Supervillains. Secondly, I think you have a good grasp of the slapstick humor that’s a big part of, of course the series, but also Lego Joker’s character in specific, and I think the whole boulder premise is very funny and works well with the ride system, though I must point out that this is clearly a reworked premise from when the land included Lego Indiana Jones, which is somewhat justified by the cute meta reference to Indy, but still I feel like that makes this one feel just a little out of place. Finally, as far as offering a fun attraction goes (which you’d imagine would be a priority in a theme park), I think the concept of a backwards family coaster is really unique and inspired without being too weird to seriously imagine. This part is definitely a highlight but its origins in Indiana Jones are an unfortunate sticking point for me.

Speaking of ride concepts that are too weird to seriously imagine, we have The Dark Knight’s Finest Hour! Okay so I’m being a little harsh but as cool as the gimmick of a ride vehicle changing mid ridethrough is, I have no idea how it could ever actually work, because while I understand that the ride system doesn’t actually change, I don’t get how you could attach new parts to the vehicle in reality (are they just extending out via unseen springs?), and I definitely don’t get how Batman and Robin could “speed build” them on, given that that whole mechanic is always represented by a cartoonish animation of the characters jumping around at impossible speeds. Maybe I’m missing something and there is a way this effect could take place, but if that’s so then it definitely needed to be communicated better. To alleviate my harshness, I’ll once again give mention to your understanding of the type of sight gags these games excel at, as well as the clever choice to emulate the first game’s progression system through the 3 sections. I’ll also say that I appreciate how many characters you were able to squeeze into this attraction, given that the huge roster of characters tends to be such a major focus in the original games, and for what it’s worth I do think that the concept for the ride is very cool, it just left me feeling confused.

Before I give my closing thoughts, I’ll mention that while presentation wise a Google Doc isn’t very exciting, you’re clearly very familiar with the software cause you cleaned it up quite nicely and made the project a comfortable, while still decently visually interesting read.

I’m worried that this review might have been too harsh, because I do think that this project was still very inspired and well done, and that it certainly showed why you made it to the finals, but at the same time I ended up having all these little gripes about the project that definitely brought it down compared to the other entries. That’s just my opinion though, I think this final round is definitely a game of inches, and while I thought that your submission was a few inches behind the rest, that certainly doesn’t mean that Pergron will feel the same. Good luck!

---

No idea if I’ll be able to get to Tiki’s before Pergron does, but I’ve already covered the rest of the submissions so I might as well round things out by covering his, so look forward to that I suppose.

 

[PerGron]

PerGron's Reviews
@Outbound- LEGO: Batman

If there's one series of video games outside of zoo building simulators I've dedicated the most time to, it's the TT LEGO games, particularly LEGO Star Wars the Complete Saga, LEGO Indiana Jones, and LEGO Batman. I think that Gotham City makes sense as a theme park land already, but doing LEGO Gotham City as a theme park land is such an original and creative choice that I genuinely cannot believe it's not been done at a LEGOLand or something. I know you originally had an idea to do multiple LEGO games as a land, but I think settling on just Batman was a very smart choice and let your creativity really flourish without trying to combine too many themes.

Your version of Gotham City is pretty incredible here, stuffing a lot of things into a small area that could easily feel overstuffed but instead feels like a lived-in city. The walk-around characters including the goons (how long until that word gets blocked by mods?) as well as Batman and Robin make a lot of sense and I love the brick-built vehicles like the Batmobile as photo spots throughout the land. My biggest question is how LEGO minifigures would be adapted into walk-around characters and keep their blocky aesthetic without making it a huge awkward and cumbersome costume like the ones you see when you look up LEGO costumes. That said, it's a nitpick, not an end all be all. Also, I want to add that I love the drawings you did, from the map to the view of the swings and the coaster. I also adore the way you included the character icons above each attraction in your presentation, it's a great little touch.

I'll tackle the dining all together first. I love the Mr. Freeze ice cream parlor, it's one of those things that writes itself and does so beautifully. The creepy snowman used to freak my little sister out when we'd co-op this game and so I know that one quite well and it'd make a very fun inclusion for an icon within the land. The Lure Nightclub is a really fun way to combine the disco nightclub with a character dining experience. The inclusion of the characters you did makes for a really unique dining experience as Scarecrow, Clayface, Killer Moth, and Mad Hatter aren't unpopular villains, but I wouldn't really count any of them as the most iconic of Batman's rogues gallery, so having a dining event centered around them is great. Penguin's Submarine as the other dining experience is also great for the same reasons. It's an iconic setpiece in the game and serves as a meet and greet for more lesser-known villains like Killer Croc and Man-Bat as well as iconic mainstays of The Penguin and Bane. The menu here is small but also a nice touch.

Tackling the small attractions next, I love the Gotham Central Park feel with the stuff included in it. Robin's Roadside Ruckus, Gotham City Zoo, Gotham Swings, and Batboat Battle all add a lot of kinetic energy and just smaller things to do that directly tie into the games yet add a lot to the land.

Big Top Blast sounds like... well, a blast. I've never been on a fully backwards coaster but it sounds like fun, and keeping the thrill level to LEGO family friendly is a respectable choice. I absolutely love all of the gags and LEGO humor you've packed in here as well, especially the living boulder which does feel straight out of a LEGO game, I'm picturing the small rock at the end so vividly and it's just a testament to your strength as a creative.

The big guy here though is The Dark Knight's Finest Hour which had me a bit confused at first as to why we had a second attraction with three different routes in the same park after the No Evils coasters in Tegan's project. Then I realized that you're actually doing all three of these in one single attraction and you piqued my interest. This is a genius way to do a Batman attraction where you managed to capture the spirit of the game as well as insert as many villains as possible in a satisfying way. It does remind me a lot of the Spider-Man ride at IoA, but in a good way, it's like the next gen version of that and I think this would be a massive hit for your park.

Ultimately, this land is incredibly strong and you can feel the passion oozing out of every project. I can nitpick it here and there like how the E-ticket pretty much just visits every location in the land when it could've gone other places or questioning how the boulder effect works on the coaster, but like Tegan's I think this is just a phenomenally strong project and it's going to be a difficult choice already and I'm only halfway through the projects. Good luck Outbound!​

 

[Tegan pilots a chicken]

It also may come as a surprise to all of you, but I've actually played all four games you guys were referencing here!

So as a kid I played A LOT of park sim games. Shocking everybody, I mostly played Zoo Tycoon and Zoo Tycoon 2, plus Marine Park Empire, Wildlife Park 2, etc. but at the same time I did have plenty of hours logged on Roller Coaster Tycoon as well.

If there's one series of video games outside of zoo building simulators I've dedicated the most time to, it's the TT LEGO games, particularly LEGO Star Wars the Complete Saga, LEGO Indiana Jones, and LEGO Batman.

@PerGron is actually the most gamer of the community

 

[PerGron]

PerGron's Reviews
@Lord Fozzinator- Deathsheads Compound

So in the very early stages of brainstorming, you guys were initially going with the "killing nazis" theme for all four lands and ultimately I am glad you didn't. While I'm 100% in support of the message and activities, I just don't think it was that much of a passion project and I really didn't know how you guys were going to turn eliminating the world of its worst people into a fun theme park experience. Add onto that the sheer amount of swastikas and other Nazi iconography you would need in the land, it just didn't sit well with me. That said, I do quite enjoy Wolfenstein and I think if anybody was going to tackle the project with the gravitas it requires, it'd be Fozz.

Honestly I'm mad at @Lizzy May Bee for reviewing this before me because she brought up essentially every point I was going to bring up lol, so at risk of this sounding repetitious, I think that you perfectly executed a land that just simply couldn't and shouldn't exist. I want you to know that while I support the theme, I also don't like the theme, but also I love the land, so it's confusing feelings here.

To kick it off, I think the shopping and dining here are well thought out but are also really pretty striking in the whole Nazi decor everywhere kind of way. Like Lizzy said, I don't really want to eat my Konigsberber Klopse looking at a celebratory photo of the Luftwaffe. I love the Wolfenstein merch you designed, but at the same time shopping in a decommissioned British warship as an insult to the allies is a strange feeling. I think you did it all really well though and of the dining and shopping from all four projects yours is easily the most thought out, it just feels icky.

Battle of Deathshead's Compound is definitely more in line with what I'd want from this land where it's very actively you fighting in the resistance against the Nazis. Turning a Rise of the Resistance style attraction into a shooting dark ride is a pretty genius idea and it definitely would be a thrilling attraction to be on in the center of a battle taking out robots and machines and nazis alike. This is beautifully written too, it's very easy to picture and while I could question the choice of language in the attraction being a bit too R-rated for a theme park (especially one that also has a Donkey Kong, LEGO Batman, and RollerCoaster Tycoon land) I'd be lying if I said anything PG-13 or lower wouldn't really fit the vibe. Ultimately, this is an incredibly executed attraction even despite my misgivings.

Rampage of the Mechaniker Krieger is a great and solid supplemental attraction that fills that Smuggler’s Run niche of still being thrilling and worth the visit and Battle of the Panzerhunds is another great supplemental attraction that helps fill out the land incredibly

Really, this is a flawlessly written project, I can’t fault much on that end, but at the same time my misgivings for the theme are just super strong and so it’s become a pretty challenging thing to review. Either way, you should be incredibly proud and good luck!

(P.S. sorry if this was formatted weird or has spelling or grammar mistakes, I wrote it on my phone in line to vote lol, been here 2 hours and figured I’d crank it out.)
​

 

[TheOriginalTiki]

Tiki waiting for feedback from either Lizzy or PerGron like...

 

[PerGron]

Tiki waiting for feedback from either Lizzy or PerGron like...

I’m gonna do it in 6 separate posts

Jk, I’ll be working on yours as soon as I get home

 

[Lord Fozzinator]

PerGron's Reviews
@Lord Fozzinator- Deathsheads Compound

So in the very early stages of brainstorming, you guys were initially going with the "killing nazis" theme for all four lands and ultimately I am glad you didn't. While I'm 100% in support of the message and activities, I just don't think it was that much of a passion project and I really didn't know how you guys were going to turn eliminating the world of its worst people into a fun theme park experience. Add onto that the sheer amount of swastikas and other Nazi iconography you would need in the land, it just didn't sit well with me. That said, I do quite enjoy Wolfenstein and I think if anybody was going to tackle the project with the gravitas it requires, it'd be Fozz.

Honestly I'm mad at @Lizzy May Bee for reviewing this before me because she brought up essentially every point I was going to bring up lol, so at risk of this sounding repetitious, I think that you perfectly executed a land that just simply couldn't and shouldn't exist. I want you to know that while I support the theme, I also don't like the theme, but also I love the land, so it's confusing feelings here.

To kick it off, I think the shopping and dining here are well thought out but are also really pretty striking in the whole Nazi decor everywhere kind of way. Like Lizzy said, I don't really want to eat my Konigsberber Klopse looking at a celebratory photo of the Luftwaffe. I love the Wolfenstein merch you designed, but at the same time shopping in a decommissioned British warship as an insult to the allies is a strange feeling. I think you did it all really well though and of the dining and shopping from all four projects yours is easily the most thought out, it just feels icky.

Battle of Deathshead's Compound is definitely more in line with what I'd want from this land where it's very actively you fighting in the resistance against the Nazis. Turning a Rise of the Resistance style attraction into a shooting dark ride is a pretty genius idea and it definitely would be a thrilling attraction to be on in the center of a battle taking out robots and machines and nazis alike. This is beautifully written too, it's very easy to picture and while I could question the choice of language in the attraction being a bit too R-rated for a theme park (especially one that also has a Donkey Kong, LEGO Batman, and RollerCoaster Tycoon land) I'd be lying if I said anything PG-13 or lower wouldn't really fit the vibe. Ultimately, this is an incredibly executed attraction even despite my misgivings.

Rampage of the Mechaniker Krieger is a great and solid supplemental attraction that fills that Smuggler’s Run niche of still being thrilling and worth the visit and Battle of the Panzerhunds is another great supplemental attraction that helps fill out the land incredibly

Really, this is a flawlessly written project, I can’t fault much on that end, but at the same time my misgivings for the theme are just super strong and so it’s become a pretty challenging thing to review. Either way, you should be incredibly proud and good luck!

(P.S. sorry if this was formatted weird or has spelling or grammar mistakes, I wrote it on my phone in line to vote lol, been here 2 hours and figured I’d crank it out.)
​

To give everyone a look inside my mind real quick I was extremely worried that this land, in particular the shopping and dining, would look like I was supporting the Nazis. I definitely could have toned down the Nazi iconography but I'm actually glad that I didn't. People would have questioned why a Nazi military facility wouldn't be covered in Swastikas and paintings of Hitler. A good side effect of this approach is that the Nazi portions of the land makes you uncomfortable, giving a big old hint that Fascism is not something that people should feel comfortable with. I was actually going to put this in but I must have forgotten to put it in.

 

[Tegan pilots a chicken]

PerGron's Final Reviews

This game has been a really fun one from a judging point of view, truly it has. Everyone playing has been pretty phenomenal and going into these finals, I truly think it could be anybody's game. A lot of times you have a frontrunner in these games throughout the whole thing but I don't feel we had that in the slightest and it's made for a really fascinating time. A huge thank you to everybody who has played or has just followed along and I hope my duties as a host have been serviceable. But it's time to wrap this one up with my reviews of the Final Four.

For starters, I think the fact you guys did a video game park is hilarious. It's obviously a running joke that I don't know anything about video games, but what I do know about is passion and the challenge wasn't to create a park I was passionate about, it was to create a park YOU were passionate about and so I think you guys nailed it with the theme. It also may come as a surprise to all of you, but I've actually played all four games you guys were referencing here! Some more than others (Lego Batman) but I've at least spent some time with friends as a kid playing all four games and so I think it's neat it panned out that way.

I will say, I would've liked a little bit more about a hub land, the challenge was to make it unifying despite separate lands, but knowing how much detail you guys put into the respective lands themselves, I'll let it slide I suppose. But with that, let's get those reviews ready!

@Tegan pilots a chicken- Roller Coaster Tycoon Land

So as a kid I played A LOT of park sim games. Shocking everybody, I mostly played Zoo Tycoon and Zoo Tycoon 2, plus Marine Park Empire, Wildlife Park 2, etc. but at the same time I did have plenty of hours logged on Roller Coaster Tycoon as well. The idea to take this very simplistic and also very nostalgic game and turn it into a theme park land is incredibly unique and interesting certainly, but I will say it had me worried about how it'll function properly. I also think you made the land just a bit too big for what you were able to do and I probably would've cut Lakeside as a subland due to there not being a lot of offerings and taking up space otherwise, but I do think what is there is solid.

The map that you did IN Roller Coaster Tycoon is amazing though! I've always wanted to do something like that with a park sim game for a zoo but my laptop can never run it for too long. The work you put into it is fantastic and I love the way it feels very grid-based and I think that would really sell the feeling in the park. I Also love that the low polygon graphics are supposed to be represented with the hills in the park, that feels very nostalgic and fun as a way to enter the land and give it just that bit of authenticity.

I agree with @Lizzy May Bee's critique that including unfinished tracks as decor would certainly confuse visitors and while I love that you addressed it later in the "Future Developments" section, I kind of feel like that's a bit too meta and maybe you should've just done the updates in the main body of the project. The slide not being a slide is fine, it's a pretty iconic piece of imagery from the game, though I do think making it just a playground would've worked too. Finally, the carousel is one of the most iconic rides in the game and a pretty damn iconic ride in real life. I think the color changing features of the roof is a phenomenal idea and I assume it's done by some sort of projection mapping or light up screens which does make me wonder how it'll work during the day, but for a nighttime look, it would be absolutely beautiful.

As for Coaster Courtyard, this is very much what every one of my parks would look like; a big square of pathways with some food stands and decorations everywhere, so I love the commitment to realism here. I also love the in-jokes of the food stands just being shaped like and named after what they sell like in the game. I always thought it was hilarious that if you wanted a soda and a hamburger you had to go to two entirely separate buildings and while the commitment to authenticity is great and I'm sure you didn't mean to imply that was the case, the existence of the soda specific stand does, in fact, mean that you have to do that in this land too. Besides that very nitpicky piece, I think a huge hamburger building selling just hamburgers is fun and iconic and people would love it.

Incorporating See No Evil, Hear No Evil, and Speak No Evil is such a genius idea. They're iconic elements of the game but at the same time just a unique and thrilling way to do a coaster lineup. It gets you three rides build into one which means the re-rideability is incredible and the kinetic energy would go absolutely crazy. Watching the three coasters duel it out would just be an absolute blast, but riding it feels like it'd be the ultimate adrenaline fuel. The inclusion of an app that gives you ride stats like the game is really fun as well and while I agree with the point that guests being on their phones all the time kills the vibe, it works for a game like this.

I mentioned Lakeside being a bit lacking in detail and so I'd probably cut it, that's more for scaling down the land than anything to do with the offerings. A Ferris wheel is a classic attraction that doesn't get used often in theme parks so I do think its inclusion makes sense, I just wonder if it wouldn't have fit in one of the other sublands. I do like the Boat Hire joke quite a bit though.

Old Town as a subland is also short on detail and it feels a lot like you frontloaded the project which isn't itself a huge issue, but it is noticeable during this back half. There's a ton of detail for Forest Frontiers and Coaster Courtyard, but less for Lakeside and Old Town. That said, including a more scaled-down version of Dynamite Blaster makes a lot of sense. I kind of wish you had gone whole-hog and just put the ride in as is, but I respect the choice to make it less of a death trap and more family friendly.

I also love the inclusion of the costumed characters wandering around, that's very fun and cute. The reasoning why you chose the land was also a really nice touch here!

Ultimately, this was a phenomenal land and a clear passion project. Some things were less detailed than others and the reading experience ultimately ended up feeling a bit rushed due to this, but at the same time it's insanely creative and fun! Amazing job Tegan and good luck!


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Thank you so much!!!! I’m so glad you enjoyed my project!

I was definitely aware that the Lakeside and Old Town sections were a bit smaller and lean on detail. My intention was to make sure I didn’t take it so far to the point that my land began to feel like its own theme park outright. So that was kind of a balancing act. Like, yes these are distinct areas but I sort of deliberately held back a bit. I was thinking about the Golden State land in DCA 1.0 for inspiration. Maybe in hindsight I should have just added more extra details to both of those areas so they didn’t feel I completely by comparison.