The Park Playground, a unique VR franchise, will showcase its first VR minigame experience, Carnival Showdown, at this year’s IAAPA Expo Europe in Amsterdam. This new competitive multiplayer VR experience brings the fun and familiarity of amusement park games to life in a series of immersive minigames. It is already available to guests at The Park Playground’s Ghent and Antwerp venues in Belgium.
The experience will be rolled out to all The Park Playground locations, and attendees at IAAPA Expo Europe 2024 will have the opportunity to try it themselves. Carnival Showdown will also become available for businesses to purchase as an additional experience to their existing VR systems.
Three short games challenge players to collect as many points as possible
In contrast to The Park’s previous VR experiences, Carnival Showdown focuses on a sequence of shorter, point-driven activities rather than lengthier, narrative-driven experiences. Groups of up to four persons aged seven or older can participate in this enjoyable and competitive challenge. The experience can be a stand-alone activity or an introduction to virtual reality. These minigames’ lively, fast-paced style facilitates replayability and entices players to return often.
The main goal of the three competitive minigames, Copy Cat, Balloon Popper, and Bouncy Barrage, is for players to collect as many points as possible before the timer expires. The action occurs in a simulated funfair setting where the minigames are played in a prearranged order, determined by a spinning reward wheel presented to players by the in-game host.
Balloon Popper, a semi-rhythmic game inspired by popular fairground attractions, has players target specific balloons, some of which score points while others deduct them. In Bouncy Barrage, players must toss balls at different objectives to steal points from rival players. Players must imitate the stage poses of the string puppet in the last game, Copy Cat, to score points. The soundtrack for each encounter is designed to match the game’s intensity as it goes on, creating a thrilling atmosphere that pushes players to succeed.
Fun and accessible VR experience
This VR experience was made with accessibility in mind, with brief, easy-to-understand games that even non-VR enthusiasts may enjoy. Furthermore, players can alter the game’s level in real time, making it easier for novices and more challenging for seasoned players. The order of minigames is changed randomly for every playthrough to guarantee that every experience is distinct, and players may expect several surprises.
Players advance to the next VR activity experience after a brief rest period between each one. This gives partners more chances to sell drinks and snacks to guests, enhancing their comfort and enjoyment.
“We’re really looking forward to distributing Carnival Showdown across all our venues to deliver a brand new style of experience for our customers. To run this experience, businesses only need a 2×2 playing field per player, which is perfect for those with limited space that want to tap into VR,” says Gilles-Adrien Cenni, CTO of The Park Playground.
“During the gradual roll-out process, we’ll be focused on optimising the flow of this experience to ensure we provide the greatest value possible for VR customers. We’ve seen exceptional results so far and we’re working to deliver additional minigames that will be offered as part of Carnival Showdown, so that guests can experience something different each time they play.”
The Park Playground team will be at booth #8947 during IAAPA Expo Europe, where the firm will also showcase ‘The Park VR Tournament’, a new customisable experience for team-building events and group visits.
