The first thing I noticed about the game, before I even put it in, was that the rating on the box was "E", but the rating on the disc was "T". That production quality is consistent throughout the game. Universal Studios Theme Park Adventures is one of the worst games I have ever played. I rented it out of curiosity, but now I realize why everyone says this game is bad. I shiver when I realize I paid six dollars for a five-day rental, and the thought of someone paying fifty dollars to own it makes me sick. The game is total self-promotion and it really feels like a prototype game being used to test some ideas. The concept is stupid and the mini-games are down right bad. Navigating the park is impossible for the first hour, and after you figure it out you only have a couple more hours to go. Even if you're really curious about this game, I strongly suggest you save your money for something else. The game is way too confusing and frustrating for younger gamers, and anyone over ten years old will find the game boring and repetitive. Universal Studios Theme Park Adventures is not worthy of any console. Shame on the executives who let this game make it to the Gamecube.

Graphics: While the main park looks somewhat like what I expect from a Gamecube game, the mini-games appear to be taken directly from the Nintendo 64. The Jaws game really caught my eye because of the very choppy graphics and the horrible water effects. The motions of the guests are very bland and don't look real. There is a lot of frame-rate slowdown and it does interfere with game play. This game certainly doesn't even come close to pushing the power of the Gamecube.

Sound: The music sounds like it was taken directly from the forties and becomes repetitive within minutes. Woody Woodpecker sounds nothing like his cartoon version, and other visitors of the park don't even have recorded sound. The in-game effects are bad as well and become annoyingly repetitive. Biff yelling two different phrases every time you hit him in "Back to the Future" gets old right away. The sound is bad and needs serious work.

Control: Fortunately, it's basically impossible to mess up walking around the park. You use the control stick to walk and the A button picks up trash. Most of the in-game control is decent (it's hard to mess up control in games that only use two buttons), but walking with the constantly changing camera angles (seen in "Backdraft") is horrible. Also, the use of the "Z" button rather than "Start/Pause" to open the menu baffled me.

Gameplay: Universal Studios Theme Park Adventures is horribly monotonous. I played this game for GCA and only for GCA. If I didn't work for the site, this game would've been back to Blockbuster the next day. The gameplay sucks. You earn points mostly by collecting trash around the park and putting it in the garbage cans. What fun! You can also earn points by watching a five-second video clip of "WaterWorld" over and over again. Navigating the park is impossible for a while, and the map is absolutely horrible since you have no idea which way you are facing or where the pathway is. Also, the camera doesn't follow your character! It's stationary and only changes when you are so far away you can't even tell where you are. The games are also horrible and take no time (or skill) to complete. One of the goals you must accomplish is the movie quiz, which contains ten questions about the most trivial facts from Universal Studios movies. One question, for example, might be, "Who first found Beethoven in the house?" You have no idea how many times you'll hear that annoying woodpecker scream, "You need to watch more mooooovies!" At least I had seen half the movies that were asked about; younger kids would find this quiz impossible. The other games include "Jurassic Park" where you shoot a gun at some slow-moving dinosaurs and "E.T." where you basically move a bike down the street in a "Paper Boy" fashion: only easier. The games are boring and no fun. This game does not belong on any console, let alone the Gamecube.

Replay Value: I can't believe I finished this game once, and doing it again makes me want to vomit. After you've finished, the games can be played without going into the park, but there's no reason to ever play them again. It's painful, not fun. Shame on Universal Studios and Kemco for making one of the worst games I've ever seen.