Sports, racing, war games:
A virtual reality for grown-ups
Campus Times
October 3, 1997
GameWorks, a creation by Steven Spielberg, is located at the Ontario
Mills shopping center where the 10 and 15 freeways meet. It is one of only
three GameWorks developed by Universal Studios, Seattle and Las Vegas holding
the other two. Since it opened this summer in Ontario GameWorks has had
more than 325,000 guests.
For students of the University of La Verne, it all started with Atari.
Then Nintendo and Sega took center stage. Now video games have taken a new
turn with Gameworks, a souped-up, state-of-the-art arcade, perfect for Gen
X-ers that have preferred this pastime since pre-school.
GameWorks, a mega-arcade and cafe, has visions of becoming as successful
and well known as the Hard Rock Cafe.
With Steven Spielberg as its imagineer and the corporation of Sega Inc.,
Universal Studios and Dream Works Pictures, GameWorks developed three locations
currently in business and over a hundred other sites are planned. Seattle,
Las Vegas and Ontario house the three locations that provide fun for children
and adults. A new location has just opened in Grapevine, Texas.
"We have a retail store with everything: shirts, hats, wristwatches,
lunch pails, everything," said Christie Tyus, trainer and door greeter
for the Ontario location.
GameWorks offers a full range of games, from the most technologically
advanced to the most traditional. The games are motion simulated and networked
multi-player. All-together, 250 games are in GameWorks.
On one side of the bottom floor of the arcade, eight Indy race cars
are lined up with a game screen, so a miniature Indianapolis 500 race can
be held. Other games on the first floor include a group of wave runner games,
motorcycle games and a simulation ski game, to name a few.
The top floor is the place to find the sports selections. An interactive
baseball game, in which the player actually swings a real baseball bat,
highlights the area. Football, basketball, soccer, air hockey and bowling
games are also on the top floor.
The signature games for GameWorks are Vertical Reality and Game Arc.
Vertical Reality is a game that has the rider moving up and down a span
of 24 feet per level, strapped in a seat. It has four levels with the rider
moving up when 10 enemies are killed. Four players can ride at once.
Game Arc is a networked game with a state-of-the-art video display and
sound system. It allows eight players to fight at one time in the most intense
arena possible.
Not only does GameWorks have games, but it also has food and beverages.
A full range bar with a variety of drinks and alcohol is on the second
floor. An Internet lounge, where a user can log on to the World Wide Web,
and a cafe featuring blended coffee drinks are available.
"We offer a restaurant with pizza, salads, chicken, soups, sandwiches,
which is very gourmet, so everything you get is very unique and quality,"
said Tyus.
SmartCards are the way to play the video games, buy food and drinks
and anything else in GameWorks. They work similar to the way an ATM card
works. Any dollar amount can be purchased from the SmartCards machines throughout
the arcade.
More than 325,000 guests have visited the Ontario location since its
opening this past summer.
"We are delighted by the Inland Empire's outstanding reaction to
GameWorks Ontario," said Steve Murphy, GameWorks general manager. "On
our first day of opening we had a turnout of more than 17,000 people.
"The crowds have been continuous, and everyone's having a great
time. We have a wonderful team of enthusiastic crew members who really keep
the GameWorks energy buzzing."
"The key point of GameWorks," said Tyus, "is we try to
make it where people can interact and make it a very friendly atmosphere."
