Presented for the first time in 2006 at Bobbejaanland in Belgium, the Desperados interactive theatre game from Alterface recently celebrated its 25th installation with the announcement of a new outlet at Héliopolis near Cairo in Egypt.
This is the first installation in Africa for the Belgian technology specialist and means that Desperados is now being played somewhere in the world 24 hours a day, available in up to nine languages. The 24th installation will be at France’s Walygator park.
Desperados is the first of four titles developed for the interactive theatre and features the character ‘Doc’ looking for deputy sheriffs to help him liberate a Western town. Riders take part by shooting a gun at the action on screen whilst sat aboard a moving saddle. New concepts for the theatre include Pirate’s Plunder and Sea Safari 3D, plus an ambitious haunted house project.
Another outlet adding Desperados recently was Sentosa Cineblast, the latest part of the Sentosa island resort to open in Singapore.
More than 8,000 visitors tried the game in the first two months alone (it was soft-launched in February), paying S$12 (US$8.20/€6.00) to take part. Packages are also available for those choosing to combine it the 4D Magix theatre or Extreme Log Ride, another media-based attraction.
“Desperados is something new, where the patron participates,” says Sentosa Cineblast managing director Mr A Yogesvaran. This, he adds, sets it apart from most other attractions in Singapore, which tend not to be very interactive.
