Overall Rating

Watch this game in action Friday, 3/22, at 8:30 p.m. Eastern on 'Extended Play.'
Also airs Friday 3/23 at 11:30 p.m., Saturday 3/24 at 10 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 5:30 p.m., and 9:30 p.m., Sunday 3/25 at 2 a.m., 2 p.m., and 11 p.m., Friday 3/29 at 11 a.m., 1:30 p.m., and 6 p.m. All times Eastern.

As winter winds blow, doesn't a return trip to an island paradise sound good? Well it's time to dust off your military cap, don a Hawaiian shirt, and light up a fat cigar, for "Tropico" awaits your stern hand and triumphant return El Presidente! "Extended Play" reviews the "Tropico" expansion pack and "Paradise Island" is a vacation at a bargain price.

Don't cry for me Tropicona...

"Tropico" was a clever Banana Republic build/management simulation that challenged you to create an island paradise, make it turn a profit for the benefit of its people (or for your own personal benefit), and continue your rule by winning, denying, or rigging elections. The entire game forced you to balance time and money, resources and commodities, and an island's worth of fickle factions.

You could build a tourist empire, a harsh military regime, or a simple coffee and tobacco producing paradise. If you failed, things could turn ugly as your own people protest or openly rebel against your (hopefully) well-armed and well-trained military. Add to this the pincer-like influence of the Capitalist Yanquee on one side and the Kremlin on the other. The game offered many ways to conclude your reign, either successfully or unsuccessfully, and was popular enough to merit a deep and meaningful expansion pack.

La isla bonita

At first glance this game looks just like "Tropico." The graphics are unchanged from the last game, which means they're still quite attractive and feature a wide range of zooms. Zoom in and you can see people going about their business. Zoom out and you can see the clouds drift lazily below your view. Colorful overlays automatically show you trouble spots and help you optimize the placement of mines and buildings. You'll also find no improvement to the interface or sound effects, because none was needed. "Tropico" featured one of the very best soundtracks of any game from the last few years, and fans of Latin music will rejoice to hear the extra hour of songs available in "Paradise Island."

Get in touch with your inner Peron

Aside from a few new tunes, the changes aren't obvious. But that doesn't mean they aren't deep. They just fit so snugly into the game's original concept that they feel like they've been there all along. For example, most buildings can now be rotated, making road placement an easier task. There are new edicts that let you dip even more deeply into your Swiss bank account, advertise a massive Spring Break party ("Tropicans Gone Wild"?), or grant your citizens long-term Social Security benefits. There are new personality traits, backgrounds, and foibles to use when creating El Presidente, and a host of new scenarios.

Most scenarios hinge on scripted events, such as dealing with an insurrection, which makes for a nice alternative to the regular mode of play. There are also new industries such as the furniture factory, which enhances your logging activities, and a jewelry sweatshop to let you benefit more from your mining concerns.

Condominiums are a welcome way to please your more well-off citizenry, and you can even designate an area as your own birth home. Make it an attraction for tourists and Tropicans alike. A bunch of new buildings, such as a mini golf resort and a marina, let you enhance tourism, and you can even build a big centralized army base on your island. The former attract rich tourists to your island, and the latter gives you a much better option for security than allying with the United States or the Soviet Union. An army base also puts your military in a central location, which makes everybody happier.

The antidote to civilization

"Paradise Island" is filled with new concepts and changes that enhance the game as well. Canceling a building will now refund the full amount you spent, which eliminates the annoying penalty from careless placement. Also, buildings are built noticeably faster now -- especially huge projects such as the airport. There is now a random damage element courtesy of the elements themselves. Occasional storms will pass through and they can put a final nail in your faltering economy, or at least slow down a burgeoning one (this feature is optional).

"Paradise Island" is everything a nice vacation should be: a revisit to an improved favored holiday spot, sunny beaches, adventure, charming music, culture, gorgeous sights, political intrigue, cigar smoke, rich coffee, and of course the prospect of bloody revolution. Try a Tropican vacation. It's the true antidote to civilization.