Editing User:Catapult to Krustyland

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{{Noncanon}}
{{Video Game
|name = Catapult to Krustyland
|image = [[File:Catapult to Krustyland.jpg|250px]]
|Release = March [[2008]]
|Developer = 65 Media
|Publisher = 
|Genre =  
|Platforms = Online
|Ratings = 
|Players =   
}}

'''''Catapult to Krustyland''''' was a promotional online game developed by 65 Media for ''[[The Simpsons Ride]]'', a motion-simulator attraction at Universal Studios Florida and Universal Studios Hollywood. The game was part of the official ''SimpsonsRide.com'' website, which launched in March [[2008]] ahead of the attraction's opening. Players used a catapult to launch Simpsons-style avatars over the gates of [[Universal Studios]] toward the fictional [[Krustyland]] amusement park. The game was accompanied by a character-creation system, a leaderboard, promotional contests, and other interactive content.

The game is no longer publicly playable and is considered lost media. Although contemporary descriptions, screenshots, forum discussions, and promotional material document its existence, no complete copy of the game has been publicly recovered.

== Background ==
''[[The Simpsons Ride]]'' was announced in [[2007]] as a replacement for ''{{W|Back to the Future: The Ride}}'' at both [[Universal Studios Florida]] and [[Universal Studios Hollywood]]. The attraction opened at Universal Studios [[Florida]] on May 15, [[2008]], followed by the [[Hollywood]] version on May 19.<ref name="wiki">{{W|The Simpsons Ride}}. ''{{W|Wikipedia}}''.</ref>

As part of the promotional campaign for the attraction, Universal Orlando Resort and Universal Studios Hollywood partnered with digital agency 65 Media, which had previously created the official website for ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]'' and its popular Simpsons Avatar Creator.<ref name="Moody">Moody, Annemarie. [https://www.awn.com/news/simpsons-movie-website-wins-two-webby-awards The Simpsons Movie Website Wins Two Webby Awards] ''Animation World Network'', May 19, 2008.</ref> A dedicated website, ''SimpsonsRide.com'', was launched shortly before the attraction opened.

The website was designed to allow visitors to interact with the world of ''[[The Simpsons]]'' while learning about the new attraction. Its central interactive feature was ''Catapult to Krustyland''.<ref name="Moody"/>

== Website ==
The ''SimpsonsRide.com'' website was designed by 65 Media. According to surviving documentation, portions of the site's design, layout, and Flash animation were created by Priscilla Gomez, who had also worked on the earlier ''The Simpsons Movie'' website.<ref name="Lost">[https://lostmediawiki.com/Catapult_to_Krustyland_(lost_promotional_online_game_for_Universal_Studios_motion_simulator_ride;_2008) Catapult to Krustyland (lost promotional online game for Universal Studios motion simulator ride; 2008)] ''The Lost Media Wiki''.</ref>

The site's main menu was designed to resemble the entrance to Universal Studios, with the Universal globe in the foreground and Krustyland visible behind the park's entrance. During the attraction's construction, [[Krustyland]] was depicted as being hidden behind a construction tarp. A Magic 8-Ball-style device was used as a countdown feature leading up to the attraction's opening.<ref name="Lost"/><ref>[https://attractionsmagazine.com/the-simpsons-ride-web-site-up/ The Simpsons Ride Web site up] ''Attractions Magazine'', March 28, 2008.</ref>

Various ''The Simpsons'' characters appeared throughout the website. Before the attraction opened, these included [[Sideshow Bob]] standing beside the catapult, [[Groundskeeper Willie]] guarding the entrance, and [[Ned Flanders]] with [[Rod]] and [[Todd]]. Some of these elements were subsequently replaced or altered after the attraction opened.<ref name="Lost"/>

After opening, the website's imagery included the [[Squeaky-Voiced Teen]] in a ride-photo booth, [[Sideshow Mel]] next to a camera, and the [[Simpson family]]] crashing their car into the Universal globe. The website also featured an LED-style billboard that displayed fictional advertisements, including [[Buzz Cola]] promotions and an animated commercial for ''The Simpsons Ride''.<ref name="Lost"/>

== Gameplay ==
The central game, ''Catapult to Krustyland'', was designed around a simple projectile-launching mechanic. Players operated a wooden catapult positioned on a hill and attempted to launch their selected character over the gates of "Universal Studios Theme Parks" and into Krustyland.<ref name="club"/><ref name="club2"/>

The direction and strength of the wind affected the launch, requiring players to adjust their timing and trajectory. Various obstacles could interfere with the flight, including a swinging wrecking ball.<ref name="Dis">[https://www.disboards.com/threads/catapult-to-krustyland-game.1778198/ Catapult to Krustyland Game] ''DISboards'', April 3, 2008.</ref>

Contemporary players described repeatedly attempting to clear the wall and experimenting with different characters. One April 2008 player reported successfully getting over the wall but being struck by the wrecking ball, while also describing the game's ability to launch Conan O'Brien's character into the Universal globe.<ref name="Dis"/>

The game included a scoring and leaderboard system, allowing players to compare their high scores with other users.<ref name="Lost"/>

== Characters and avatars ==
A central feature of the game was its connection to the Simpsons Avatar creator on ''SimpsonsRide.com''. Visitors to the website could create illustrated versions of themselves in the visual style of ''The Simpsons'', referred to as "Avatars", and use them in the promotional activities associated with the website.<ref name="press">[https://thestudiotour.com/ush/attractions/simpsons_pressrel1.shtml The Simpsons Ride - Press Release] ''thestudiotour.com'', April 1, 2008.</ref><ref name="Moody"/><ref name="Lost"/>

The official press release also stated that, in addition to their own avatars, players could choose to catapult avatars representing their favorite candidates in the 2008 United States presidential election.<ref name="press"/>

Contemporary and later accounts indicate that celebrity and political figures were among the available characters. A contemporary forum discussion specifically mentions {{ch|Conan O'Brien}} as a playable character.<ref name="Dis"/> A later search for footage of the game identified versions of [[John McCain]], [[Barack Obama]], [[Hillary Clinton]], {{ch|Jay Leno}}, and {{ch|Conan O'Brien}} as possible selectable characters, although the specific character names reported in that account have not been independently confirmed by contemporary official sources.<ref name="Rediit">[https://www.reddit.com/r/HelpMeFind/comments/1ewrru1/footage_of_the_online_game_catapult_to_krustyland Footage of the online game Catapult To Krustyland] ''Reddit''</ref><ref name="panrotas">Schroeder, Marjori. [https://www.panrotas.com.br/noticia-turismo/parquestematicos/2008/04/universal-lanca-site-da-atracao-simpsons-ride_36806.html Universal lança site da atração Simpsons Ride] ''Panrotas'', April 3, 2008.</ref><ref name="club">[https://simpsons333.hatenablog.com/entry/20081105/p2 「CATUPULTO　TO　KRUSTYLAND」] ''The Simpsons Fan Club'', November 5, 2008.</ref><ref name="club2">[https://simpsons333.hatenablog.com/entries/2008/07/01#p1 The Simpsons Ride] ''The Simpsons Fan Club'', July 1, 2008.</ref>

== Sweepstakes ==
The game was connected to a promotional sweepstakes announced by Universal on April 1, 2008. The promotion ran through May 31, 2008.<ref name="Moody"/>

The grand prize was a trip for four to either Universal Orlando or Universal Studios Hollywood. In addition, the winner's Simpsons Avatar was to be displayed at both versions of ''The Simpsons Ride''.<ref name="Moody"/>

Contemporary players also reported that the game offered opportunities to win Universal theme-park tickets and iTunes gift cards. A discussion on DISboards from April 3, 2008 specifically refers to players attempting to win these prizes through the game.<ref name="Dis"/>

== Additional games ==
''Catapult to Krustyland'' was apparently not the only game planned for ''SimpsonsRide.com''. Surviving screenshots reportedly show title cards for at least two additional games associated with ''The Simpsons Ride'': ''The Screamatorium of Dr. Frightmarestein'' and ''Madam Manjula's Future Looker-After''.<ref name="Lost"/>

The first was based on the fictional ride featured in the ninth-season episode "[[Bart Carny]]," while the second was based on a fictional [[Krustyland]] attraction associated with [[Manjula Nahasapeemapetilon]].<ref name="Lost"/>

The surviving title screens suggest that ''The Screamatorium of Dr. Frightmarestein'' may have used a target-shooting or target-breaking mechanic, while ''Madam Manjula's Future Looker-After'' appears to have been based on a memory-card matching game. These gameplay mechanics have not been definitively confirmed because no playable copies or complete gameplay recordings of either game have been recovered.<ref name="Lost"/>

The website reportedly contained a message encouraging users to complete all of the midway games in order to receive exclusive content, suggesting that additional games may have existed beyond the two that have been documented.<ref name="Lost"/>

== Preservation status ==
The ''SimpsonsRide.com'' website remained online for approximately two years after its launch. It was eventually retired by Universal around 2010, after which the domain redirected visitors to a Universal Studios website error page.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20120215011859/http://www.universalorlando.com/Theme_Parks/Universal_Studios_Orlando/Attractions/the_simpsons_ride.aspx?ComponentId=1683/SourcePageId=9251#6 Universal Orlando Resort website's error page.]</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20080401002531/http://www.simpsonsride.com/ Wayback Machine copy of ''The Simpsons Ride'' website.]</ref>

A 2024 request for help locating footage of the game described it as apparently lost and sought surviving gameplay footage. Although contemporary descriptions, forum discussions, and promotional material documenting the game's existence remain available, the complete game itself has not been confirmed to be publicly preserved.<ref name="Rediit"/>

== Gallery ==
<gallery>
File:SimpRide 0000 Layer-2.png|''SimpsonsRide.com'' after the attraction's official opening
File:Catapult to Krustyland 2.jpg ‎ 
File:Catapult to Krustyland 3.jpg ‎ 
File:Catapult to Krustyland 4.jpg ‎ 
File:Catapult to Krustyland 5.jpg|Game over screen
File:Catapult to Krustyland 6.jpg|Victory screen
File:Catapult to Krustyland 7.jpg|Jay Leno‎ 
File:Catapult to Krustyland 8.jpg ‎ 
File:Catapult to Krustyland 9.jpg ‎ 
File:Catapult to Krustyland 10.jpg ‎ 
File:Catapult to Krustyland 11.jpg ‎ 
File:Senator Talkgood.jpg|Senator Talkgood
File:Senator Pantsuit.jpg|Senator Pantsuit
File:Senator Whitehair.jpg|Senator Whitehair
</gallery>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{Images}}
{{Simpsons games}}

[[Category:2008]]