A Video Game Theme Park

GamePro: Game Nation is an enormously ambitious project that aims to create what it calls an "experiential video game theme park and resort." The concept is based around the idea of video games "coming to life" in a theme park filled with interactive attractions and rides. The grand plan is to provide an experience akin to stepping into the many virtual worlds of video games, only in "meatspace" reality rather than via the flat panels of our monitors and TVs.

Split across several "districts" including the cyberpunk cityscape The Alternet, the candy-colored nonsense of Chroma, the dystopian warzone The Domain of Xeridon, high fantasy land The Realm of Etheria and the GN Sports Coliseum, attendees at the proposed attraction will be able to step into character and take part in a wide range of video game-inspired activities in which they play an active role thanks to interactive weapons, missions and storylines.

The project was first announced in May of last year, when the team behind it reported that it would be spending approximately 12 months deciding the best location for the park's debut. The location has not yet been announced, but the team has been hard at work on concepts for the park's districts. And today, Game Nation has announced a partnership with Atari, with the industry legend offering up its 8 bit classics such as Centipede, Asteroids and Missile Command​ for conversion into interactive rides and attractions.

"We are excited about the possibility of partnering with Game Nation Parks for what will surely be an amazing new and exciting attraction for park and game lovers the world over," said Lee Jacobson, senior vice president of licensing and digital publishing for Atari. "We wish the Game Nation team continued success and look forward to a long term partnership."

"We're really excited to take our favorite 8 bit games and make them larger than life!" added "Ruke," creator of the Game Nation concept.

Find out more about the ambitious project at the official website. And save me a spot in the line for Star Raiders​.