Blackpool visitor attraction Star Trek: The Exhibition, has added a new, world-exclusive permanent feature sure to bring in thousands more visitors, virtual reality lovers and Star Trek fans to the resort.
The Central Promenade-based attraction has installed what has been described by a national game reviewer as “the best VR experience we’ve ever had,” and made the best even better, by giving it a whole new, adrenaline and nostalgia-filled dimension unavailable anywhere else in the world.
Following amazing feedback from its first anniversary weekend, when the feature was trialled, Ubisoft® virtual reality game, Star Trek: Bridge Crew, has now been permanently installed, allowing visitors to not just be immersed in the Star Trek universe via headsets and screens, but also play the game surrounded by all things Star Trek.
Players can also get in the right headspace before play, by entering the dark spaceship via illuminated gangway and revelling in 100 original Star Trek TV and movie items, whether it’s costumes, Tricorder, scripts, shuttle, masks, Communicators or control panels that float their boat. They can learn about crew members, drink in the culture of Star Trek and, prior to arriving at the nerve centre, have the buzz of being beamed up in the Starfleet ‘Transporter’ using an amazing Star Trek: The Exhibition App.
They can also familiarise themselves with the Star Trek spaceship’s controls, by visiting the recreated ‘Bridge’ before play.
As Entertainment Focus reviewer, Greg Ellwood, said: “If there’s a better way to experience the game, I can’t think of it,” leaving the attraction confident of attracting anyone who wants to take the game to a completely different level.
Star Trek: The Exhibition’s manager, Rui Antao, says: “The feature puts the ‘me’ into immersion, allowing independent play in the role of Captain. Players can undertake 15-20 minute missions such as fighting Klingons, attempting to slip undetected past enemy ships, rescuing survivors from escape pods and dodging asteroids.
“With hand-tracking, full-body avatars and real-time lip-sync, the game helps the captain interact with the Tactical officer, Helmsman and Engineer, to manage weapons and scanners, pilot the ship, deploy warp speed, and have enough juice in the engines, shields and phasers to smash it on each and every mission. Visitors are just loving it and staying in the attraction much longer, as they can’t tear themselves away from it for too long.”
Described as a ‘must-play” for Star Trek fans even when not in the perfect setting of Star Trek: The Exhibition, experiencing this within a fantasy world brought to life through the actual costumes and props that actors such as Leonard Nimoy, William Shatner and Patrick Stewart wore and handled, is set to potentially become the must-do of the year for anyone, Trekkie or not. The attraction is encouraging visitors to boldly come to Blackpool, in the certainty that they won’t be disappointed.
Rui Antao says: “This new experience should really put us on the map as a north west attraction. Its appeal is universal and it really doesn’t matter whether the visitor has any prior knowledge of Star Trek, as they can get that by touring the exhibition. We are excited about the months ahead.”
Anyone wishing to try this out for themselves can buy tickets online at www.startrekblackpool.co.uk and the great news is that under-10s enter for free. The exhibition is open from 10am to 6pm and can be found under the Sea Life Centre.
