Trailer Park Tycoon

We don't really do trailer parks here in Britain, the nearest equivalent probably being the caravan sites that litter the North Wales coast like oversized confetti. It's the genuine American phenomenon that concerns us in Trailer Park Tycoon, represented in all its mullet-sporting, roadkilleating, cousin-shagging glory. Thanks in part to the United States' welfare system (or lack of), sizeable numbers of the populace are forced to reside in static homes, living in perennial fear of tornadoes and alien abduction, both of which are featured here. Something of a byword for the kind of poor white trash that regularly turn up on The Jerry Springer Show, trailer park residents are not renowned for their decorum, and TPT exploits all the stereotypes for comic effect. Suffice to say, it's more pondlife than Beach Life.

Pink Flamingos

The 'tycoon' genre has been stretched to breaking point of late, and though the transition from Theme Park to Trailer Park may seem a natural one, it's perhaps an idea that shouldn't have really gone past the initial drunken conversation. While the cultural reference points - pink flamingos et al - are spot on, the game itself is limited. Trailers and amenities can only be placed on predetermined plots, and the only real task is in keeping residents happy by maintaining the desired levels of trashiness, flashiness, old-skool and cool.

This is mainly facilitated by the placing of garish ornaments that raise the levels of individual trailers, thus making them more attractive to prospective tenants. Throw in a bit of price-setting and that's about it. You can take control of individual residents and fight with the neighbours, but for all the difference it makes you might as well not bother.

Cletus!

It's not all bad, and the game engine is quite flexible, offering four levels of zoom, as well as a (largely pointless) first-person mode. There's a reasonable bit of banjo playing to be had, but we are spared the sound of rednecks hollering at each other, as residents communicate via The Sims-style burble.

In fact, it would be great to see the next Sims add-on set in a trailer park, but until that happens (ie never), this is the only option for the white trash enthusiast. Not exactly essential, it's a game that you are more likely to play for half an hour than half a day, and while it is mildly amusing, the joke soon wears thinner than a caravan wall.