A New Political Presence Emerges in the Caribbean... and It’s You! PopTop Software's and GodGames' Tropico Ships to Stores Nationwide Dallas, TX, April 24, 2001 - Today UN officials recognized the political situation brewing in the small Caribbean nation of Tropicoä and have issued a global watch. A new dictator, instated by game developer PopTop Software and high-end computer and videogame publisher GodGames, both subsidiaries of Take-Two Interactive Software (NASDAQ: TTWO), has taken over the island and is implementing new rule. More details are being revealed as Tropico, a 3D building, strategy/simulation PC game, ships to stores nationwide today. Tropico invites desktop dictators to develop a remote Caribbean island, overseeing all building and resource management, as well as political, military and population aspects. Distributed by Jack of All Games, another Take-Two subsidiary, Tropico is available for the PC for a suggested retail price of .99 and is rated "T" for Teen by the ESRB. A Mac version of Tropico will be released in May. "Tropico has a unique, tongue-in-cheek humor that is very appealing to gamers," said Phil Steinmeyer, president and lead programmer of PopTop Software. "Its simple interface allows for an easy learning curve for casual gamers, and at the same time its many layered modes of gameplay will challenge hardcore gamers." In Tropico, players take on the role of a newly instated dictator of a remote Caribbean island and are challenged to build a path of progress for a nation mired in poverty, civil unrest and infighting. Based on their economic vision, gamers build hotels, mines, factories, and over 80 other structures. Diplomacy and politics factor heavily in Tropico, as players must pacify various internal factions and external threats. If the island's growth is well planned, the player will have plenty of money to buy the peoples' favor and ensure prosperity. If growth is poorly planned and the economy falters, the population may revolt, forcing the player to institute martial law. "The simulation game genre is incredibly popular right now," said Harry Miller, president of GodGames. "PopTop has done an incredible job incorporating the engrossing gameplay and 'virtual voyeurism' that lend to the popularity of sim games, and combining it with a unique storyline and tropical setting to create a distinctive and groundbreaking title." Tropico's Features Include: Over 500 people of more than 45 different character types including peasants, the rich, military and clergy. All the characters' attitudes and actions are determined by their socio-economic status and personal biography, including educational level age, gender, intelligence and nationality. Various internal and external political facets and activities that are at the discretion of the dictator. The three main facets to Tropico's internal politics are political popularity, uprisings and elections, while the United States and Russia serve as the two major external forces. Political activities include suppressing rebellion, maintaining political popularity and trading with foreign powers. Extensive industries including manufacturing, mining, agriculture and tourism. Resource management duties which give desktop dictators the ability to construct new buildings, set worker salaries, declare various edicts, manage labor and time, and grow and trade various food, minerals and crops. More than 80 types of structures and environments from hotels and spas to banana groves and sugar plantations, to residential housing and ports and airports, with some rum distilleries and cigar factories thrown in for good measure! Tropico is based on an improved version of PopTop's proprietary S3D engine allowing for highly detailed 3D graphics and renderings. The S3D engine was initially used in highly acclaimed Railroad Tycoon II. The engine will support hardware acceleration, variable resolution support from 640 x 480 up to 1600 x 1200 and variable color depth support from 8-bit to 32-bit color. Screenshots can be found at http://tropico.godgames.com. Tropico's PC System Requirements: Windows 95/98/2000/ME/NT4 200 MHz CPU 32 MB RAM 820 MB Disk Space CDROM Tropico's Mac System Requirements: System 7.5.3 200MHz CPU 64 MB RAM 820 MB Disk Space CDROM