The Great Big Kentucky Adventure video game features 12 different locations across Kentucky.
KENTUCKY (FOX 56) — Several state tourism agencies are using a unique tool to promote different parts of the Commonwealth. It’s called “Great Big Kentucky Adventure.”
It’s the newest video game sensation, or at least that’s what tourism directors in several parts of the state, including Executive Director for Hopkinsville Tourism Amy Rogers, hope this game will be.
In total, there are 12 different locations for players to visit inside the game.
Those are Louisville, Hopkinsville, Paducah, Frankfort, Franklin, Henderson, Muhlenberg County, Madisonville, Munfordville, Shepherdsville, Grant County, and Cave City.
It all started last year when the content creator for Kentucky Tourism took their kid to Italy but instead of looking at the beautiful sites, all the kid wanted to do was play their video game.
One thing led to another and soon many tourism departments from across the state were on board.
Then came the challenging task of choosing which landmarks from the participating cities that were going to be featured.
“The kids are sitting here and, you know, as they go through this game, they’re like, ‘Wow! There are actually big twigs somewhere in Kentucky’ that are you know, they’ve been designed, and it just catches their eye or they’re like, ‘What!? There’s a big clock or there’s a big batter bowl that has all these that are coming out of it that I can see, or there’s a stack of pancakes that are bigger than me.’ It’s teaching the kids, you know, that there’s another world out there,” Rogers explained. “There are so many things and beautiful places in their own backyard.”
Rogers said it’s about creating something that will not only excite, but also last for “Great Big Kentucky Adventure.”
This game is the first of its kind in Kentucky.
Numerous studies show that video games can be considered drivers of tourism, as people want to see the places they’re visiting inside the game in real life.
The team that helped make this game into a reality hopes it’ll be able to serve as a benchmark for other states and places that want to do something like this. At this time, there isn’t a way to add more places.
But the hope is this will serve as a springboard for other versions of the game to be created for other parts of the state.
Regardless though, whether your city is in the game or not this adventure should bring pride to all Kentuckians.
“It’s just a beautiful, I think, homage to Kentucky in itself,” Rogers said. “Kentucky is an absolutely gorgeous state. There are so many nooks and crannies that people can visit that come from out of state. But for even those of us that live here in Kentucky, there are so many things that have yet to be explored and so, something like this is just kind of like a kick start.”
Rogers also said they hope to one day have a Great Big Kentucky Adventure video game contest.
You can currently play the game on your computer, using this link.
The hope is to soon expand it to iPhones and Androids.
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