When I sat down to play RollerCoaster Tycoon, I meant to play maybe for an hour. I ended up playing it for eight hours straight.

The object of the game is to build and manage an amusement park, not just roller coasters, as the name may suggest.

You start out not much more than a front gate and a tract of land on which to build your amusement empire. You can choose from different scenarios, all with different objectives and time restraints.

I actually failed my scenario in which I was supposed to have a certain rating and number of visitors by year three - at the end of my time limit I didn’t have sufficient attendance. But the game allowed me to just keep playing and building.

Whenever I though about quitting, my research team would create a new ride or booth and I’d stick around longer to see how it worked in my park

Everything in the game has to be controlled and everything can be manipulated. You can custom build your own roller coasters track piece by track piece, and control the amount of money charged at every ride, food and souvenir stand. Like any simulation, you have to manage resources and utilize the feedback.

RollerCoaster Tycoon allows you to follow any one park guest or employee around and monitor their satisfaction levels. Monitoring comments and feedback is one key to making a successful park.

The game is a lot of fun and is easy to learn, but there is a lot that takes time to master and work on.

I have yet to build a roller coaster from scratch; rather, I’ve only used the preconstructed designs, but after looking at the official Web site, I found ways to increase a visitor’s enjoyment of their day in my amusement park.

Strategies real parks use work here as well. People are more likely to ride something they can see. The idea of one ride crossing over another or some of the calmer rides, such as a monorail, passing by the thrilling rides entices visitors to ride the other rides.

Just looking at the site makes me want to pull up the game and try new things.

I really can’t say anything bad about this game. While a lot of it does seem to be lifted right from the old Theme Park game available on PC and Playstation, the RollerCoaster options are vastly better in RollerCoaster Tycoon, as well as the depth of configuration of every little detail in the game.

Microprose
Rated: E (everyone)
$29.99
**** of ****

Originally printed in the News & Observer and NandoNext.

This entry was posted on Monday, May 7th, 2001 at 5:22 pm and is filed under Game Reviews, Gaming, PC Game Review, Reviews. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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