When it comes to simulation games, most are just a flash-in-the-pan. Sure, SimCity did great, as did The Sims. But Railroad Tycoon, Mall Tycoon, and SimTown were all names that got swept under the rug and were forgotten. It came as somewhat of a surprise to me when Chris Sawyer’s big take on the simulation genre was released, titled Roller Coaster Tycoon. How in the world could the prospect of managing a theme park be a legitimately enjoyable experience?
Roller Coaster Tycoon both limits you as a player and allows you to do almost whatever you desire. There is a cap on how much money you can take out as a loan, but the way the park is setup, the number and types of rides and their intensities, the landscaping, the food and drink available – all of this is up to the player’s discretion. The profits made off the rides will largely depend on the guests attending the park. Most guests have a tolerance for a medium-intensity coaster and carry enough money to pay for a few rides on said coasters, as while as the various thrill rides and any food purchases they might make. Occasionally, a guest with tolerance for high-intensity rides will enter the park and find that the thrill rides and wooden coasters are not exciting enough for his or her tastes. It is for guests like these that you build steel and inverted coasters – the rides that will perform loops, corkscrews, barrel rolls, helixes, and the like. On the other end of the spectrum, there will sometimes be guests who look for more tame attractions, such as go-karts, haunted houses, and log flumes. The dynamics of all three guest types forces the player to accommodate to each of their preferences if he or she wishes to make their park a success and meet the criteria to complete a level.
The sheer number of rides available is an impressive feat in and of itself. While wooden and steel coasters are the foundation of the game, the various water rides and fun houses will flesh out the park. Players can choose to decorate the park with various trees and flower beds to up the positive rating their park receives, though this is not necessary to complete most rounds. Keeping mechanics, security guards, and handymen on staff is necessary, however, as they will keep the park running smoothly. While the mechanics are there for obvious reasons, the other two employee positions affect the park rating, overall guest happiness, and monetary earnings. In short, the better you park looks, the happier guests are, the more money they spend at your park, and the better reputation your park gains.
Weather and terrain will affect your earnings and guest happiness as well. More flat environments are both ideal for building rides, as well as keep guests from needing to travel long distances to reach them. The early levels provide players with land that is easy to work with, letting them get their feet wet. Later levels, however, will prove to be incredibly challenging, placing many parks on semi-ridiculous inclines or areas with significant water coverage. While the weather only changes to rain every so often, it will cause many guests to shy away from rides temporarily and has a noticeable impact on sales.
Roller Coaster Tycoon uses a simple yet effective building tool. The parks are diverse and give players a greater challenge with each new park that is unlocked. There is no specific way that players have to go about meeting these challenges, and a great amount of freedom is granted to the player without making things too easy for them. An addictive and cleverly designed title, Roller Coaster Tycoon deserves a spot at the top of the mountain of simulation titles.
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