RollerCoaster Tycoon is a construction and management simulation video series that simulates amusement park management. Developed by Chris Sawyer Productions and published by Hasbro Interactive, the first version of the game was released for Microsoft Windows in 1999 and was later ported to the Xbox by Infogrames in 2003. There are many confusions regarding the Best Roller Coaster Tycoon game available. This post intends to clear the myths around the Best Roller Coaster Tycoon game. Here we will compare the Roller Coaster Tycoon games and decide on the Best Roller Coaster Tycoon game.
Go to bottom to find the conclusion. TL;DR.
RollerCoaster Tycoon 1 received two expansion packs: Added Attractions (released in the US as Corkscrew Follies) in 1999, and Loopy Landscapes in 2000. Two special editions were released: RollerCoaster Tycoon Gold/Totally Roller Coaster in 2002, which contained the original game, Added Attractions/Corkscrew Follies, and Loopy Landscapes; and RollerCoaster Tycoon Deluxe in 2003, which contained the content in Gold plus more designs for the different customizable rides.
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RCT 1[/caption]
VERDICT: It is more simple in design and has more basic functionality. The scenarios can only be unlocked by finishing previous scenarios. It is the very best game experience if you want to progress in a trendy fashion.
RollerCoaster Tycoon 2 tasks players with managing amusement parks in different scenarios with the goal of having them succeed in different ways. The game returns to isometric projection which debuted with the predecessor, allowing for a large degree of compatibility. Various attractions, including transport rides, gentle rides, thrill rides, roller coasters, water rides, and shops or stalls, can be added to the parks as well as landscaping and decorations. The player satisfies the needs of the visitors by building food stalls, drink stands, bathrooms, and souvenir shops as well as facilities and services, such as ATMs (known as "cash machines" in-game) and information kiosks. Players must balance their budget in their expenses and income while doing this.
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RCT 2 Gameplay[/caption]
One notable difference from RollerCoaster Tycoon is a more robust system for building structures, in which one can lay each piece of wall and roof individually. The game provides greater flexibility by allowing pieces of scenery, rides, and other structures to be placed at varying heights above and below ground. The mechanics in the predecessor made custom building construction less efficient, and rides and shops were previously unable to be built at varying elevations; in that game, only rides that had tracks could be built underground, since the first section of any ride had to be placed above ground. Many of the rides from the original RollerCoaster Tycoon have been modified and/or renamed, one example being "Scrambled Eggs" renaming to "Twist". Some old ride designs have been merged with others, such as the "The Wooden Twister Coaster" being included in the "The Wooden Roller Coaster".
User-created scenery items make a debut in this title. The 'bulldozer' allows the player to remove multiple pieces of scenery instead of only one piece at a time. A scenario editor is introduced, which allows players to create their own scenarios, creating the landscape, setting objectives, and selecting available rides and scenery. Players can make and test their own roller coasters to save them for use in other levels with the Roller Coaster Designer, and the game includes a licensed promotion by Six Flags to include their own content and scenarios based on five of their amusement park branches (which are Magic Mountain, Great Adventure, and Over Texas. Walibi Holland and Walibi Belgium were also Six Flags parks during development, and thusly are included here). Many popular rides in Six Flags amusement parks can be used in other scenarios, but are locked from editing. The game also contains a variety of new themes and music for attractions. Players can track and rename guests by clicking on them, and their AI is improved, allowing for the creation of paved areas that would originally confuse park guests in the predecessor game.
VERDICT: The most open, made to build! Custom scenery, imported scenarios, better animation and generally regarded as the most diverse. They give you the option to just build, no money or park restrictions if you so choose.
Like the previous games in the series, RollerCoaster Tycoon 3 is a strategy and simulation game in which players manage all aspects of an amusement park by building or removing rides, scenery and amenities, placing shops and facilities, adjusting the park's finances, hiring staff, and keeping the park visitors, known as "peeps", happy. RollerCoaster Tycoon 3 features two main game modes. The career mode features scenarios where players must accomplish goals, such as impressing a visiting celebrity or attaining a certain park rating. Each scenario has three levels of objectives, which are ranked as Apprentice, Entrepreneur, and Tycoon; the higher the level, the more challenging the goal is to complete. A third of the scenarios are playable from the start, with the rest unlocked when the player completes the objectives at each level. The second mode of play is the sandbox mode. Players are given a large, empty plot of land and unlimited funds with which to build their own custom parks. However, the land given in this mode is limited as it cannot be expanded.
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The CoasterCam feature in action.[/caption]
RollerCoaster Tycoon 3 introduces gameplay features in the series such as the CoasterCam, which allows players to "ride" roller coasters and other rides,and the MixMaster, which allows the player to coordinate firework shows and time them to in-game music. Unlike the two previous versions of the game, RollerCoaster Tycoon and RollerCoaster Tycoon 2, the guests, called "peeps", arrive in groups and show variation in gender and age, including children, teenagers and adults. A day/night cycle changes the demographics of the park's peeps; rides at night appeal to teenagers, while the daytime attracts families with children. Peeps can be harmed and injured by crashing vehicles, but will never die as they did in the previous titles, and if placed in water they will swim out. When cars derail from the tracks, they explode after a short period, whereas in the older games, they exploded on contact. Furthermore, an added feature was added in which, after a cheat code was entered, people could utilize the Peep Cam from which they could see the park through a peeps' eyes.Parks now have opening and closing times, and the time of day is displayed. Scenery is divided into themes to customize parks, with western-, spooky-, science fiction-, prehistoric-, tropic (Paradise Island)- atlantis- and adventure-themed pieces. Another feature is the ability to import coasters from previous games in the series into RollerCoaster Tycoon 3. The game uses full 3D graphics instead of the isometric viewpoint of the previous games; this means that players can rotate and zoom the view of the park to any degree. However, there is an option to fix the camera's rotation to a preset angle, as in the previous games. 3D land shaping is also available for creating mountains and hills inside the park, as well as the ability to change portions of the land into water.
VERDICT: First entry into 3D, but theres a steep learning curve when it comes to landscaping. Even more options for custom scenery and custom scenarios. EDIT: You can ride the rides! Forgot about that! Really cool, but not as cool as it sounded originally.
I personally prefer to the nostalgia of the first version. It has awesome scenarios and the compulsory nature to unlock them as you progress. In the second RCT2 it gives them, unlocked already. The third one features a different art style, isometric view, and a different UI. The scenarios are mostly weak to be played by a hardcore RCT player.
The online community of RCT has made the recreations of RCT 1 for RCT 2, therefore you can better try RCT 2 with the flexibility and the handy nature of the game.
RCT 3, can let you import scenarios from version 1 and two, but there are issues with clipping on terrains, and there are few things that need to be adjusted.
Go to bottom to find the conclusion. TL;DR.
Roller Coaster Tycoon 1 (RCT1)
RollerCoaster Tycoon 1 received two expansion packs: Added Attractions (released in the US as Corkscrew Follies) in 1999, and Loopy Landscapes in 2000. Two special editions were released: RollerCoaster Tycoon Gold/Totally Roller Coaster in 2002, which contained the original game, Added Attractions/Corkscrew Follies, and Loopy Landscapes; and RollerCoaster Tycoon Deluxe in 2003, which contained the content in Gold plus more designs for the different customizable rides.
[caption id="attachment_2346" align="alignright" width="1416"]
RCT 1[/caption]VERDICT: It is more simple in design and has more basic functionality. The scenarios can only be unlocked by finishing previous scenarios. It is the very best game experience if you want to progress in a trendy fashion.
Roller Coaster Tycoon 2 (RCT2)
RollerCoaster Tycoon 2 tasks players with managing amusement parks in different scenarios with the goal of having them succeed in different ways. The game returns to isometric projection which debuted with the predecessor, allowing for a large degree of compatibility. Various attractions, including transport rides, gentle rides, thrill rides, roller coasters, water rides, and shops or stalls, can be added to the parks as well as landscaping and decorations. The player satisfies the needs of the visitors by building food stalls, drink stands, bathrooms, and souvenir shops as well as facilities and services, such as ATMs (known as "cash machines" in-game) and information kiosks. Players must balance their budget in their expenses and income while doing this.
[caption id="attachment_2344" align="alignleft" width="2044"]
RCT 2 Gameplay[/caption]One notable difference from RollerCoaster Tycoon is a more robust system for building structures, in which one can lay each piece of wall and roof individually. The game provides greater flexibility by allowing pieces of scenery, rides, and other structures to be placed at varying heights above and below ground. The mechanics in the predecessor made custom building construction less efficient, and rides and shops were previously unable to be built at varying elevations; in that game, only rides that had tracks could be built underground, since the first section of any ride had to be placed above ground. Many of the rides from the original RollerCoaster Tycoon have been modified and/or renamed, one example being "Scrambled Eggs" renaming to "Twist". Some old ride designs have been merged with others, such as the "The Wooden Twister Coaster" being included in the "The Wooden Roller Coaster".
User-created scenery items make a debut in this title. The 'bulldozer' allows the player to remove multiple pieces of scenery instead of only one piece at a time. A scenario editor is introduced, which allows players to create their own scenarios, creating the landscape, setting objectives, and selecting available rides and scenery. Players can make and test their own roller coasters to save them for use in other levels with the Roller Coaster Designer, and the game includes a licensed promotion by Six Flags to include their own content and scenarios based on five of their amusement park branches (which are Magic Mountain, Great Adventure, and Over Texas. Walibi Holland and Walibi Belgium were also Six Flags parks during development, and thusly are included here). Many popular rides in Six Flags amusement parks can be used in other scenarios, but are locked from editing. The game also contains a variety of new themes and music for attractions. Players can track and rename guests by clicking on them, and their AI is improved, allowing for the creation of paved areas that would originally confuse park guests in the predecessor game.
VERDICT: The most open, made to build! Custom scenery, imported scenarios, better animation and generally regarded as the most diverse. They give you the option to just build, no money or park restrictions if you so choose.
Roller Coaster Tycoon 3 (RCT3)
Like the previous games in the series, RollerCoaster Tycoon 3 is a strategy and simulation game in which players manage all aspects of an amusement park by building or removing rides, scenery and amenities, placing shops and facilities, adjusting the park's finances, hiring staff, and keeping the park visitors, known as "peeps", happy. RollerCoaster Tycoon 3 features two main game modes. The career mode features scenarios where players must accomplish goals, such as impressing a visiting celebrity or attaining a certain park rating. Each scenario has three levels of objectives, which are ranked as Apprentice, Entrepreneur, and Tycoon; the higher the level, the more challenging the goal is to complete. A third of the scenarios are playable from the start, with the rest unlocked when the player completes the objectives at each level. The second mode of play is the sandbox mode. Players are given a large, empty plot of land and unlimited funds with which to build their own custom parks. However, the land given in this mode is limited as it cannot be expanded.
RollerCoaster Tycoon 3: Gameplay
[caption id="" align="alignright" width="364"]
The CoasterCam feature in action.[/caption]RollerCoaster Tycoon 3 introduces gameplay features in the series such as the CoasterCam, which allows players to "ride" roller coasters and other rides,and the MixMaster, which allows the player to coordinate firework shows and time them to in-game music. Unlike the two previous versions of the game, RollerCoaster Tycoon and RollerCoaster Tycoon 2, the guests, called "peeps", arrive in groups and show variation in gender and age, including children, teenagers and adults. A day/night cycle changes the demographics of the park's peeps; rides at night appeal to teenagers, while the daytime attracts families with children. Peeps can be harmed and injured by crashing vehicles, but will never die as they did in the previous titles, and if placed in water they will swim out. When cars derail from the tracks, they explode after a short period, whereas in the older games, they exploded on contact. Furthermore, an added feature was added in which, after a cheat code was entered, people could utilize the Peep Cam from which they could see the park through a peeps' eyes.Parks now have opening and closing times, and the time of day is displayed. Scenery is divided into themes to customize parks, with western-, spooky-, science fiction-, prehistoric-, tropic (Paradise Island)- atlantis- and adventure-themed pieces. Another feature is the ability to import coasters from previous games in the series into RollerCoaster Tycoon 3. The game uses full 3D graphics instead of the isometric viewpoint of the previous games; this means that players can rotate and zoom the view of the park to any degree. However, there is an option to fix the camera's rotation to a preset angle, as in the previous games. 3D land shaping is also available for creating mountains and hills inside the park, as well as the ability to change portions of the land into water.
VERDICT: First entry into 3D, but theres a steep learning curve when it comes to landscaping. Even more options for custom scenery and custom scenarios. EDIT: You can ride the rides! Forgot about that! Really cool, but not as cool as it sounded originally.
Conclusion:
I personally prefer to the nostalgia of the first version. It has awesome scenarios and the compulsory nature to unlock them as you progress. In the second RCT2 it gives them, unlocked already. The third one features a different art style, isometric view, and a different UI. The scenarios are mostly weak to be played by a hardcore RCT player.
The online community of RCT has made the recreations of RCT 1 for RCT 2, therefore you can better try RCT 2 with the flexibility and the handy nature of the game.
RCT 3, can let you import scenarios from version 1 and two, but there are issues with clipping on terrains, and there are few things that need to be adjusted.