• Rollercoaster Tycoon On Ipad 3
• Rollercoaster Tycoon Mac

Aug 14, 2015  RollerCoaster Tycoon 3 for iOS fun right a way. Do you have loaded the around 600 megabytes large universal app on your iPhone or iPad, the building fun can start already. Old hands (and probably everyone else) know that on the PC the highly successful series is about building a theme park. Download RollerCoaster Tycoon® Classic and enjoy it on your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. ‎RollerCoaster Tycoon® Classic is a new RCT experience, combining the best features from two of the most successful and beloved RCT games in the series’ history – RollerCoaster Tycoon® and RollerCoaster Tycoon® 2.

Sometimes games full of in-app purchases and timers can work. They're not all evil, it's just that when done badly they seem to be done exceptionally badly. RollerCoaster Tycoon 4 Mobile is one such example. As the App Store info will tell anyone, it's based on the beloved RollerCoaster Tycoon franchise. Beloved is the right word and no one likes to see their beloved be trampled on, which is exactly what happens here.

Laden with timers and in-app purchases, despite costing $2.99 to start out, RollerCoaster Tycoon 4 Mobile is all a bit sad really. It does still allow players to set up their own theme park and construct their own rollercoasters, but that's where the excitement ends.

Putting together the park is quite fun, even when steered along by a tutorial. It all looks vibrant and pleasant enough. Constructing a roller coaster is reasonably intuitive and fun too, with multiple different types available plus the option to adapt things to just how one wants them. Timers get in the way though, with the most basic of rides taking a few minutes or more to complete, while some more impressive structures can take half a day to finish. There are tickets, the premium currency of the game, available to skip ahead and the game is reasonably generous early on with these, but eventually there's going to be a lot of waiting around.

The biggest issue with RollerCoaster Tycoon 4 Mobile, however, is its lack of soul. The wealth of customization options that could have been possible here are very scaled back. It's possible to rename one's park and change the color of the coaster carts, but it's not possible to micromanage staff or adjust prices of concession stands. Bizarrely, it's not even required that visitors walk along paths, with them happy to wander along the grass.

Instead of being a true theme park simulator, RollerCoaster Tycoon 4 Mobile is a game about tapping at the right time throughout the day and collecting coins, before completing some quests to gain experience and more coins. Essentially, it's the same as all the other free-to-play city building experiences, except that it demands $2.99 from the player before they've even started.

It's all just terribly disappointing for fans of the franchise and smacks of a title that could have been named anything rather than capturing the spirit of such a rightfully loved series.

iPhone Screenshots

(click to enlarge)

By Mike Wuerthele
Friday, December 30, 2016, 10:55 am PT (01:55 pm ET)

Rollercoaster Tycoon On Ipad 3

Attention computer gamers from the '90s and early '00s: Atari has launched its third try with the 'RollerCoaster Tycoon' franchise, and AppleInsider will tell you how well the port of the early titles in the series has transferred over to mobile, as well as explore if the game is worth the relatively steep price tag for mobile, or not.

Just What is 'RollerCoaster Tycoon Classic'?

The game itself is well known to many kids who grew up in the 1990s and the early 2000s, but we're going to give a little bit of an explanation to those who haven't played it. 'RollerCoaster Tycoon' is a construction, strategy and management game that flourished in 1999, and is one of the more well known 'Tycoon' games.
In 'RollerCoaster Tycoon Classic', you assume the role of the owner of a theme park, in control of everything from ride placement to to landscaping to staffing the park. You can start a brand new park or choose to modify a few different existing scenarios. You'll place rides and food stalls, staff your park with mascots, janitors, security guards, and ride attendants.

You'll monitor guest approval and attempt to pay back massive loans. It's great for people who love to be in games for the long run, as many scenarios often require fairly lengthy play sessions, and sandbox modes can be played indefinitely.

Faithful to the Original

If you played the original 'RollerCoaster Tycoon,' you'll see the game plays almost identical to the original version, and the switch to a touch interface doesn't hinder the gameplay in any way. We played the game on an iPhone 6s and thought the space of the screen was more than enough to enjoy the game fully, but have a hard time recommending it on a smaller screen.
We think that a fair amount of people who may just find this game a little better than the original. It transfers over to a mobile platform so well, that that that we think the portability of this game coupled with the ease of building thanks to the touch interface makes this game edge out the original by just a bit.
However, as a result of the pedigree of the port, zooming in can be incredibly pixellated.

Pay Once, Play Forever —mostly

In the first attempt at migrating the series to iOS, 'RollerCoaster Tycoon 4' was profoundly hampered by intrusive in-app purchases, alienated fans of the series, and for some reason still exists on the app store. Fortunately, RollerCoaster Tycoon Classic has no such problems.
The new version isn't not quite 'pay once, play forever' but is very close. You pay $5.99 for the base game and have the option to buy full expansion packs for $1.99 a pop. You can also purchase the toolkit that allows you to create your own scenarios and share them with other players to the tune of $5.99.

This is far less annoying than traditional free-to-play inspired IAP, like in the first swing at the franchise on iOS, and we think it's entirely reasonable for what the developer is providing.

Reports of Game Breaking Bugs

Currently there's an issue with 'Roller Coaster Tycoon Classic' in that after you finish one of the scenarios, the game crashes and cannot be reopened, even if you uninstall it and reinstall it.
The problem stems from a poor implementation of iCloud backup. However, this can be turned off in settings by accessing iCloud Drive and then turning off the toggle next to RTC Classic. This will fix broken saved games as well as prevent the problem for those who haven't encountered it.

We suggest watching patch notes in future updates to see when this issue is fixed, as you'll be able to save your game to iCloud Drive once it is.

The Verdict

Rollercoaster Tycoon Mac

We don't think this game is for everyone, but there is a significant overlap between the management-strategy gamers crowd and the 'nostalgic for games of the 1990s' crowd. However, is is just a solid play all around, and we're happy to see it make its way to iOS.
It is not well suited for a mobile-oriented three minute play session, but if you're looking for something to really dive into, this is a good choice.
If you played the original game growing up, or if you love the micro-management simulation genre, we think buying the base game isn't too much of a financial risk. For a reasonable price of $5.99, you can score 'Roller Coaster Tycoon Classic,' but the blissfully optional in-app purchases can quickly add up.