ROLLER COASTER TYCOON

Reviewed By: CJM
VOLUNTEER GUEST REVIEWER

GAME TECH INFO

Computer Platform: PC
Produced by: MicroProse
Price Range: $21-30
Learning curve time: 1 hr.
Age level: 8 to Adult
ESRB Rating: Everyone
Patches / Upgrades: on Website
System Requirements: Pentium 90 MHz (P 200 MHz recommended), Win 95 or 98, 16 MB RAM (32 MB recommended), 50 MB hard drive space (180 MB recommended), 4x CD-ROM (8x recommended), 1 MB SVGA video card (4 MB recommended), Windows 95-compatible soundcard, DirectX

Genre: SIM
Christian Rating: 5 of 5
   (nothing offensive)
Gameplay: 4 of 5
   (good)
Violence: 4 of 5
   (barely present)
Adult Content: 5 of 5
   (none)

"Roller Coaster Tycoon" by MicroProse and Hasbro places you into a theme park environment where it is your job to make sure the park is a success.

This is a great game without any offensive elements. There is no storyline, but that doesn't dampen this sim any. In fact, a story may even get in the way. The goal is not just all about building rollercoasters--you have to make sure your handymen clean up after your guests (who sometimes lose their stomachs). It's also up to you to put burger bars into your park. Maybe mine were a bit too close

to the rollercoasters. You've also got to clean up after those litterbugs who don't know what a trash can looks like. Ride repairs are also a necessity every now and then, so you'll have to hire repairmen. Your park may also become plagued with thieves, so hire a security guard to scare them off, or hire entertainers to boost the spirits of your guests.

Screenshot from 'Roller Coaster Tycoon' You can customize terrain much in the same way as “SimCity” and you're given a variety of roads to choose from. Your choice in rides and attractions vary from park to park, but if you take the time to research it, you'll eventually gain access to new attractions, or design elements to spruce up your rides.

You can create custom coasters from scratch. There is a variety of coasters types to choose from such as the wooden rollercoaster, mine train coaster, stand ups, hanging coasters, or a twisting/bending mind twirling coaster that allows for loops, corkscrews, and Helixes that go up or down. One drawback, however, is that you can't design a coaster and immediately put it in your park. It can only be designed piece by piece. If you mess up, you'll have to sell the pieces back for less than you bought it for. True to life. It's easy to lose money if you're not careful, and coasters can cost about $2,000 without messing up, and that's almost all you'll make in a year early on.

The graphics of “Roller Coaster Tycoon” are only so-so (comparable to "SimCity 2000"). Every one of the guests in the park look like identical twins, save for a little variety in the colour of their outfits.

The sound is quite good. Every ride has its own sound from the rattling planks of a wooden coaster to the variety of "AHHHHHHs…" that the guests make as they go over a drop, or the nice “cha-ching” of a guest buying cotton candy and souveniers.

All in all this game is a sure bet for anyone 7 and up. There is no profanity or sexual content (in fact, no noticeable women at all as all the guests are well fed/rounded 10-12 year olds). There is also no nudity (when they go to the bathroom, they just stand inside the building, fully clothed). The only violence present is when the occasional coaster flies off a track. Those scenes contain no evidence of anything being in the coaster, just big cartoonish explosions, and plenty of pieces flying everywhere, with splashes if they hit water, or dust if they hit dirt. The park has a haunted house, so some decorations may be a bit scary for younger audiences.

Overall a strictly entertaining game lacking any kind of spiritual depth.

Year of Release—1999

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this Christian Spotlight review are those of the reviewer (both ratings and recommendations), and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Films for Christ or the Christian Answers Network.