Keep hands inside the cart at all times

I used to love losing myself in a good theme park simulator. The original Theme Park is a game I spent countless hours on when it was first released on PC and then later PlayStation. Once Rollercoaster Tycoon hit, all bets were off. This series took things to a whole new level. Lately though I haven’t found myself as enthralled in the genre, mostly because a lot of the newer ones just never clicked with me. With Rollercoaster Tycoon Adventures Deluxe finally making its debut on Xbox consoles I felt now was the perfect time to dive back in. Let me build the ultimate coaster and then place plenty of gross food stands right next to it. That sounds like a good time.

This version of the game isn’t new. It was originally released on the Switch and PC way back in 2018. The Deluxe moniker just means it has all the DLC that has been released over the years. For anyone unfamiliar the Rollercoaster Tycoon games are essentially what they sound like. Players are tasked with building a theme park, mostly centered around rollercoasters. They must create vomit-inducing rides, while also managing the logistics and economics of the park all while also keeping visitors happy. It is a push and pull mechanic that works well at keeping players constantly experimenting with different rides and layouts.

MSRP: $39.99
Platforms: Xbox (reviewed), PlayStation, Switch, PC
Price I’d Pay: $29.99

This iteration of the game feels a lot more simplified and streamlined. Past games in the series were much more about micromanagement. This could be a boon or hindrance depending on who you talk to. I know in my old age I appreciate simplifying things. I never enjoyed having to research every single janitor in my park, this version for example, eliminates this tedium. Instead of deciding who to hire, the game lets players build a spot to spawn the workers and they just work. This limits some things, but also lets me focus more on the stuff I was interested in.

Construction is also simplified. For example, building coasters is much easier thanks to the smart track design. Instead of having to have an architect degree, the game just seems to know how I want to do things. It can be fickle at times, but for the most part it works. I had a lot more fun coming up with the ideas, and rarely was I restrained by the game in what I could come up with. This extends to all facets of the game as well. Building just feels simple and I was able to create a lot more things in less time, which let me come back over and over to try different things with little pushback for perfection.

The research features and income feel like the draw of the game. There really isn’t a failure system here. Costs are nowhere to be found, which means I can simply focus on what to research, and what to build. For hardcore fans this might come off as a limiter, but for me it encouraged me to keep playing. I hate having to keep track of all these things. It would have been nice to have a “realistic” mode for those that enjoy it, but for casuals this is easily the most approachable game the series has ever seen. I had a lot of fun going back and forth creating new coasters to see if I could top the last one.

Visually the game takes a more cartoon-style approach. The realism of past titles takes a back seat to the more outlandish designs and wacky aesthetic. I liked this change from realism, and it feels more akin to the recent Two-Point games and less like those older PC titles. The game runs decently, with a few hitches of slowdown once you start getting a lot of attractions. The sound is minimal, and the rest of the presentation takes some time to get accustomed to, but it works. Menus are easy to navigate and as I mentioned the game does a nice job of streamlining all the building tools making it simple to get to everything, I wanted without going through a bunch of menus.

In addition to the core mode, Sandbox is also here. This is basically an open park with unlimited resources, and everything unlocked. This is really where I let my imagination fly. This basically takes all the waiting out of the core game and is nice to just have some fun with. There are also specific scenarios where you are tasked with completing specific objectives. These are a decent distraction, but I continued to go back to the other modes as I just wanted to have fun. I rarely come to these games for the challenge. I mostly just want to build a coaster that keeps the “peeps” coming back for more.

Rollercoaster Tycoon Adventure Deluxe is a stripped-down version of the past games for sure, but I had a blast with its minimal limitations. I hate games like this that require hours of investment before I get to the “fun” parts. I had a blast with the campaign and of course the sandbox mode. If these types of games have always made you anxious about playing them thanks to all the micromanagement, then this is the version for you. It really strips away all the barriers and just lets its players have a good time right out of the box.

Review copy of game provided by publisher.