RollerCoaster Tycoon® Deluxe

Simple as that, it doesn't work. Easily the worst port of the game available to be honest.

Still fun and intuitive over two decades later. Treasure the time you have. Nothing will be the same for you even a year from now. Blink and you will be old and unsure of how you ended up that way.

Such a blast from the past. This game is so fun for anyone who likes building games.

The game refuses to play. It is quite frustrating.

This game took everyone by surprise when it came out. It has a few small blemishes, mostly related to lining things up vertically in a faux-3D environment. None of these matter, because Roller Coaster Tycoon is pure fun. The game imposes just enough challenge to keep you building and fleshing out your park without feeling like you're struggling against artificial deadlines. It's easy to complete a 3 year goal in the first year, then spend hours continuing to build the park to match your vision of it. Watching long lines form at your exciting custom coaster is more satisfying than any financial reward. The coasters' very real physics make this a true sandbox game even without the park's large assortment of other features. A wealth of scenery and ride options are available to enable almost any theme, including Western, fantasy, sci-fi, Egyptian, and many more. Fully customizable terrain lets you extend the built-in scenery in infinite ways, a la Minecraft. Even the downsides of running a popular park, such as sick guests, vandalism, and ride accidents, are handled in a matter-of-fact way that never breaks the idyllic atmosphere. The game strongly emphasizes coasters. Nothing else interests guests enough to fill your virtual coffers. But you're still free to build a tranquil, low-key park with no coasters in sight. The options are endless. The only downside to reviewing Roller Coaster Tycoon is that it was such a monster hit, most of the world has probably already played it. Like the Sim games, there's something here for almost everyone, with the bonus that Roller Coaster Tycoon is a nearly flawless experience.