Rollercoaster Tycoon: Loopy Landscapes

Age Group: Age 8 and Up, Adults Type: Thinking Games, More Fun Price: $30

Requires: Windows 95 or later, P90, 16MB RAM, 45MB HD, 4xCD-ROM, 1MB video, Direct X 5.0 or later

Description:

Wheeee!!! Who doesn't love rollercoasters? You? Well, if you're one of the unfortunates who don't ride rollercoasters in real life, take heart, here's your chance to enjoy even more vicarious thrills building the ultimate theme park with this new add-on for Rollercoaster Tycoon. Loopy Landscapes is an add-on expansion pack for the original Roller Coaster Tycoon, which means that the original game is needed to play the expansion. Also needed is the first add-on, Corkscrew Follies, but this is included with Loopy Landscapes.

There are 30 new scenarios which provide somewhat more challenges than previously; goals are harder to reach than just having a certain amount of guests and money. New themes include winter, space, tropical and medieval scenery. Also included are new rides and stalls (fried chicken, anyone?).

Features:

• 30 new scenarios
• 6 new themes
• New stalls
• Real-life parks included!
• Smooth integration with original and previous add-on into one interface
• Can run original saved games from new CD
• Corkscrew Follies add-on included (also has 30 scenarios, new stalls, new themes)
• Rebate offered for owners of Follies
• Across the board pricing for certain items

Technical Aspects:

Hearing is not a requirement, as the information is text based and visual. The interface is intuitive, and easy enough to learn. My only gripe is the awkwardness of clicking back and forth between multiple windows for each ride/employee/stall, etc., but this is a tiny grievance.

Report and Conclusions:

Landscapes has revived my children's interest in Rollercoaster Tycoon to fever pitch! They were still playing the original sporadically, but with all the great new items, they're really getting into designing wonderful parks. For some reason I can't seem to get my 14-year-old daughter interested in any strategy games, but as for the rest of us, we love them, with RCT topping the list. I have a friend who owns the original, and her boys love to build rides and then watch them crash into flames.

I highly recommend this add-on to any owners of the original, and if you don't own the original, buy it anyway and pick up the original, too. If you already have the first add-on, I still recommend it, especially if you're one of the lucky few who are organized and keep all receipts. So, stop reading this review, get on out there and pick up this game!