RollerCoaster Tycoon Adventures Deluxe | Xbox Review

As a kid, the RollerCoaster Tycoon series had always eluded me. Even with my limited history with PC gaming, I always wanted to play them but never could. That is until I started collecting PC games and obtained a hand-me-down PC a few years ago. I was finally able to play the original game almost 15 years after release, and I loved it. So when I saw an opportunity to play a console version, I was immediately intrigued. 

Developed by Nvizzio Creations and published by Atari, RollerCoaster Tycoon Adventures Deluxe seemed to be a game I could play on a platform available to me without worrying about the constraints of PC specifications. It turns out, however, this is not an RCT experience that long time fans would expect. 

Please, Remain Seated

At the start, RollerCoaster Tycoon Adventures Deluxe offers players various game modes catering to different preferences. The Adventure mode presents a structured experience with missions tied together by a thin storyline. Players face choices throughout, with outcomes influencing the park’s fate. Career mode attempts to align with the traditional approach. Scenarios offer missions with specific conditions and tiered goals, typically focusing on building a successful park under certain constraints. Finally, Sandbox mode provides a creative playground with no constraints, allowing players to experiment without worrying about financial limitations.

Despite these diverse game types, none fully capture the depth and challenge associated with the original RollerCoaster Tycoon series, which may leave players yearning for a more immersive and engaging experience.

A Bumpy Ride

Originally released on the Nintendo Switch back in 2018, RollerCoaster Tycoon Adventures Deluxe offers a more streamlined gameplay experience, diverging significantly from the intricate and sophisticated approach of its mainline entries. The game allows players to build their dream theme park with a simplified click-and-place system, replacing the in-depth management mechanics of the original series. It features a variety of coaster types and park attractions.

What good is a RollerCoaster Tycoon game without mentioning the coasters themselves? The game offers the ability to design your own roller coasters, or you can opt for the convenience of pre-made designs. I discovered that crafting your own track, despite its user-friendly interface, lacked purpose due to the absence of essential features like the ability to conduct a test run or access track analytics, both of which are standard elements that are notably missing here. I just stuck to using premade coasters in my playthrough. 

Management aspects, such as staff control and financial challenges, have been notably toned down, leading to a more lenient difficulty level where consequences for decisions appear minimal. The revamped UI, additional rides, and enhanced features introduced in the ‘Deluxe’ version are all well and good, but they don’t compensate for the fundamental shift in gameplay dynamics.

The Name of the Game

One aspect of RollerCoaster Tycoon Adventures Deluxe that deserves its due credit has to do with the user interface. I appreciated its simplicity and ease of navigation. The menus are clear and user-friendly, making it straightforward to access various features and options on consoles. As someone who still lacks a fast gaming PC, the importance of a console-friendly UI is the first thing I look for when engaging with management games of this nature.

While RollerCoaster Tycoon Adventures Deluxe might not align with the expectations of seasoned players, it can be a decent entry point for newcomers to the management simulation genre, particularly children. The streamlined gameplay makes it accessible for those venturing into theme park simulation for the first time, and can serve as a stepping stone into the world of management simulations, providing a simplified and approachable experience.

Exit Through the Gift Shop

One notable departure in RollerCoaster Tycoon Adventures Deluxe lies in its graphical presentation, opting for a cartoonish look instead of a more realistic style, embracing a visual approach that leans towards simplicity. The buildings lack the intricate detail found in other games of the genre, prompting a comparison to a “my first theme park simulator” upon first glance, which again, may appeal to children wishing to get into the genre. Veteran players might be turned off by this as they’re more accustomed to a more realistic and immersive experience from earlier entries of the series.

As mentioned earlier, this game is published by Atari, and they make a point of reminding players of that fact. This is most evident by integrating the company’s history into an amusement park setting with rides inspired by some of Atari’s legacy titles. These include a drop-tower paying homage to Tempest, a Tilt-a-Whirl modeled after Asteroids, and a bumper car like attraction modeled after Pong. There’s even an Atari VCS-themed eatery within the park, creating your very own “Atari Land”. As a retro gaming enthusiast, I appreciated the nostalgic touch.

While RollerCoaster Tycoon Adventures Deluxe provides players to choose from various aesthetic themes like Western, Jungle, or Sci-Fi for their park, there’s a significant constraint that impacts the depth of customization. Sadly, these aesthetic themes can only be applied universally to the entire park. This prevents players from creating distinct, themed lands within them. In other words, it won’t let you create your own version of Disneyland.

Final Thoughts

My overall feelings of RollerCoaster Tycoon Adventures Deluxe are mixed at best. On the one hand, it’s a game that makes for a good starting point for young newcomers with a simple console friendly user interface. But it’s also too simplistic for experienced players. I’m actually not going to recommend this version of the game, instead I’d stick with the Switch version. Yes, this “Deluxe Edition” offers more assets and attractions to build, but the Switch version at least has the advantage of portability. We must also consider the fact that there are far better, more sophisticated theme park games that take advantage of the powerful hardware of a current gen Xbox like Planet Coaster, making this game feel redundant.

To hear me talk more about RollerCoaster Tycoon Adventures Deluxe, be sure to listen to the November 15 episode of The Gaming Outsider podcast around the 1:15:26 time stamp.

This review is based on an Xbox copy of Rollercoaster Tycoon Adventures Deluxe provided by Uber Strategist for coverage purposes. It is also available on PlayStation and Nintendo Switch.