Planet Coaster

About

Planet Coaster is a single player casual sport game. It was developed by Frontier Developments and was released on November 16, 2016. It received very positive reviews from players.

Planet Coaster is a construction and management simulation video game. Similar to its spiritual predecessor, the game allows players to build different theme park rides and roller-coasters. These player-created attractions can be shared through a mechanic called “global village”.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

+19

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91%

Audience ScoreBased on 57,599 reviews

graphics2.8k positive mentions

story100 negative mentions

graphics
4,632 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
59%
39%
2%
The graphics in Planet Coaster are widely praised for their stunning detail and vibrant aesthetics, often described as a significant upgrade from previous roller coaster simulation games like Roller Coaster Tycoon 3. Players appreciate the game's ability to run smoothly even on lower-end devices, although some report performance issues when parks become large and complex. Overall, the visuals contribute to an immersive experience, making it a standout title in the theme park simulation genre.
- “Planet Coaster features breathtaking visuals that bring every aspect of your park to life.”
- “The game's visuals are breathtaking, with beautifully rendered 3D environments and character models that bring the theme park to life.”
- “With its stunning graphics, engaging gameplay, and robust customization options, it's a must-play for fans of the genre.”
- “This game is terrible, no walkthrough, overpriced, boring, poor layout, garbage graphics for the cost maybe you should have learned from rct 1 and 2 and not made complete trash....”
- “The terrain is buggy as hell, 99% of the game is locked behind DLC, graphical glitches, constant crash to desktop, bare bones game even with all DLC packs & path laying is awful (seriously no one in the company can figure this out huh?).”
- “I hate planet coaster because despite its vibrant graphics, the game often feels overly complicated and cumbersome.”
gameplay
2,460 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
62%
5%
The gameplay of Planet Coaster is praised for its depth, creativity, and intuitive mechanics, allowing players to design and manage their own theme parks with stunning visuals. However, many users express frustration with certain mechanics, particularly pathing and staff management, which can be cumbersome and poorly explained, leading to a steep learning curve. Overall, while the game offers endless customization and engaging gameplay, it suffers from some inconsistencies and lacks a comprehensive tutorial to guide new players.
- “Planet Coaster sets a new standard for amusement park simulation games with its depth of gameplay, creative tools, and attention to detail.”
- “ Planet Coaster earns its 9/10 rating for its exceptional creativity, depth of gameplay, and realistic simulation of theme park management.”
- “This game has captivated players with its deep management mechanics, robust creation tools, and unparalleled freedom to design and manage every aspect of a theme park.”
- “Only complaint is the game does not teach you a lot of the mechanics, which requires you to look up a youtube video or steam guide to learn how to take out a loan or give your staff a raise.”
- “Great game in concept but far too complicated with mechanics that aren't easy to use and aren't taught to you well, if at all.”
- “Mixed with annoying and dated gameplay mechanics (poor pathing/terrain tools etc), lack of mod support and general lack of depth in the simulation makes the game difficult to enjoy.”
music
1,470 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
46%
52%
2%
The music in "Planet Coaster" is widely praised for its immersive and dynamic soundtrack, which enhances the overall atmosphere of the game, adapting to various park activities and rides. Players appreciate the high production quality and the ability to add custom music, making the experience both nostalgic and enjoyable. While some find certain tracks annoying, the majority agree that the soundtrack significantly contributes to the game's charm and creativity, making it a standout feature.
- “Planet Coaster features a dynamic soundtrack that enhances the atmosphere of your theme park.”
- “From cheerful tunes on merry-go-rounds to adrenaline-pumping music on roller coasters, the soundtrack adapts to the action and enhances the overall experience.”
- “The soundtrack and sound effects perfectly complement the park-building experience, adding depth and immersion to every moment spent creating and managing my dream park.”
- “The trailer is very misleading, I thought I would be able to build my own theme park up from nothing but I cannot, it has extremely annoying music.”
- “Its overwhelmingly repulsively cringey, plastic, awful hallmark card fake-hipster pop garbage; to me, it's like nails on a chalkboard, I swear, that song plays on loop in my hypothetical personal hell.”
- “Loud stressful music that is hard to find how to turn off.”
optimization
1,140 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
54%
21%
The optimization of the game has received significant criticism, with many users reporting severe performance issues, particularly in larger parks with numerous guests and attractions. While some players experience smooth gameplay on high-end systems, others struggle with low frame rates and lag, even on recommended hardware. Overall, the consensus is that the game requires substantial optimization improvements to enhance performance and stability, especially as park complexity increases.
- “One of the best things is that it's super tight; the system inside and out is optimized in every way. I can build a scene in potato mode and then bump those graphics up to a million and enjoy the ride.”
- “The game offers a satisfying challenge, ensuring your park runs smoothly while allowing you to let your imagination run wild.”
- “Great graphics, gameplay, and optimization.”
- “The game is very poorly optimized... it doesn't matter how good of a PC you have, once you build a decent sized park, the game becomes unplayable.”
- “This game could be great, but it is incredibly poorly optimized, and the developers keep releasing small content packs instead of fixing fundamental issues and bugs within the game itself.”
- “The only downside is poor optimization/poor performance once you have a pretty huge park with a couple of thousand visitors; the FPS in a rig with a rather high-end CPU, GPU, 32 GB RAM, and installed on an NVMe SSD can just tank to 15-20 FPS.”
story
749 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
74%
13%
The game's story aspect is largely criticized for its lack of depth and engagement, with many users noting that it feels repetitive and lacks a meaningful narrative. While there are campaign missions that provide some structure, they often feel like a series of challenges rather than a cohesive story, leading to a sense of disconnection. Overall, players seem to prefer the creative freedom of sandbox mode over the limited and often frustrating story missions.
- “The campaign is very intriguing and although it has a set mission, you can do your own thing with it.”
- “The story mode actually provides enough challenge while still teaching the basics, and it made me realize that I can use the prefab coasters with no shame.”
- “This game offers, in my opinion, the most in-depth and player-friendly simulation of theme park management, with its vast variety of scenarios, missions, building styles, rides, and coasters.”
- “The 'storyline' will just leave you on your own to discover and test everything, even from and in this 'easy' scenario.”
- “They just made a beautiful game for themselves (expert players), so to say, and placed a quick 'career' storyline, probably to just make it saleable to the public.”
- “The campaign lacks any real storyline, but the maps are interesting and some have unique restrictions to keep things interesting.”
stability
384 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
1%
85%
The stability of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting frequent bugs, glitches, and crashes, particularly when managing larger parks or using certain features. While some users have experienced smooth gameplay without significant issues, a substantial number have expressed frustration over the game's instability, leading to a steep learning curve and frequent troubleshooting. Overall, while the game has potential and enjoyable elements, its current state is marred by persistent technical problems that detract from the overall experience.
- “The game is polished and there are almost no glitches.”
- “The game as it stands is stable and bug free enough I can't think of any to report, so most of the post-launch development time can be spent on further polish and content creation.”
- “Very well designed and runs great, really not much more to add than that.”
- “The terrain is buggy as hell, 99% of the game is locked behind DLC, graphical glitches, constant crash to desktop, bare bones game even with all DLC packs & path laying is awful (seriously no one in the company can figure this out huh?).”
- “This game has turned out to be a buggy mess for me, and I'm sick of having to re-create my ride and scenery edits.”
- “If this were a game in preview I'd be willing to let it slide, but the fact that this has been out for years now and still is buggy tells me the programmers were more interested in churning out DLCs to line their pockets rather than deliver a well playable base game.”
grinding
372 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
1%
25%
74%
The grinding aspect of the game is frequently described as tedious and time-consuming, with many players noting that it requires significant patience and effort to achieve desired results. While some find enjoyment in the detailed and intricate building processes, others feel that the repetitive tasks and inefficient interface detract from the overall experience, leading to a sense of frustration. Overall, players suggest that those who appreciate meticulous design may find value in the game, but it can quickly become a grind for others.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “One long, tedious grind.”
- “A bit grindy sometimes.”
- “Very fun game at first, but it gets super tedious in sandbox mode.”
- “The game is tedious to set up even the smallest park with a poor menu system that makes you hunt for every change.”
- “The whole game becomes a tedious spreadsheet exercise.”
humor
268 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
97%
1%
2%
The humor in the game is widely praised, with players enjoying the absurdity of creating chaotic roller coasters and watching the funny interactions of cartoonish characters. Many reviews highlight the comedic elements, such as launching guests from rides, quirky NPC behaviors, and the ability to rename shops and items for added hilarity. Overall, the game is described as entertaining and filled with opportunities for players to engage in lighthearted, often darkly humorous scenarios.
- “Funny company names and well-designed props really make the game its own.”
- “The creators obviously have great senses of humor as the park guests are just hilarious to watch them interact with the rides and those theme park entertainers have me cracked up, especially the derpy dinosaur!”
- “You can easily get lost for hours building hilariously impractical roller coasters that in reality would get neither the budget nor the approval from the health and safety committee.”
- “The main problem is that you cannot focus on one, you need both and that makes the game not funny.”
- “Honesty, this is not funny.”
- “Balance issues, management isn't very intuitive, economy is an unfunny joke.”
monetization
184 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
2%
22%
76%
The monetization strategy of the game has drawn significant criticism, with many reviewers labeling it as a blatant cash grab, particularly due to the prevalence of DLCs that feel essential yet offer minimal value. Players express frustration over the lack of in-game tutorials, which redirect them to ad-laden YouTube videos, and the constant bombardment of DLC advertisements that detract from the overall experience. While some acknowledge the creativity and potential of the game, the overwhelming focus on monetization has left a sour impression, leading to calls for a reevaluation of the developers' approach to DLC and in-game purchases.
- “My advice is to really take the time to develop big worthwhile expansions that include new themes and expand upon the game systems currently instead of approaching DLCs as releasing small microtransactions for purely cosmetic items.”
- “Customisation is a higher level than a Call of Duty loadout; everything from entrance styles to colors has been included, and the best bit is that there's no microtransactions to use the many choices already implemented.”
- “Can only hope new content is delivered through free updates or full expansion packs and not microtransactions for each piece of content.”
- “The game is okay, but is always advertising its DLCs that I'm never gonna buy because of their money grabbing tactic of not letting me buy the bundle and trying to force me to buy all the DLCs separately for like 200% the price of the bundle.”
- “I really want to like this game, but I'd like to actually have more game to play, instead of mostly having to pay for advertisements and product placements in order to unlock one more actually useful item.”
- “Every time you start the game or return to the main menu you see more DLC pop-up ads, and unpurchased DLC items are also listed in the items list when building.”
atmosphere
156 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
48%
2%
The atmosphere in Planet Coaster is widely praised for its immersive and enchanting qualities, driven by a dynamic soundtrack, detailed sound effects, and stunning graphics. Players appreciate the cheerful and lighthearted ambiance that enhances creativity and engagement, making it feel like a real theme park experience. The game's ability to evoke nostalgia while providing a modern sandbox environment allows for endless customization and enjoyment, contributing to its reputation as one of the most atmospheric management games available.
- “From the cheerful screams of guests on a hair-raising ride to the chirping of crickets in your tranquil forest area, Planet Coaster's immersive sound and visual design create an enchanting atmosphere that draws you in.”
- “The music, the atmosphere, the sound design, the freedom, the intricate detail in everything makes me so genuinely happy.”
- “Was blown away by the atmosphere that this game provides, the customization options with creating the buildings and the landscaping and... just... everything.”
- “This atmosphere would make it seem like a really chill game, but it’s not, at least, not for me.”
- “It doesn't quite capture the atmosphere of the original RollerCoaster Tycoon, but then I've never played any other game that did either, including the subsequent RCT games.”
- “All you have is a few scenarios that basically seem to define some textures and the atmosphere, and that's it!”
replayability
144 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
56%
2%
The game's replayability is highly praised, with many players noting its infinite potential due to extensive customization options, community-created content, and various gameplay modes. While some users mention limited replay value in certain scenarios, the overall consensus is that the depth and creativity offered make it a must-play for fans of the genre, ensuring hours of engaging gameplay. The integration of user-generated content further enhances the replay experience, making it a dynamic and evolving game.
- “The game's varying themes, endless possibilities for creativity, and limitless replay value make it a must-have for fans of the simulator genre.”
- “The community-driven content enhances replayability and fosters creativity, allowing players to showcase their designs and explore creations from around the world.”
- “I love this game and the attention to detail, and with all the rides, buildings, coasters, decorations, and terrain modifications, the replayability is truly endless.”
- “While some players may find it challenging to get started or limited replay value, the game's depth and variety make it well worth the investment.”
- “Personally, the scenarios are where I sunk all my time into the original Roller Coaster Tycoon games, and the scenarios in Planet Coaster do not have much replay value in my opinion.”
- “Great possibilities of creativity but almost zero replayability.”
emotional
72 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
94%
3%
3%
Players express a deep emotional connection to the game, often feeling nostalgic and reminiscent of their childhood experiences with titles like RollerCoaster Tycoon. The game evokes a range of feelings, from joy and excitement to heartfelt appreciation for its beauty and creativity, making it a wholesome and engaging experience. Many reviewers highlight the game's ability to inspire creativity and provide a sense of fulfillment, reinforcing its status as a beloved spiritual successor in the genre.
- “A horrifying and emotional tale of the dangers and all-consuming nature of capitalism.”
- “I have no words to accurately describe the wonderful, emotional and just all-round joyful feelings I get from this game.”
- “This game makes me so emotional!”
- “☐ heartbreaking”
- “☐ heartbreaking”
character development
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The character development in the game is praised for its good design and appealing style, contributing to an overall enjoyable experience. While the cartoony aesthetic may not appeal to everyone, it is complemented by smooth graphics and excellent music, enhancing the game's charm.
- “Wonderful style, character designs, absolutely amazing music (I recommend both soundtracks), and by far the best theme park simulation game ever.”
- “The game runs very smoothly and the graphics are very pleasing to the eye, though cartoony in some parts like character designs, so if you do not like that, then it can be a negative.”