On hearing that RCT3 was to be released today, Pitch didn't just saunter down to his local games store. No! He ran full tilt to be one of the first to get his hands on the game! Those who remember the first two may be wondering just how much better could the third version be?  Well, rest assured, Pitch has words to say, and they're pretty good words too!

Review: RollerCoaster Tycoon 3 (PC)

I'm sure many of you remember the "tycoon" phase that gripped the gaming world. There was a tycoon for everything, Railroad tycoon, Moon tycoon, Deep Sea tycoon, Transport tycoon, Hotel tycoon, Forum tycoon - you get the idea.

However, for me, Roller Coaster tycoon was the one to play. I remember playing for countless hours on this game which comprised of simple, yet addictive game play in a genre only inhabited by Bulldog's Theme park.

Now nearly 6 years on, the third instalment of this game is ready to play.

After a disappointing sequel to the first, it seemed Hasbro had dropped any intention to make a third instalment. Instead Atari took up the reigns with a new developer and a saucy new engine to come up with the best tycoon game yet. No more 2d sprites moving across your screen, this is 3d. At first, it seemed that this was a graphically enhanced version of the second, but the more I played it, the more I realised it wasn't.

To start with, a proper tutorial has been included, unlike the pitiful one bundled with the first two games. The tutorial covers the basics such as camera movement and basic park management as well as more advanced aspects of the game. Another new feature is night time. Although your dream park is a 24hour park, night changes the atmosphere and alters the popularity and excitement of some rides. Night time also allows you to create elaborate firework displays enhancing your visitor's happiness and general satisfaction.

Sandbox mode was probably the best addition. No goals, no limits, no money, just building. Every attraction, theme and shop is unlocked for you to build until your hearts content. Build a park of impossible scale, or attempt to recreate an existing one.

The "coaster cam" is another excellent addition. This lets you ride the actual rollercoaster like a motion simulator cranking you up to the top before rocketing you at break-neck speeds all the way down again. The world around you becomes a blur and you are total fixated on the track ahead of you.

I also found building rollercoasters far easier. With the first game, my custom rollercoasters generally were rubbish. Intense beyond hell, as nauseating as a dead camel and as exciting as sharing your bath with an electric fan heater. This time around, I feel that they've really hit the nail on the head for determining how good the ratings a rollercoaster will get. For that job, you have the ride inspector, who rides all your attractions and rates them.

But to really immerse yourself in the game, 5.1 Dolby surround is has been integrated. Couple that with some 5.1 speakers and the Coaster-cam and you have your very own rollercoaster. Hear guests scream in excitement or terror and hear them laugh as they exit the ride or hear them throw up their lunch. [Ed: Just what you want to hear before dinner!] Also, you can import you own .mp3 files and play them during the ride to add that finishing touch of atmosphere to your park.

Graphical, you need only look at the screenshots to understand the graphical improvement over the first two.

The free moving camera lets you zoom in to see the expression on guest's faces, or zoom out to watch your pyrotechnics at work once night falls. The people, although cartoon-like look fantastic. You can watch them follow a nearby rollercoasters every twist and turn as they queue for their own ride, or watch them jump back as the roller coaster loops, inches from their faces. The level of detail is impressive. Nothing has be left out. From interactive scenery, to the people manning the ticket booths; everything is animated.

Now all of the above features mean little unless Frontier could adequately replicate the sickening addictiveness of the first, and let me tell you they have. The game takes hold of you and doesn't let go. With 18 levels and 3 different goal sets per level, I'm sure this is a game that could be in my CD drive for a while.

What do you think? Tell us in the forum!

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