Management sims have always been a fascination with this reviewer. The only problem is a complete lack of imagination and creativity. Having a sandbox is only fun if the support provided allows for even the most uninspired gamer to be able to create worlds of wonder using all the tools in the toolbox. Planet Coaster: Console Edition provides everything a person would need and then some, bundling everything together in a fun-filled package.
Evoking the spirit of Theme Park in particular, the aim from the start is to create the most exciting and crowd-pleasing park of all, while raking in the profits at the same time. Customers, however, as in life, are a fickle bunch. They want good food but at low prices, exciting rides that go fast but not too fast, everything needs to be affordable but not so affordable that the park isn’t seen as high end. People are a nightmare.
From the start, all of this can be really overwhelming, but there are some excellent tutorials in place to make everything that bit easier to cope with from a beginner’s standpoint. Everything seems pretty lenient, in fact, focusing on fun rather than punishing players who may not have grown up with this type of PC time waster. It’s a great balance of hand holding and freedom, allowing anyone to create a spectacle of a park with the time invested.
For veterans, the worry may be that a game like this may not transition too well from a tried-and-tested PC format to console. Historically with titles of this genre, controls have not been as intuitive or free flowing as the classic mouse-and-keyboard combo. The controller is never going to rival the classic setup; however, they all work to an extent where nothing feels janky or awkward. It’s only the fine tuning that can sometimes be a problem, but to say this is only limited to Planet Coaster: Console Edition would be cruel. Trying to fix a corner perfectly or make a perfect turn is an issue that has cropped up in many other construction simulators using a controller as its main input method.
The biggest satisfaction is seeing all of your hard work come to fruition. Every part of the park is done to such a level of detail with a fun aesthetic that it’s a pleasure to see every part of the park functioning. Staff go about their daily business, and customers pile onto rides, then exit through the gift shop. It’s a pleasure you only really get from this type of game, but it’s still easy enough to fumble the ball. Planet Coaster: Console Edition does every aspect perfectly.
