Others say...

"Greatest Theme Park Game!!!"
I have tried a couple theme park games and I have found this to be the best. You can create a lot more than roller coasters and all of the rides are really cool. This game gives you the idea of running your own park, you have a budget and you have to treat the guests like real people. You can see the guests thoughts and what they want from your park. You have to create enough food stalls and bathrooms to satisfy them.
There are many parks to choose from and many goals to complete. I have had this game for a long time and I am still not bored with it.

"Hey Atari software developers!"
I loved the game, and still revisit some of my saved parks. I especially loved that it was difficult to learn all the functions of the game, and that the manual was vague on many points. That made the game much more challenging and interesting.
I have some suggestions for RCT3: Record far more crowd sound effects. The only thing that I got sick of in RCT2 was the same gibberish from the same 4 voices the whole time. Just get out and record more crowds PLEASE! Also, it would be great if you had a "be the guest" option. Turn me loose in my own park, and let me go buy burgers, look for a spot on a bench, pick a ride that will make me sick, etc.

"If it crashes during install"
I have yet to find out if this game is any fun. I purchased it, tried to install it, it crashed at 21% of install (due to a 'Read Error', Amazon.com sent a defective disc which I had to return and they sent a replacement), and all further attempts to try reinstall it with the new replacement disc has failed. Atari Tech Support was notified, and they informed me that there's a glitch in the program, that if it crashes during the install process, the only way to correct the Install Shield Wizard in order to get it to re-install is to edit your computer's registry...which is a tenuous thing to do for most people in general and usually requires a computer technician to do for those unable. I tried to edit my registry on my own, using the Atari Tech Support's exact edit procedure they e-mailed me in response to my problem, and their procedure did not work, it still will not re-install. My only options now are to send my CPU to a Service Center to have the problem corrected, or format my hard drive. I've already paid $30 for the game, and am somewhat miffed over the fact that I'd have to fork out more $ to a service technician just so I can wipe out all trace of it on my drive and registry so it'll install properly. Fortunately for Atari, I'm installing brand new, faster drives (hard & CD-RW) on my computer next week, so a format will be necessary anyway, after which will attempt another install of Rollercoaster Tycoon 2...if it fails to install then, will be demanding a refund from Atari. My computer is not very old..it has a 700MHZ processor with plenty of free HD space, and meets or exceeds all of the game's System Operating Requirements.

So to sum it all up, if you buy this game, cross your fingers and pray that a.) Amazon.com sent you a disc free of defects so you won't get a Read Error which will cause it to crash during install, or you don't accidentally damage the CD yourself prior to initial install; and b.) that it installs correctly in the first attempt, because if it doesn't and crashes during the install process, you'll have edit your registry, get or pay someone else to edit it for you, or be prepared to format your drive (and have a means to backup all of your other files on your hard drive before you do or else lose everything you have saved on it).

"Closer to the game we should have got the first time"
So they went and broke down and put "Wacky Worlds" in a box together with the original Roller Coaster Tycoon 2 just as I predicted in an earlier review. (See my review of "RCT2: Wacky Worlds" elsewhere for this prediction.)

This is closer to the game that should have been released the first time. The original Roller Coaster Tycoon 2 had some great features that weren't in RCT1, such as a park designer and a roller coaster tester. "Wacky Worlds" adds some more scenarios and some cool scenery. RCT2 has many new scenarios and new rides and attractions. RCT2 also has some new concessions and other new features. "Wacky Worlds" adds some great theming and a few new rides and other attractions.

It's lots of fun. I'm a Roller Coaster Tycoon addict. I have more fun with this game that essentially lets you design your own Disney World than any other in my vast collection of Sim games. The scenarios range from fairly easy to almost incredibly difficult. And the park creator adds a feature that lets you design and build your own "perfect" park.

But this still isn't "complete" by a long shot. Although this package includes the original Roller Coaster Tycoon 2 (see my earlier review) and the "Wacky Worlds" expansion pack, it was introduced at the same time as the new "Time Twister" expansion pack - which is =not= included.

The "Time Twister" disc is even smaller than the "Wacky Worlds" disc. It's only about 70MB on a 600MB disc. "Wacky Worlds" is about twice that. Both of these could be on a single disc and still have room left for newer, fresher material. I'd like to see some more original older park rides like a Tilt-A-Whirl or others that many people see at travelling amusement temporary parks or the local county fair. I've seen rides that boggle my mind at the local county fair, like a small roller coaster that not only goes around in a loop, but the entire loop rotates while the coaster is travelling. A trip to one of the "King's" parks (like King's Dominion or the like) or a trip to Universal Orlando, or, of course, Disney World, is long overdue for creators of this game.

I'd recommend waiting untill they decide they've milked the RCT2 fans enough with this product and really release a RCT2 Combo Park Deluxe package that =might= be worth the effort with the inclusion of "Time Twister" with the original RCT2 and "Wacky Worlds".

But my real recommendation is to wait a little longer and see if there are any plans for even more expansion sets or the eventual forthcoming RCT3.