RollerCoaster Tycoon

This guide covers the initial scenarios in RollerCoaster Tycoon, focusing on Forest Frontiers and Dynamite Dunes. It provides essential tips for starting your park, managing finances, research, and guest satisfaction.

Forest Frontiers (Tutorial Scenario)

This is the first and easiest scenario, offering a large area of land to build on. You start with $10,000 and 0 guests, with the park closed.

• Initial Setup: Pause the game immediately. Set research funding to maximum. Uncheck all research except "Shops and Stalls" to prioritize the "Information Kiosk" for essential items like umbrellas and park maps. Ensure you have at least one food and one drink stall.
• Building: Un-pause and build thrill rides, gentle rides, and one of each stall. Open the park with a $5 gate fee. Lower ride fees slightly if charging an entrance fee.
• Staff: Hire mechanics (ideally one per ride exit) and handymen. Handymen can be set to "Mow the Grass" or have this option unchecked.
• Research: After securing the Information Kiosk, research Thrill rides first for guest attraction and financial stability, followed by Gentle rides.
• Goal: Complete the scenario within 8 months with 250 guests. This park is ideal for developing basic skills and experimenting with underground construction.
• Difficulty: 1/10.

Dynamite Dunes

This desert-themed park requires you to achieve 650 Guests with a park rating of 600 by the end of October, Year 3. You start with 84 guests and the park open.

• Starting Conditions: Park has one Mine Train roller coaster. Starting loan is $10,000, maximum is $15,000. Land is available to buy for $40 per square.
• Research Priority: Research the Information Kiosk first.
• Park Development: Build sufficient shops and stalls for guest happiness. Research and build rides to attract guests. Gradually increase the park entrance fee, balancing income with guest retention.
• Expansion: Land is available for purchase if more space is needed, though it is relatively expensive.
• Available Rides: Includes Wooden and Mine Train roller coasters; Scrambled Eggs and Log Flume thrill rides; Merry Go Round, Car Ride, Spiral Slide, and Miniature Railroad gentle rides; Ice Cream Stall, Burger Bar, Drink Stall, Bathroom shops.
• Researchable Rides: A variety of roller coasters, gentle rides, thrill rides, shops, and scenery are available for research.

This section covers two scenarios in RollerCoaster Tycoon: Leafy Lake and Diamond Heights. Both scenarios offer unique challenges and opportunities for park development.

3. Leafy Lake

Description: Start from scratch and build a theme park around a large lake.

Goal: Have at least 500 Guests in your park by the end of October, Year 3, with a park rating of at least 600.

Difficulty: 2/10. This scenario is considered easy due to the low guest requirement and the availability of good rides.

Available Rides & Stalls:

• Roller Coasters: Wooden, Steel Mini
• Thrill Rides: Scrambled Eggs
• Gentle Rides: Ferris Wheel, Merry Go Round, Car Ride, Monorail, Boat Hire
• Shops/Stalls: Ice Cream Stall, Drink Stall, Bathroom
• Scenery/Theming: Trees, Shrubs and Bushes, Tropical and Desert Trees, Gardens, Path Items, Walls and Fences, Statues and Fountains

Researchable Rides & Improvements:

• Roller Coasters: Steel, Mine Train, Suspended, Single Rail, Suspended Single Rail, Wooden Crazy Rodent
• Thrill Rides: Swinging Ship, Log Flume, Water Slide, River Rapids, Go Karts, Whoa Belly, Gravitron
• Gentle Rides: Spiral Slide, Haunted House, Chairlift, Miniature Railroad, Bumper Cars, Observation Tower, Space Rings
• Shops/Stalls: Pizza Stall, Information Kiosk, Balloon Stall, Cotton Candy Stall, Burger Bar, Souvenir Stall, Popcorn Stall, Fries Stall
• Scenery/Theming: Jumping Fountains
• Ride Improvements: Bumper Boats, Water Tricycles, Swan Pedal Boats (for Boat Hire); Spinning Cars, Log Cars, Rocket Cars (for Steel Mini); Water Splash, Backwards Wooden Roller Coaster Train (for Wooden Roller Coaster)

Scenario Details:

• Starting Loan: $10,000
• Maximum Loan: $50,000
• Starting Staff: 0
• Land Available to Buy: Yes ($50 per square)
• Construction Rights Available to Buy: No
• Starting Guests: 0
• Park Open at Start: No

Strategy for Leafy Lake:

After adjusting settings, block off paths to prevent guests from getting stuck. Build smaller rides, open the park, and begin researching. The River Rapids ride is highly recommended for its high excitement and capacity, making it a profitable long-term investment.

4. Diamond Heights

Description: Develop an already successful theme park to double its value.

Goal: Achieve a park value of at least $20,000 by the end of October, Year 3.

Difficulty: 3/10. This scenario is slightly harder than Forest Frontiers but still manageable.

Available Rides & Stalls:

• Roller Coasters: Wooden Crazy Rodent, Steel Mini, Steel
• Thrill Rides: Swinging Ship, Log Flume
• Gentle Rides: Haunted House, Merry Go Round, Car Ride, Spiral Slide, Miniature Railroad, Boat Hire
• Shops/Stalls: Ice Cream Stall, Fries Stall, Information Kiosk, Bathroom
• Scenery/Theming: Trees, Shrubs and Bushes, Tropical and Desert Trees, Gardens, Path Items, Walls and Fences, Statues and Fountains

Researchable Rides & Improvements:

• Roller Coasters: Wooden, Inverted, Bobsled
• Thrill Rides: Scrambled Eggs, Water Slide, Go Karts, River Rapids, Swinging Inverter Ship, Whoa Belly, Gravitron, 3D Cinema
• Gentle Rides: Ferris Wheel, Hedge Maze, Observation Tower, Monorail, Bumper Cars, Chairlift
• Shops/Stalls: Drink Stall, Pizza Stall, Balloon Stall, Cotton Candy Stall, Burger Bar, Popcorn Stall
• Scenery/Theming: Jumping Fountains, Classical/Roman Theming Objects, Mine Theming Objects
• Ride Improvements: Water Tricycles, Swan Pedal Boats, Canoes (for Boat Hire); Spinning Cars, Log Cars, Rocket Cars (for Steel Mini); Water Splash, Backwards Roller Coaster Train (for Steel Roller Coaster); Mouse Cars (for Wooden Crazy Mouse)

Starting Rides:

• Agoraphobia (Steel Roller Coaster): Excitement: 7.20, Intensity: 6.80, Nausea: 3.07
• Arachnophobia (Steel Mini Roller Coaster): Excitement: 5.79, Intensity: 6.57, Nausea: 4.26
• Claustrophobia (Steel Roller Coaster): Excitement: 7.77, Intensity: 7.16, Nausea: 3.54

Strategy for Diamond Heights:

Focus on developing the existing rides and researching new ones to increase park value. The Go Karts are a recommended research option due to their low cost and high excitement potential when built correctly. Utilize researchable scenery to enhance theming and increase park ratings.

Part 4: Park Value Focus

The primary goal in this scenario is to increase your park value to $20,000. You begin with a park value over halfway there, but it decreases over time as rides age and break down. To increase park value, build new rides and focus on drawing more guests by constructing shops and stalls. There are no shops or stalls at the start, so build them immediately. A steady pace will help you reach the goal quickly.

Difficulty: 3/10

Starting Loan: $1,000

Maximum Loan: $25,000

Starting Staff: 4 (2 Handymen, 2 Mechanics)

Land Available to Buy: No

Construction Rights Available to Buy: No

Starting # of Guests: 554

Park Open at Start: Yes

Available Rides:

• Grimble's Gallopers (Merry Go Round) - Excitement: 1.34, Intensity: 0.60, Nausea: 0.75
• Indiana Railroad (Miniature Railroad) - Excitement: 5.06, Intensity: 0.32, Nausea: 0.11, Max. Speed: 22 MPH, Average Speed: 6 MPH, Ride Time: 2 minutes, 48 seconds (first station)/ 58 seconds (second station)/ 1 minute, 54 seconds (third station), Ride Length: 2,231 feet/ 1,004 feet/ 1,282 feet
• Roller Coaster 1 (Wooden Crazy Rodent Roller Coaster) - Excitement: 7.89, Intensity: 9.26, Nausea: 5.36, Max. Speed: 36 MPH, Average Speed: 13 MPH, Ride Time: 38 seconds (first station)/ 38 seconds (second station), Ride Length: 954 feet/ 990 feet, Max. Vertical G's (positive): 2.77 G's, Max. Vertical G's (negative): -1.63 G's, Max. Lateral G's: 2.48 G's, Drops: 9, Highest Drop Height: 55 feet
• Shortstuff's Slide (Spiral Slide) - Excitement: 2.18, Intensity: 1.60, Nausea: 1.15
• Snake River Falls (Log Flume) - Excitement: 6.08, Intensity: 2.53, Nausea: 1.08, Max. Speed: 31 MPH, Average Speed: 2 MPH, Ride Time: 5 minutes, 16 seconds, Ride Length: 2,984 feet, Drops: 3, Highest Drop Height: 29 feet

5. Evergreen Gardens

Description: Convert the beautiful Evergreen Gardens into a thriving theme park.

Goal: To have at least 1,000 guests in your park at the end of October, Year 4, with a park rating of at least 600.

Starting Loan: $10,000

Maximum Loan: $40,000

Starting Staff: 0

Land Available to Buy: No

Construction Rights Available to Buy: No

Starting # of Guests: 1

Park Open at Start: Yes

Available Rides:

• Roller Coasters: Wooden, Steel Mini
• Thrill Rides: Scrambled Eggs
• Gentle Rides: Haunted House, Hedge Maze, Merry Go Round, Car Ride, Boat Hire, Miniature Railroad, Monorail
• Shops/Stalls: Ice Cream Stall, Burger Bar, Drink Stall, Bathroom
• Scenery/Theming: Trees, Shrubs and Bushes, Tropical and Desert Trees, Gardens, Path Items, Walls and Fences, Statues and Fountains, Jumping Fountains

Researchable Rides:

• Roller Coasters: Steel -> Steel Corkscrew -> Mine Train -> Wooden Crazy Rodent -> Stand Up Steel -> Single Rail -> Bobsled -> Suspended
• Thrill Rides: Log Flume -> Go Karts -> Swinging Ship -> Water Slide -> River Rapids -> Whoa Belly -> Swinging Inverter Ship -> Motion Simulator -> Gravitron -> 3D Cinema
• Gentle Rides: Spiral Slide -> Ferris Wheel -> Observation Tower -> Chairlift -> Bumper Cars -> Space Rings
• Shops/Stalls: Information Kiosk -> Fries Stall -> Balloon Stall -> Cotton Candy Stall -> Souvenir Stall -> Popcorn Stall -> Pizza Stall
• Scenery/Theming: Classical/Roman Theming Objects
• Ride Improvements: Large Monorail Train for Monorail -> Vertical Loop for Steel Corkscrew -> Water Splash for Wooden -> Half Loop for Steel corkscrew -> Corkscrew for Stand Up Steel -> Half Loop for Steel Stand Up -> Spinning Cars for Steel Mini

This park is huge with an intricate path network. Block off access to areas you don't want guests to explore to prevent them from getting lost and leaving. As you build more rides, you can open up more areas. 1,000 guests is a high number, but you have four years to achieve it. Keep your park rating high to ensure guests keep arriving.

Difficulty: 4/10

6. Bumbly Beach

Description: Develop Bumbly Beach's small amusement park into a thriving theme park.

Goal: To have at least 750 guests in your park at the end of October, year 2, with a park rating of at least 600.

Available Rides:

• Roller Coasters: Wooden
• Thrill Rides: Scrambled Eggs
• Gentle Rides: Haunted House, Ferris Wheel, Merry Go Round, Observation Tower, Car Ride, Spiral Slide, Boat Hire, Miniature Railroad, Monorail
• Shops/Stalls: Ice Cream Stall, Fries Stall, Drink Stall, Information Kiosk, Bathroom
• Scenery/Theming: Trees, Shrubs and Bushes, Tropical and Desert Trees, Gardens, Path Items, Walls and Fences, Statues and Fountains

Researchable Rides:

• Roller Coasters: Steel Mini -> Single Rail -> Wooden Crazy Rodent -> Steel Corkscrew -> Bobsled
• Thrill Rides: Go Karts -> Swinging Ship -> Water Slide -> Swinging Inverter Ship -> Log Flume -> Whoa Belly -> Motion Simulator -> 3D Cinema