This construction and management simulator presents you with a massive array of options to build your theme park and have a great time.

Hang on to your seat as you design stomach dropping twists, turns and loops!

In Planet Coaster, you construct theme parks in three different modes. First is Sandbox Mode, where all rides and construction options are open, and funds are unlimited. There is also Challenge Mode, which features more limited funds and a series of challenges in which you can complete for additional bonuses. Last is the Career Mode, where you progressively play a series of different scenarios, achieving objectives as you go.

While the Sandbox mode provides an array of options and fun, many of the criticisms of the game are focused on its Career mode. The game fails to adequately teach you how to build roller coasters, which should be the core of any gameplay when it comes to a theme park game. A 2016 update also added a "Crash Mode," which allows you to build incomplete roller coasters and crash them into everything in sight.

One of the biggest appeals about this game's graphics and audio is that they help enhance the scene. They aren't massive, three-dimensional spectacles. You will never confuse them with what you see in a triple-A game. But they are goofy, cartoony and fun. The sound effects, smiling faces, and carnival music all serve to enhance the game, getting lost in the park follows the theme of the game.

This game features two systems prominently: Construction and management. It's a big sandbox, and you can use this sandbox to build parks of your choosing.

There are many options to choose from. When you start construction, the game is wide open in terms of rides, dining options, theming, textures, color schemes and more. Indeed, one of the common complaints is that the array of options can be overwhelming and challenging to master at first.

The game also features a slew of management options. Like similar games of this nature, it allows you to hire, fire and manage staff, set prices, manage marketing campaigns and more. However, unlike similar games, this one pushes you towards construction, well over management. The management options exist but are not a focus when compared to construction options. This is particularly the case with the Sandbox mode. Since you have unlimited funding, management doesn't matter - you can keep hiring people until your heart is content. The game doesn't do an excellent job of notifying you when there are potential issues, making management more of a challenge.

Also, unlike other theme park games, you can go on the roads that you construct.

On the whole, the construction options of this game are stellar, creative and allow for a truly immersive experience. If you are looking for a management simulation, however, you can do better with other games.

The game is available on the computer (where the computer and mouse interface makes it most comfortable to play), as well as the Xbox and PlayStation 4.

Thankfully, the game's various modes allow for numerous replayability options. If you're creative enough, you can always build a new and different kind of park in the Sandbox Mode, ensuring that getting bored doesn't happen as the game's replayability is mainly only limited by your imagination.

TL/DR

A fun construction game whose ample construction options and adorable graphics overcome many of its challenges when it comes to less-than-stellar management and career modes.