There are very few computer games which I would want to play over an extended period of years. I either become sick of the gameplay, or something similar comes along with much slicker graphics which is more enjoyable.
One game which achieved legendary status and years of enjoyment in the Spike household was RollerCoaster Tycoon. Originally released in 1999, the game was hugely popular and was extended with some add-on packs before being upgraded as RollerCoaster Tycoon 2, and eventually as (no surprise) RollerCoaster Tycoon 3 (RT3) some ten years ago.
All versions had similar gameplay: build an amusement park and satisfy the conditions laid down for the particular scenario. These conditions usually included attracting a certain number of visitors, always a challenge because they were a fickle bunch that complained about almost everything. What would make them happy however were RollerCoasters, and a key component of the game was designing and building the best coasters possible. Make them too exciting and nobody would ride them (and you would have to hire an extra cleaner for all the vomit outside the ride exit gate), not exciting enough and your visitors became quickly bored. So many a happy hour or four could be spent fine tuning a coaster, which in RT3 you could actually take a ride on to test it out before launching. Add in the complexities of running a park with other rides, amenities, staff, breakdowns etc. and you had a game which could absorb you for hours at a sitting. And it did.
As the years rolled by, I kept my RT3 disks in the hope that game designed for Windows ‘98 would run on future versions.
By the time Windows 7 came along, it was all becoming a little difficult and the disks have sat forlornly on the shelf.
And then, last week, joy unbounded! RT3, with both expansion packs, was available on the Apple Application Store. The graphics remain as dated as ten year old graphics inevitably look dated; but the gameplay is still as wonderful as ever. I am looking forward to having my peeps vomiting copiously over the pavement very soon. It’s amazing what gives me pleasure.
