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GameSpot editors' review
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CNET editors' rating:
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Detailed editors' rating
- Reviewed on: 07/07/2005
- Released on: 06/23/2005
- Originally published on GameSpot: RollerCoaster Tycoon 3: Soaked! (PC) Review
Few games were as anticipated, or as mildly disappointing, last year than RollerCoaster Tycoon 3, the latest in the gargantuan mainstream hit series based on the simple idea that building theme parks can be an addictively fun and family-friendly affair. The first RollerCoaster Tycoon practically kick-started the entire Tycoon game genre by selling millions of copies, and so there were many fans eagerly awaiting the third game in the series and the big leap to 3D that it represented. And while RCT3 did deliver on the graphics, it stumbled a bit in terms of gameplay. It also felt like it was rushed out early, suffering from a myriad of bugs and other weird gameplay issues. Well, the good news is that, almost nine months later, Frontier has turned out RollerCoaster Tycoon 3: Soaked!, the first expansion pack for the game. Not only does Soaked! include all the latest updates to clean up the gameplay, but it also tosses in a ton of new content that's beautiful to behold.
It's safe to go back into the water in this expansion pack for RollerCoaster Tycoon 3.
As you can probably guess from the name, Soaked! is all about getting wet, but in a good way. Water is very much the theme of this expansion, from fantastic, imaginative waterslides to giant wave pools, killer whale shows, and more, all packed into eight brand-new scenarios. In addition to all the water, there is a sandbox mode that lets you create your own park from scratch. Like before, the single-player "campaign" (and we use that term loosely) starts you off with three scenarios unlocked. Each scenario has three different levels of difficulty, and all you have to do is accomplish the most basic goals to unlock another scenario. However, you can keep on playing a scenario to unlock the more-advanced goals, which provides hours of gameplay for each scenario as you carefully accumulate the money and research to create an even more-spectacular park.
These new scenarios offer a nice bit of variety, from the Loch Ness-like Monster Lake map that features beautiful green hills and a tranquil lakeside setting to the desert-based Fountain of Youth, which rises out of a hole in the desert to encompass the surrounding landscape. But what's most impressive about these settings is the amount of imagination that each possesses, and it's almost daunting to think that, with practice, you too can build something as wondrous and daring. It'll take quite a bit of practice, though, as the user interface remains about the same as that from RollerCoaster Tycoon 3. And if there's one complaint we have regarding the interface, it's that it feels unnecessarily complex. Frontier has its own conventions for basic interface issues--such as main menu screens--to confuse you, and trying to manipulate all the little buttons in order to design and fine-tune a ride or coaster can be halfway maddening at times, especially when you accidentally erase a tile or object, which happens far too often. Of course, practice does make perfect, and if you get to Soaked!, odds are that you're a RollerCoaster Tycoon 3 veteran by now, anyway. But if you're new to the series, or picking up Soaked! after a long interlude away from the main game, then be prepared for a learning curve.
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