RCT3... On the app store!

[Burbs]

RollerCoaster Tycoon® 3 has today appeared on the Apple app store, available for iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch. It's currently priced at £3.99 and contains no in-app purchases. It has been developed by frontier, and despite the app thumbnail, the graphics look very similar to that of the desktop version of the game, and slightly enhanced.

I will wait until others have downloaded and reviewed the app before buying it myself, but it certainly looks good!

https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/id1008692660

 

[JayM]

This is a very interesting development, but I can't help but think that it is rather strange for Frontier to put effort into this after Coaster Crazy which was actually a very good game.

Hopefully none of the customisation options of the desktop game have been lost, but whatever is left will no doubt leave a game far better than the mess that is RCT4M!

 

[Burbs]

Having seen some more of the screenshots, it looks as though they've cloned the desktop version and put it onto a mobile device, but with only 5 scenery themes. The other problem here is that surely there will be no way to make or install CS for it.

 

[Sam]

RCT3 was a dreadful game...

 

[Jordan]

Gave it a decent try this afternoon - it's not bad and it's the sort of thing you could put a lot of time into on the commute. Also seems to be quite kind on my iPad mini 2's battery.

Here's the dive machine I've built:

 

[Burbs]

Great stuff @Jordan, are there any features you've noticed on it that are different or new from the desktop game?

 

[Jordan]

It appears like almost every feature from the original has been included in the iOS version - the management/finance/marketing screens, the ability to build buildings, all the different track types I remember. The only thing that looks to be missing is the fireworks feature, but I think that was a bit of a gimmick anyway.

The differences there are seem to be around the user interface: for example, the way you position things (eg. a shop, scenery, or the first piece of path or track). You now have to drag it into place and then confirm it, which is actually quite nice and allows a level of precision greater than just touching the screen and hoping it detects the right place.

Instead of dialog boxes for rides and scenery, a panel slides in from the right-hand side of the screen with controls, which is quite nice.

 

[Tim]

Firstly how did Frontier manage this, second how come I didn't know!

This is brilliant news. Sure it's the same old RCT3 we had over a decade ago but it still blows away anything currently on smart devices. Atari can no longer justify cash-ins like RCT Mobile while this is on the market.

 

[Burbs]

I would buy it but I don't think my iPad would like me taking up over half a gigabyte.

 

[Leah]

On Windows 8 now please

 

[Burbs]

On Windows 8 now please

You can just buy the disk... Unless you're on about Windows Phone?

 

[Burbs]

I bought the app and have been playing it for a couple of days, and with regards to the game, I feel a lot more productive and original with the coasters than in desktop. Maybe because on the PC version I focus more on dark rides and theming. Regardless, I love it. Well worth the £4.