Customer Reviews (100)

Ankit Tuli • 2025-03-21T17:05:32.412Z

love it

anakhsunamon • 2025-03-21T08:32:08.694Z

devs! Why can't I pause the game while building? The scenarios of this game are time based and now I feel super rushed to build things. Its not fun, make a dedication menu button and just let me pause while building. The game itself is super fun though.

TK B • 2025-03-16T04:19:49.839Z

On the ride design expansion, there are missing track pieces. Is this a bug or just neglect?

Summary of Key Insights

RollerCoaster Tycoon® Classic receives generally positive reviews, with many users expressing nostalgia and appreciation for the faithful port of the original PC game. However, a significant number of users report technical issues, particularly crashes and problems with in-app purchases/entitlements. A recurring complaint is being forced to repurchase the game and DLCs after updates or device changes. While the core gameplay and touch controls are praised, bugs and the lack of certain features present in the original PC version (like free play without goals and reliable cloud saves) detract from the experience. The sentiment is mostly positive, but the negative reviews highlight critical issues that need addressing.

  • Overall Rating: Above average, skewed by nostalgia and core gameplay.
  • Strengths: Faithfully recreates the original RCT experience, good touch controls, vast content.
  • Weaknesses: Recurring crashes, entitlement/purchase issues, missing features from the original PC game, bugs (e.g., inability to change park admission price).
  • Overall Sentiment: Mostly positive, with a significant contingent of frustrated users due to technical problems and perceived unfair business practices.
  • Score Distribution: 5-star (49%), 4-star (16%), 3-star (6%), 2-star (5%), 1-star (24%)

Data & Methodology Overview

  • Data Sample Size: 100 reviews
  • Time Frame: Reviews appear to be from recent months/years, based on mentions of specific phones and issues.
  • Analysis Methods: Sentiment analysis (manual interpretation of reviews), keyword extraction (identifying recurring themes and issues), frequency analysis (counting mentions of specific problems and requested features).

Key User Pain Points

  • Crashes: The most frequently reported issue, rendering the game unplayable for some users. Often occurs when holding down on the screen or after a short period of gameplay.
  • Purchase/Entitlement Issues: Users are being asked to repurchase the game and DLCs they previously owned, especially after updates or switching devices. This is a major source of frustration.
  • Inability to Change Park Admission Price: A significant number of users report being unable to set an entrance fee, hindering their ability to progress in certain scenarios.
  • Missing Features: Users miss features from the original PC game, such as a free play mode without objectives and robust import/export functionality for parks and rides.
  • Bugs in Ride Designer (Expansion): Missing track pieces are reported in the Ride Designer expansion.
  • Lack of Cloud Saves/Syncing: Inability to sync progress across multiple devices (phone and tablet) is a common complaint.
  • Resolution Issues: Some users experience broken resolution or scaling problems, especially on newer devices.
  • Small Buttons/UI: On smaller screens, some users find the buttons too small and difficult to use.
  • Toolkit Import/Export Issues: The Toolkit's import/export functionality is reportedly broken for years, leading to data loss and frustration.

Frequently Requested Features

  • Cloud Saves/Cross-Device Syncing: The ability to sync progress and parks across multiple devices.
  • Free Play Mode: A mode without objectives, similar to the original PC game.
  • Improved Import/Export Functionality: A working import/export feature for parks, scenarios, and rides.
  • Resolution Options: More resolution options to accommodate different screen sizes and aspect ratios.
  • UI Scaling: The ability to adjust the UI size, especially on smaller screens.
  • Cheat Codes/Unlock All Scenarios: A cheat code to unlock all scenarios for quicker access to content.
  • Pause While Building: The ability to pause the game while building to avoid time pressure in scenarios.
  • More Parks/Scenarios: Requests for new parks, including Six Flags and European parks.

Strengths and Positive Aspects

  • Faithful Port: Users appreciate that the game is a faithful recreation of the original RollerCoaster Tycoon experience.
  • Nostalgia: The game evokes strong feelings of nostalgia for players who grew up with the original PC version.
  • Touch Controls: The touch controls are generally well-implemented and make the game playable on mobile devices.
  • Content: The game includes a vast amount of content, including hundreds of rides, shops, and scenarios.
  • Offline Play: The ability to play offline is a major plus for many users.
  • Value: Some users consider the game a good value for the amount of content it offers.
  • Customer Service (Sometimes): A few users reported positive experiences with Atari's customer service, receiving codes for the new version after the old one stopped working.
  • Mouse Support: Some users appreciate the ability to use a mouse on mobile devices.

Prioritized Action Recommendations

High Priority:

  • Fix Crashing Issues: Investigate and fix the frequent crashes reported by users. This is the most critical issue affecting playability.
  • Resolve Purchase/Entitlement Problems: Implement a reliable system for restoring purchases and ensuring that users who bought the game and DLCs in the past can access them on new devices or after updates. Offer clear communication and support for affected users.
  • Fix Inability to Change Park Admission Price: Address the bug that prevents users from setting an entrance fee, as this significantly impacts gameplay.

Medium Priority:

  • Implement Cloud Saves/Cross-Device Syncing: Add cloud save functionality to allow users to sync their progress across multiple devices.
  • Restore Missing Features: Consider adding features from the original PC game that are missing in the mobile version, such as a free play mode.
  • Fix Toolkit Import/Export Issues: Repair the broken import/export functionality in the Toolkit expansion.
  • Address Resolution Issues: Provide more resolution options and ensure the game scales correctly on different screen sizes.

Low Priority:

  • UI Scaling Options: Add the ability to adjust the UI size, especially on smaller screens.
  • Cheat Codes/Unlock All Scenarios: Consider adding a cheat code to unlock all scenarios.
  • Pause While Building: Implement a pause function during building.
  • More Parks/Scenarios: Create new parks and scenarios as DLC.

Opportunities for Startup Ideas

  • Nostalgia-Focused Mobile Game Porting Service: A company specializing in porting classic PC games to mobile with a focus on maintaining authenticity, fixing bugs, and providing excellent customer support regarding purchase entitlements.
  • Cross-Platform Save Game Solution: A service that provides a universal save game system for mobile games, allowing players to seamlessly transfer their progress between different devices and platforms.
  • Mobile Game UI/UX Enhancement Tools: A suite of tools that help developers optimize the UI/UX of mobile games for different screen sizes and input methods (touch, mouse, keyboard).

Trends and Observations

  • Nostalgia is a Major Driver: Many users are drawn to the game because of their fond memories of playing the original PC version.
  • Repurchasing Issue Creates Negative Sentiment: Being forced to repurchase the game and DLCs is a significant source of frustration and negative reviews.
  • Technical Issues Persist Over Time: Some bugs, such as the Toolkit import/export issue, have been reported for years, suggesting a lack of ongoing maintenance.
  • Desire for Authenticity: Users appreciate the faithful port but also want features from the original PC game to be included.
  • Importance of Customer Support: Positive customer support experiences can mitigate negative sentiment caused by technical issues.

Conclusion

RollerCoaster Tycoon® Classic is a popular game that successfully captures the nostalgia and core gameplay of the original PC version. However, technical issues, particularly crashes and purchase entitlement problems, are significantly impacting the user experience. Addressing these issues is crucial for maintaining a positive reputation and preventing further negative reviews. Implementing requested features, such as cloud saves and a free play mode, would further enhance the game and increase user satisfaction. Overall, prioritizing bug fixes, purchase restoration, and feature enhancements is essential for the long-term success of RollerCoaster Tycoon® Classic.

Original App Link

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.atari.mobile.rctclassic