Planet Coaster: Console Edition Reviews

Planet Coaster has arrived on consoles so get to crashing… I mean, building your coasters now! Here’s my review.

A Great Coaster Sim that Rides Well After Crossing a Steep Curve

Planet Coaster was a pleasant surprise, making the transition from PC to PlayStation 5 seamlessly. The control scheme is, by far, the most efficient and easy to use experience I’ve ever had with a controller in a simulation game. Everything about the game looks sleek and shiny, making your parks pleasant to look at and fun to build. Along with that, the customization options, like build-your-own rollercoasters and scenery or pre-made models, allow players to essentially pick their difficulty level, offering complex and simple solutions depending on the player’s preference. Planet Coaster is my new addiction, joining RollerCoaster Tycoon as one of my favorite simulation games.

Planet Coaster was originally released in 2016, as one of Frontier Developments’ first self-published titles, in a time when the company was increasing in size and overall relevance. It was basically a spiritual successor to their widely acclaimed theme park simulators in general, but most notably RollerCoaster Tycoon 3. It enjoyed widespread critical and commercial success, but it kept being a PC exclusive for more than four years. The game is finally out for consoles, and weirdly enough, ...

With a practiced expertise, Frontier has translated their fantastic coaster creator to the next-gen consoles without compromising the core qualities of what makes this game great. The radial menu and optional keyboard/mouse controls delivers theme park magic unlike any other, and once again claims its crown -- the king of coasters among mere tycoons.

If you’re a roller coaster aficionado, theme park sims don’t come much better than this. An incredible amount of work has gone into making Planet Coaster feel at home on console, and Frontier has done a commendable job of doing so without making sacrifices. It looks fantastic, performs admirably, and designing the park of your dreams has never been more enjoyable.

Joy, wonder and engrossing park management come together to spectacular effect in Planet Coaster: Console Edition. Frontier are masters of the park building art, and as we enter a new console generation that's never been clearer.