# Roller Coaster Tycoon or Sim Coaster?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roller-coaster-tycoon-or-sim-coaster/221047>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [December 25, 2003, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roller-coaster-tycoon-or-sim-coaster/221047 "2003-12-25T21:07:45Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Duderdude2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cdc98d/32.png) [@Duderdude2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duderdude2)\
**Post date:** [December 27, 2003, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roller-coaster-tycoon-or-sim-coaster/221047/21 "2003-12-27T02:24:47Z")

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SolGrundy, are you sure you’re talking about the same game? Sim ThemePark, in the US, was the 2nd in the series. Then came the sequel, which was named to Sim Coaster.

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**Author:** ![Duderdude2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cdc98d/32.png) [@Duderdude2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duderdude2)\
**Post date:** [December 27, 2003, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roller-coaster-tycoon-or-sim-coaster/221047/22 "2003-12-27T02:30:04Z")

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To clarify, Sim Coaster is the third in the series.

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**Author:** ![SolGrundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbce88/32.png) [@SolGrundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SolGrundy)\
**Post date:** [December 27, 2003, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roller-coaster-tycoon-or-sim-coaster/221047/23 "2003-12-27T06:43:40Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Duderdude2 \*  
> \*\*SolGrundy, are you sure you’re talking about the same game? Sim ThemePark, in the US, was the 2nd in the series. Then came the sequel, which was named to Sim Coaster. \*\*

Oops, you’re right. _Sim ThemePark_ in the US was _Theme Park World_ in the UK (I’m pretty sure). I actually haven’t played _SimCoaster_, because I was so unimpressed with the first one and didn’t see any substantial differences in the new version. If the coaster-building hasn’t been made more sophisticated in the newer version, my complain still stands.

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**Author:** ![Duderdude2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cdc98d/32.png) [@Duderdude2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duderdude2)\
**Post date:** [December 27, 2003, 8:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roller-coaster-tycoon-or-sim-coaster/221047/24 "2003-12-27T08:23:06Z")

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I’ve played both, and Sim Coaster is a refined version of Sim Theme Park. It addresses several of the issues you mentioned, including Coaster design; however, it is still not a realistic simulator. However, that doesn’t mean there isn’t some strategy involved. If the ride moves too slowly (which it would if one didn’t design it with some physics in mind), it won’t rate highly on the thrill meter and thus won’t attract many people, etc. Back to the OP, you can’t go wrong with either game, we’re merely nitpicking about various nuances.

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**Author:** ![Civil\_Defense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Civil\_Defense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Civil_Defense)\
**Post date:** [December 27, 2003, 9:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roller-coaster-tycoon-or-sim-coaster/221047/25 "2003-12-27T09:10:26Z")

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RCT, hands down. Love it. 🙂

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