RollerCoaster Tycoon 3 keeps on making my gaming delights. I am still in awe of Soaked!, yet a new expansion is already being announced.
“RollerCoaster Tycoon 3: Wild! adds an invigorating new dimension to the task of designing the perfect theme park. Not only could your guests find themselves hurtling towards a premature demise if a coaster is anything less than perfect, they now also run the risk of becoming tiger food in the process,” stated Cyril Voiron, Atari Europe’s Marketing Director. “Frontier have surpassed themselves again, adding a wealth of detail and new features, such as the Show Ride Editor, to create something far beyond what players normally expect from an expansion pack.”
Untamed animals are the major attraction in this expansion; finally, bears, giraffes, chimps, elephants, horses, ostriches, tigers and more (there are 20 species in total) will be making their 3D debut in the acclaimed RCT series. Be warned that animal wild behavior will come into play if you happen to place a gazelle in a lion-filled area.
You get to customize your own petting zoos and animal shows using the MixMaster tool, which means you get to have trainers and performing animals doing tricks (just like the whales and dolphins in Soaked!, now you have a lion tamer show). Then there’s the Show Ride tool that allows you to create your own Safari Train or Paddle-Steam Cruiser where peeps can observe the animals in their natural habitats. You will also find an old favorite entertainer, the Tiger.
Most animals will have to be in separate areas surrounded by tall fences. You will have to transform these areas into suitable habitats for the animals, much like in Zoo Tycoon. And just like in Zoo Tycoon, you can also breed the animals and have the option to sell the babies for a profit. To care for all the animals, we have a new NPC, the Animal Keeper. Oh, and you better take good care of your living attractions, since the Animal Protection Board will take them away if they are not provided proper conditions.
Of course, now your park visitors have the added risk of becoming a lion snack if things happen to go wrong. If an animal breaks out of his habitat, you get to shoot it with tranquilizer darts. In this “mini-game”, you fly in a helicopter with a sniper rifle of sorts, aiming at the escaped beast.
What more can you expect from this wild expansion pack? Nine brand new scenarios, more thrill rides, 8 new coasters, 18 flat ride designs, a gigantic ferris wheel, looping plane ride, eternal loop, dinosaur kiddie ride and a lot more. Animal-related content includes animal houses, the option to pick food and toys for them, and an additional 4 transport rides (SUV safari, paddle steamer, elephants and speedboats). New objects have been added to the Jungle and Prehistoric themes, specifically dinosaur animatronics and giant insects. The expansion also introduces new ways to generate more revenue for your park with more shops and the brand new billboards where you can place your own custom content.
An adventure-filled RollerCoaster Tycoon 3: Wild! will be the next addition to the RCT3 series and will bring you the magic and excitements of wild parks, zoos and safaris. This expansion is scheduled for release on October 25, 2005 and if you are a fan of the series, I’m sure you are already roaring in anticipation just like me.