I don't know why I neglected to write this review back in June of 2002 like I should have--oh yeah, come to think of it, it was because I was having WAY TOO MUCH FUN playing this game!! After having demo'd the original ROLLERCOASTER TYCOON (yes, with all of its expansion packs) and getting majorly addicted to it in early-2002, I was at the Tacoma Mall on the morning of June 5th to purchase the eagerly-anticipated ROLLERCOASTER TYCOON 2. Now that I realize that I haven't played it in awhile (and being rather shocked that the price has already plummetted to ten bucks), here's my belated scoop on it: IT ROCKS!
Sure, it does seem kind of similar to the original; nevertheless, it gives you a much greater opportunity to build the park of your dreams MUCH faster than the first edition. Now you don't have to worry so much about that pesky tree here & there; the game's "brain" figures out the little annoying logistical details for you! That makes it much easier to plop down pre-existing rides, as well as to create your own. Also, the varied pre-built coasters (there's many more of them this time around) come with their own paths (which you are free to change once you plop them down); again, this saves a lot of time!
The variety of rollercoasters is much more up-to-date: in addition to the regular Steel-Looping, Inverted and Corkscrew designs from the first game, we now get the Boomerang Shuttle designs (in both regular and Inverted form), Floorless, Flying, Lay-Down, Hyper, Hyper-Twisting and EVEN the Multi-Dimensional Coaster (a la "X" at Six Flags Magic Mountain).  You also have much more flexibility when it comes to designing your own rides.  In ROLLERCOASTER TYCOON 2, you call the shots now more than ever! Now, if they only allow us to ride our own coasters and give us a 3-D design for ROLLERCOASTER TYCOON 3 when it comes out...
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED, ESPECIALLY FOR SIM BUFFS
I don't know why I neglected to write this review back in June of 2002 like I should have--oh yeah, come to think of it, it was because I was having WAY TOO MUCH FUN playing this game!! After having demo'd the original ROLLERCOASTER TYCOON (yes, with all of its expansion packs) and getting majorly addicted to it in early-2002, I was at the Tacoma Mall on the morning of June 5th to purchase the eagerly-anticipated ROLLERCOASTER TYCOON 2. Now that I realize that I haven't played it in awhile (and being rather shocked that the price has already plummetted to ten bucks), here's my belated scoop on it: IT ROCKS! Sure, it does seem kind of similar to the original; nevertheless, it gives you a much greater opportunity to build the park of your dreams MUCH faster than the first edition. Now you don't have to worry so much about that pesky tree here & there; the game's "brain" figures out the little annoying logistical details for you! That makes it much easier to plop down pre-existing rides, as well as to create your own. Also, the varied pre-built coasters (there's many more of them this time around) come with their own paths (which you are free to change once you plop them down); again, this saves a lot of time! The variety of rollercoasters is much more up-to-date: in addition to the regular Steel-Looping, Inverted and Corkscrew designs from the first game, we now get the Boomerang Shuttle designs (in both regular and Inverted form), Floorless, Flying, Lay-Down, Hyper, Hyper-Twisting and EVEN the Multi-Dimensional Coaster (a la "X" at Six Flags Magic Mountain). You also have much more flexibility when it comes to designing your own rides. In ROLLERCOASTER TYCOON 2, you call the shots now more than ever! Now, if they only allow us to ride our own coasters and give us a 3-D design for ROLLERCOASTER TYCOON 3 when it comes out... HIGHLY RECOMMENDED, ESPECIALLY FOR SIM BUFFS