Planet Coaster: 5 Best Tips for Beginners

Laying the foundations for a theme park that’s both profitable and good value for money certainly sounds easy on paper, but the fact is, Planet Coaster makes it so that even your undying efforts are frequently met with criticism and unwanted curveballs. Nothing a few quick tips won’t be able to rectify, mind you.

Anyway, if you have just found yourself lumbered with the keys to an untapped patch of land, then be sure to read on for a few starter tips to help turn that barren plot into a bustling bastion of pride.

5. Keep Your Guests and Staff Happy

In order to keep your employees content and pouring their hearts and souls into their work, you’re going to need to keep their morale levels as high as possible. To do this, you will need to do three things: build enough Staff Buildings, which will provide them with a place to regain their energy between shifts; train them, which will increase their productivity and overall happiness; and create individual curriculums, which will give them a sense of purpose, and halt them from aimlessly wandering around and allowing their energy levels to plummet. If you can keep on top of these three things, as well as offer regular pay increases to those trained to a higher standard, you’ll have yourself a fully functioning workforce in no time.

Guests are another story, as they tend to hawk over every single aspect of your business from the moment they arrive, to the second they leave. The good news is, you can check out what’s been bothering your guests by heading over to the main menu and selecting the Guests tab. Do yourself a favor and check this as often as possible, as its feedback will give you a deeper insight into what needs doing, and what will keep the business from collapsing. If there are complaints about the lack of amenities — build some. If people are complaining about the price of admission — lower it ever so slightly. Bottom line is, if your guests aren’t happy, then they won’t continue to fund your exploits, which will eventually result in bankruptcy and the foreclosure of your park.

4. Don’t Overdo It

It’s only natural to feel the urge to overdo it, as it is with any game that lets you create without limits. Having said that, building rollercoasters that defy the laws of gravity and generate nothing but everlasting nausea is a recipe for disaster, as guests, rather disappointingly, won’t have the courage to ride what’s likely to kill them. And you’ll be able to tell if rides are getting a little too extreme, too, if only by watching your guests generally steer away from the queue. If this starts to happen, then consider squelching it down a bit, if not to reduce the nausea levels, then to make it more appealing to a wider demographic.

Of course, if you’re looking to play it safe, then there’s always the option of selecting a pre-built coaster or track ride straight from the in-game catalog. If you’d rather go the extra mile, though, then just be aware of the consequences that come with it; guests don’t like to be sick, nor do they enjoy the idea of spending money on things that aren’t safe. Play it safe, is what we’re saying, otherwise you’ll wind up losing out on all that additional income.

3. Pace Yourself

Unless you’ve got an enormous wad of cash strapped under your belt and an easygoing staff that couldn’t care less whether you paid them in peanuts or juice boxes, you’re going to want to take things slow. As you’ll be starting out with a set amount of cash, you’re going to need to set your priorities straight; creating stores, toilets, and a Staff Building, to name just a few. And until the money starts rolling in by the boatload, you really shouldn’t push it, nor should you waste every last cent on next-level coasters without taking into account the building costs and maintenance fees.

It goes without saying that, if you build one too many things, then you can expect to see your fair share of breakdowns. To prevent this, aim to hire Engineers and have them patrol a certain section of your park by assigning them a curriculum. Just be aware that Engineers are some of the most expensive people you’ll have in your network, so don’t be afraid to put them to work and have them cover broader areas. If you can keep a couple of Staff Buildings wedged between attractions, then they’ll remain happy for the duration of their contracts.

2. Scenery Is Everything

It’s all well and good being able to build a sky-high coaster that touts ludicrously high speeds, but if it’s surrounded by nothing but barren wastelands and a worrying amount of litter and foot traffic, you’ll find that guests will do everything in their power to avoid riding it. Therefore, to prevent the guests from steering clear of your creations, aim to flesh out every new area with all kinds of ride and queue scenery, right down to the animatronics and vibrant floral tributes.

Like a lot of elements in Planet Coaster, you’ll find that the easiest way to understand if guests are happy or not is by highlighting the attractions and sliding through the tabs. At the bottom-right corner, you’ll notice that Ride Scenery plays a key part in the overall appeal, and should therefore be treated with caution. If you have the funds to spare, then decorate until your heart’s content; parks with more pizzazz are more likely to generate attention and, more importantly, higher revenue.

1. Promote, Promote, Promote!

If you have every intention of milking the cash cow for all its worth, then you’ll definitely want to spend whatever leftover cash you have on advertising. You can do this through the primary Park Management menu, in the Ad Campaigns section. Activating any of the available campaigns will automatically attract new guests to your park, and will elevate your reputation to new and exciting heights. Sure it’s a tad expensive, but it’ll definitely boost your park’s overall appeal and give the critics something to write home about.

Once you’ve launched an ad campaign, you’ll want to raise your attraction prices by a significant amount, if only to take full advantage of the sudden rise in popularity. Just note that, while it’s all well and good being able to squeeze the newcomers for all their worth, this should never be seen as the end-all solution.

So, what’s your take? Do you have any useful tips for Planet Coaster newcomers? Let us know your thoughts over on our socials here.