88 miles per hour
Since our own Patrick Hancock reviewed Planet Coaster last winter, the game seemed to fall off the radar. While the spotlight was off of them, the team has been hard at work, constantly adding new features and items to the already good game for free. However, not only did the 1.3.3 update on Friday add in more free content, it also added in the game’s first instances of paid DLC.
Hope you’re ready for a blast to the past, as Back to the Future, Knight Rider, and The Munsters have arrived in Planet Coaster.
The three DLC packs, or ‘Construction Kits,’ will run roughly the same price, and can be summarized as very similar contents. All three contain a themed kart for a ‘Speed’ karting track, various scenery pieces such as the variations of the DeLorean, a large sign of the logo for the franchise, and some themed FX pieces such as the iconic flame trail from hitting 88 miles per hour. Some set pieces are also included as well, such as city hall from the first Back to the Future movie.
Overall, the first DLC group leaves something to be desired, even from someone who isn’t an owner of the game. The vehicles being only for a specific attraction type limits how much use you can get out of the DLC (where are the coaster options!), and even the included items are missing some key content. For instance, the train from the third Back to the Future movie, which is featured at the Universal Orlando park, is not included.
I don’t want to sound too harsh here, but if the path for the DLC is going to be licensed content, then this needs to be done right. What’s featured at real life parks, if it has been at some point in time, should be included at the bare minimum, and it needs to have additions for a variety of ride types, not just one. Hopefully the developers learn from this, and improve future Construction Kits as a result.