Most folks would probably agree that amusement parks and riding rollercoasters are fun. But 20 years ago a game hit PCs that put the power of design at player’s fingertips – RollerCoaster Tycoon.

The game, which first arrived in March 1999, was designed by Chris Sawyer. Sawyer had previously worked for other companies on games such as Elite Plus, Frontier: Elite II and Transport Tycoon. The success of Transport Tycoon spurred him to create a second simulation title, which would become RollerCoaster Tycoon. The game was focused on rollercoasters and amusement parks so that Sawyer could “research” the subject… by riding a lot of coasters and going to a lot of amusement parks. The working title for the game was originally White Knuckle, though this was changed in order to create a tradition of Tycoon titles.

RollerCoaster Tycoon features a set of scenarios that players must complete in order to essentially “win” the game (though parks can continue to be played and expanded upon even after a scenario is completed). The challenge comes from within the scenarios, which all have sets of requirements in order to complete. Players must balance their revenue streams while also making sure that their visitors remain entertained, fed, and informed of the goings-on in the park.

The game featured two expansion packs, Corkscrew Follies and Loopy Landscapes, both of which would eventually be included in a complete version, RollerCoaster Tycoon Gold. The title was positively received upon release, with much of the praise going to how easy it was to design some truly wacky rides and the seemingly endless possibilities present in doing so. It picked up a handful of awards from publications that called it their “Strategy Game of the Year,” and would go on to sell more than 4 million copies worldwide. The success has eventually allowed RollerCoaster Tycoon to become a franchise, with several direct sequels and spinoffs.