Planet Coaster 2 Thrill Seekers Attraction Pack DLC Review: Minimal Thrills

Planet Coaster 2 Thrill Seekers Ride Pack DLC Review

One of my biggest disappointments in 2024 gaming was the release of Planet Coaster 2. Not that the game was released, mind you. I was excited about that. The problem was that the game was released in a suboptimal and unfinished state. There were a lot of mistakes. Some items and tools were actually more complicated to use than in the original. There were new unnecessary complications and, in some areas, fewer options or missing content. While the variety of new types of roller coasters and water attractions was positive, the previous vast catalog of add-on packages and attractions was not compatible. While this means the developer can endlessly sell new content, players with a significant investment in the Planet Coaster DLC are out of luck. In any case, the first major update for Planet Coaster 2 was released on December 12. At the same time, the game's first paid DLC, the Thrill Seekers Ride Pack, also hit digital shelves.

It's a bit like the situation with Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024. However, in that case, almost all add-ons from the 2020 version work in the new version.

A literal handful of attractions

Of course, the game's first major update is free and we'll get to that. The Thrill Seekers Ride Pack costs $9.99 and includes five rides: two new coasters and three flat rides. The roller coasters are the family-friendly LIM launch coaster, Vector, and the more extreme spinning coaster called Big M's Rides. Both coasters come with a blueprint to create original versions.

The three flat attractions are 540, Whirlpool and Strike. All three attractions are variations on how to spin guests in one way or another. Aside from the rides, there are no new rides, stalls or scenic/themed elements. The Thrill Seekers Ride Pack is also included in the $79 Premium Edition of Planet Coaster 2. Since the Premium Edition only includes two DLCs, the add-ons actually cost further as part of the package. The biggest new elements of Planet Coaster 2 are the water park features, so it's a little disappointing that the new package doesn't include any new water attractions.

The solution is in

Whether or not they pay for the new content, all players will benefit from the game's 1.0 update. The list of bug fixes is too long to repeat, but they address at least some of the game's most glaring or frustrating issues. What is perhaps more interesting are the changes and additions, many of which are the result of player feedback (i.e. complaints). For example, attractions now have separate loading and unloading platforms, the lack of which was a huge downgrade from the original. New scenic elements include clear glass, a new roller coaster stand and fireworks.

One complaint players had regarding the game's flumes and water slides was that guests moved very unrealistically when riding them. The update has added some physics-based realism to the way riders move back and forth on tubes and slides. While we're on the topic of canals, they can now be opened to guests no matter how deadly the outcome. Do you want to guide your riders towards a shocking collision with concrete? Do it. YouTubers who specialize in creating mayhem-filled versions of the Planet Coaster and Planet Zoo parks will love this.

thin pickins

While I appreciate the changes and fixes that come with Update 1, I can't help but feel that many of them should have been fixed before release. I'll go further and say that the few new attractions should have been free, a token of appreciation to consumers who patiently played the first few issues of the game. The DLC packs for Planet Coaster were much more generous than the basic Thrill Seekers Pack. The five included rides are fine and can be used in a variety of parks, but there's nothing special about them. Developer Frontier needs to really polish the base game before asking for more money from players.