Frontier’s Planet Coaster Console offers you a brand new way to play Planet Coaster. It brings together everything that’s so great about the PC version and then adds and adjusts it to make it work for console gamers.

There’s a new controller friendly interface and menu, as well as a brand new tutorial. You’ll also notice some levels that were later additions to the PC version, as well as the Frontier Workshop, the studio’s very own system for sharing and downloading player creations.

However, despite the additions Planet Coaster still has somewhat of a steep learning curve. To help you out we’ve put together this beginner’s guide of everything you need to know to get started in Planet Coaster Console.

Learning The Basics

In an effort to make the game more user friendly there are three tools that you have to make things easier. These are a tutorial, a wide range of blueprints and on-screen button prompts. Here’s how to make best use of them.

The Tutorial

There is a tutorial level available when you first begin the game. We highly recommend playing through it, even if you have played on PC. It gives you a basic park and walks you through the things you need to know.

It covers the menu system, building rides, and paths, staff management, finances and more. If nothing else it will help you navigate the new menus, which are radial and group things together differently.

Blueprints

As part of the tutorial you’ll learn about blueprints. These can be incredibly helpful when you are starting out. As well as creating them you can also use the many pre-built blueprints the team added to the game.

A blueprint adds not just a ride but also scenery, making sure you have an area where guests will be happy to queue for your rides.

On-Screen Button Prompts

If you look at the screenshot above you’ll notice that the button prompts for the menus are on the screen. These are incredibly helpful for navigation, as it’s easy to get confused at times.

However, if you still struggle with navigation the game also has keyboard and mouse support, giving you an experience more in-line with the PC version.

Getting Started - Tips For Building Your Park

While it can seem overwhelming to create a park, there are a few hints and tips that can help you manage your finances and keep things in order. Here are some pointers to remember when building your park.

  • Start Slowly

If you build too much too quickly you’ll likely struggle as it can be difficult to fix issues with no capital to play with. You need to balance building with good management in order to keep the money flowing in. Build a ride or two then swap to checking guest thoughts, finances or staff. This way management problems don’t build up.

  • Listen To Your Guests

Guest thoughts are the most valuable thing in game. You can use them to set your prices and judge your parks popularity. A good way to maximize income is to slowly increase ride and entry prices until guests complain, then knock them back down a little.

  • Choose A Focus

Having a focus can really help you when it comes to getting more people in your park due to the way advertising works. For instance, choosing to focus on family-friendly rides means you can advertise in parenting magazines and hit the exact market you want. Since good marketing increases guests and more guests equal more money this is very worthwhile.

  • Add Scenery Where Possible

Scenery is something that often gets overlooked but it’s hugely important. The higher a queues scenery rating the more likely visitors are to be happy to stand in line and wait. They’ll also be happier to pay a little more since the overall experience is more enjoyable.

  • Restrict Your Vendors

Vendors can be a nightmare. They often take breaks and the wages of enough to cover your shops properly can be a huge cash drain. Instead choose a central location for a couple of food and drinks stands and use odd vending machines to suppliment them. Just make sure you have some mechanics set to stock the machines.

  • Add ATMs

ATMs mean your visitors have easy access to more cash. Placing them in strategic places such as near vendors or expensive rides will help increase cash flow.

  • Train Your Staff

Staff training can seem like a waste of money but it really isn’t. Training a staff member can hugely increase the amount of work they can do and the time they can work betweeen breaks. While the lump sum cost is larger initially it’s often cheaper than hiring extra staff to take on the extra load, especially when it comes to vendors and janitors.

  • Manage Staff

Certain tasks will need more attention than others. For example litter and vomit are the most problematic issues for Janitors. Having a staff member just assigned to these duties can help keep extra help in the areas it’s needed.

  • Always Add Coasters

Coasters bring in customers so make sure you always add one. If you’ve chosen to go family-friendly you can still add coasters, as there are plenty of different levels of intensity. Car rides or kiddy coasters are equally as popular as suspension coasters if your park is tailored to the right market.

Final Thoughts

The main thing to do is just enjoy the process. However, if you still feel overwhelmed there are a couple of other things you can do to gain inspiration and ideas.

The Frontier Workshop offers parks and creations to download. Looking at what other players have made can give you ideas and inspiration for your own builds. You can also use coaster blueprints to add some extras without having to worry about building.

If you prefer to build yourself head over to sandbox mode. Here you’ll be able to build and test coasters, learning how the mechanics work. If you create something you love it’s easy to add it into your main game by saving it as a blueprint and transfering it over.

We hope this tips help you to build your ultimate theme park in Planet Coaster Console.

NEXT: Rollercoaster Tycoon 3: Complete Edition Switch Review: This Old Rollercoaster Is Still Going Strong