Summary
Building roller-coasters, zoos, and various theme parks is a treasured pastime for many PC gamers, especially for those who enjoyedgames in the 90sand early 2000s. Games such asTheme ParkandRollerCoaster Tycoonwere seminal entries in the genre, and although releases have slowed down since then, many developers have gone on to pay homage to these games.
These games typically fall under themanagement and simulation genres, specifically the business-sim, and task players with building and managing all manner of theme parks. This can range from a park full of dinosaurs, all the way to a classic roller-coaster park.
Updated Jul 27, 2025 by Harry Ted Sprinks:Theme park builders and management/tycoon games have proven to be exceptionally popular in the past. Games such as RollerCoaster Tycoonand the more recent Planet Coasterare just a couple of examples.
Unfortunately, despite the popularity of these games, there has been little in the way of innovation in recent years. Furthermore, these games are few and far between. Hopefully, games such as the upcoming Planet Coaster 2 will be able to breathe new life into the genre.
1Indoorlands
Interior Park Management
This unique park management game has players building a theme park indoors. In the game, players can build their own roller coasters and share them via the Steam Workshop. These rides are the main focus ofIndoorlands, but it remains a management game at its core.
In between building various rides, players will have to expand and manage their indoor amusement park. There are a variety of buildings to unlock and level up, as well as over a thousand decorations to customize the park with. However,Indoorlandsisn’t quite as in-depth as the other theme park builders on the market.
2Thrillville: Off The Rails
A Weird And Wacky Time Capsule
This wonderfully quirky gem from 2007 has become somewhat forgotten over the years, overshadowed by games such asRollerCoaster Tycoon. However,Thrillvilleis a tremendously streamlined and accessible management game that allows players to not only build and design their park but also walk around and interact with it.
Building and riding customizable rides is arguably the biggest joy ofThrillville.However, the game also featured a set of mini-games that distinguished it from the more complex management games of the time.Thrillvillefeatures over thirty of these mini-games, and although most of them are simple arcade games, they add short bursts of much-needed variety. However,Thrillville’sstreamlined gameplay comes at the cost of mechanical depth, and the game frequently limits the player in frustrating ways.
3Parkitect
A Nostalgic Homage
Thisnostalgic business-simtasks players with building and managing traditional theme parks.Parkitectfrequently hearkens to older theme park games such asTheme Parkand evenfeatures online co-opwith up to eight players, a particularly unique feature for the genre.
Parkitectgives players plenty of tools and options for creating the park they want; from deforming terrain and creating water to making use of the plethora of decorations,Parkitectis a highly flexible game that allows players to customize their park freely.
Although many might prefer the originalRollerCoaster Tycoon, and some may appreciate its aging 3D sequel,RollerCoaster Tycoon 3, this middle entry in the classic series is arguably the best.RollerCoaster Tycoon 2’scharming old-school graphicsand isometric perspective have helped it to age somewhat better than its 3D contemporaries.
RollerCoaster Tycoon 2is packed with old-school charm, and although more recent titles have arguably improved on the formula, this nostalgic theme park builder is still worth playing today for fans of the genre. Furthermore, the game can frequently be found at a relatively low price.
This nostalgic homage to the classic theme park builders of the 90s and early 2000s is a well-crafted re-imagining of those games. The slick 3D visuals, creative freedom, and solid management mechanics makePlanet Coastera brilliant game about building theme parks.
Planet Coastermakes it easy to build coasterswith creative freedom and even allows players to sculpt the landscape to create their ideal scenery. Furthermore,Planet Coasterfeatures Steam Workshop support, allowing players to share their creations with the community.
6Parkasaurus
A Dinosaur Theme Park Builder
This tycoon management game tasks players with building and managing their very own dinosaur theme park, complete with tools for designing and building exhibits.Parkasaurusalso features over 24 different dinosaurs, and the game’s cute and colorful aesthetic and tone providea warm and cozy atmosphere.
Parkasaurusis great for fans of theme park games and dinosaurs alike, simultaneously providing players with plenty of creative freedom and strong park management mechanics. However, players will also have to prevent their dinosaurs from escaping and attacking their guests.
This sequel to 2018’sJurassic World Evolutionis an improvement on the original in more ways than one.Jurassic World Evolution 2is the perfect theme-park building and management game for fans of theJurassic Parkfranchise, but it stands on its own as a game even without its borrowed IP.
Jurassic World Evolution 2even features a campaign mode, complete with voice acting. However, what’s likely to keep players engaged isJurassic World Evolution 2’sdeep management and creative tools, as well as the dinosaurs themselves. Furthermore,Jurassic World Evolution 2features over 75 different dinosaurs, making it a great game for fans of prehistoric creatures.
Special Mention: Planet Coaster 2
The originalPlanet Coasteris an extremely well-crafted and highly popular love letter to old-school theme park builders such asRollerCoaster Tycoon. In a way, it delivers on the promise those early theme park builders had, bringing the gameplay of those iconic titles into the mainstream.
Planet Coaster 2aims to deliver an experience that further improves and modernizes the original’s formula. More notably, however,Planet Coaster 2is set to include new content in the form of new rides and water park elements.
