OpenRCT2

OpenRCT2 began in 2014 as a project to reverse-engineer and reimplement RollerCoaster Tycoon 2, aiming to fix bugs and add features that the original lacked. The project is community-driven and hosted on GitHub, with contributions from dozens of developers. It requires the original game's data files (or those from RollerCoaster Tycoon 1 via conversion) to run, ensuring legal compliance. The first stable release, 0.1.0, arrived in 2016, and the project has since seen continuous updates, including multiplayer support, improved pathfinding, and a scripting API.¹

OpenRCT2 retains the core gameplay of building and managing amusement parks, but adds numerous enhancements: support for modern resolutions and widescreen displays, a built-in cheat menu, and the ability to run scenarios from both RCT1 and RCT2. It introduces a multiplayer mode that allows up to 255 players to collaborate or compete in the same park, a feature absent from the original. The game also includes a powerful scripting engine (using JavaScript) for custom scenarios and automation, and it improves the user interface with features like drag-and-drop object selection and a more flexible tile inspector.²

OpenRCT2 is written in C++ and uses SDL2 for cross-platform graphics and input. It emulates the original game's logic while rewriting the rendering pipeline to support hardware acceleration. The project maintains compatibility with the original save files and scenarios, ensuring that existing player content works seamlessly. It also supports custom content, such as new rides and scenery, through an object system that extends the original's format. The codebase is modular, allowing for active development and testing, and it is distributed under the GNU General Public License v3.³

Beyond the headline features, OpenRCT2 includes several niche capabilities: it can import parks from RollerCoaster Tycoon 1, including the original scenarios and saved games, via a conversion tool. The game's multiplayer mode supports a 'desync' detection system that keeps clients in sync, a complex technical challenge. The project also maintains a 'classic' mode that disables new features to replicate the original experience exactly. Additionally, OpenRCT2 has been ported to run on the Nintendo Switch and Android devices, and it supports a plugin system that allows for custom ride physics and AI behaviors. The community has created thousands of custom scenarios and objects, and the game is used in academic research on player behavior and simulation.

Reverse-engineering

The process of analyzing a compiled program to understand its structure and functionality, often to recreate or modify it.

Multiplayer

A mode that allows multiple players to interact within the same game world simultaneously.

Scripting API

An interface that allows users to write scripts to control or extend game functionality.