Coaster Crazy Deluxe (Hands-On) (Wii U) Preview

This new Wii U eShop title was somewhat of a mystery on the day of testing over at the Eurogamer Expo recently, since the person showing it off had just been assigned to the pod without being given any knowledge of the game whatsoever and thus nothing was relayed before the hands-on session began. Therefore, it was a case of going in blind and hoping for the best. A little post-play research threw up how Frontier is actually the team behind the intriguing rollercoaster ride simulation (with a comical twist), and that this is an updated version of the immensely popular Crazy Coaster from mobile phones. The plot thickens!

The basics from playing for around fifteen minutes or so were that this is a simple case of pick a section of land and construct the most amazing ride possible for the crazy customers that want the thrill of their lives. The use of the GamePad was key to everything, from tight stylus controls used to place items around and push, pull, twist around the track elements as much as desired, to the ability to lift the GamePad and get a different viewpoint as the customers take a test ride, and as far as shaking the controller to even make them feel sick or launch them - ejector seat style - out and upwards. Everything worked smoothly and seemed an ideal fit for Nintendo's control system.

Appropriately enough, the customers are called 'Crazies' and keeping them happy is the name of the game, with players encouraged to craft the fastest, wackiest, scariest, most dangerous of rides possible in order to earn in-game currency. Each customer has a different requirement, so ensuring that rollercoasters are built to satisfy everyone is no mean feat. Unfortunately, whilst promising, the limited time with this demo version meant that the full experience could not really be absorbed. Coaster Crazy Deluxe, which reportedly sports new features and two new zones for this Wii U eShop iteration, is certainly the type of title that benefits from having more time spent with it to truly appreciate the nuances of its gameplay. With the promise of online leaderboards, sharing rollercoaster creations, and more, Frontier could well deliver the goods with this improvement on what was already a highly rated release.