CoasterMania is bringing a sandbox rollercoaster experience to VR, arriving on Meta Quest later this year.
First revealed last September, CoasterMania feels like a rollercoaster game crossed with Cities: VR, where you’ll make physics-based rollercoaster courses before riding them in first-person mode. Created by solo developer Stephen Rogers, whose previous credits include Brushwork, he provided UploadVR this official description:
CoasterMania is a physics-based VR rollercoaster game where you create, ride, and share the roller coaster of your dreams! Use wacky contraptions and elements to fly through the sky, then experience your creation by jumping in the front seat. Once you’re done, you can then upload your coaster or experience community-made rides in online sharing.
I'm working on a VR game to create, ride, & share roller coasters!#VR #madewithunity #gamedevs pic.twitter.com/ikOUoJ0aTq
— CoasterMania (@CoasterManiaVR) September 1, 2022
We recently asked Rogers a few questions to learn more. Telling us prototyping work began in September 2021, CoasterMania fully entered development last August and it’s presently in closed beta. We’re told reception so far is great.
“I’ve been getting user feedback from an early access version of the game and most people really love the building mechanic,” he explains, also citing positive feedback with how rollercoaster carts can jump from one track to the next.
Currently, CoasterMania is a sandbox game only and Rogers’ reasoning is clear: “Out of the VR rollercoaster games I’ve seen out there, the vast majority don’t allow you to create anything,” he tells us, believing standard simulators get stale once all the rides have been ridden. “I wanted to make something that not only was fun to ride, but easy, fun and intuitive to build, giving players an infinite amount of replayability.” He also plans “on adding a puzzle/campaign mode in the near future.”
It doesn’t stop with VR, and mixed reality gameplay via a passthrough mode was recently confirmed. Asking what inspired this, Rogers says MR support came about “through a curiosity to see what riding a roller coaster would look like with that on.” Telling us he’s gotten comparisons to K’nex and marble track toys, it’s clear that Rogers feels passionate about CoasterMania. “It really feels like the toy I always wanted as a kid, but easier to build & without having to worry about cleaning it up afterwards.”
CoasterMania is currently aiming for a “Spring/Summer 2023” release window. Arriving on the Meta Quest platform via App Lab, you can apply to join the closed beta test through the official Discord server. When asked about CoasterMania coming to other platforms, Rogers tells us he’s focused on App Lab currently but doesn’t rule it out. “After the release and depending on the [critical] reception, I plan on adding support to more platforms down the line.”
