Roller Coaster Game

Roller Coaster Game is a side-view coaster builder: lay track across a grid from the start station to the end station, then send a train of three cars and six riders around it. The train follows simple energy physics, so a good ride flies over hills and through loops, and a bad one runs out of speed and rolls back. Play this roller coaster game free in your browser, with no download, on a computer or phone.

How to play

Pick a piece from the toolbar, then tap a column or drag across several to fill them. Every piece starts at the height where the previous one ended, and a dashed line shows where the next piece will begin.

• Flat keeps the same height. Up and Down change it by one row, and a steep Drop falls two rows.
• Hill is a small camelback bump. Loop is a vertical loop that needs two empty rows above it.
• Lift is a chain lift that pulls the train up two rows at a steady crawl.
• Brake slows a fast train down to walking pace.

The track must fill every column, stay above the ground and below the top of the grid, and finish at the end station’s height. The top bar shows your end height and turns it red if your finished track misses. Then press Ride. Edit keeps your design, so you only fix what went wrong.

The physics, simply

Height is stored energy. Going down turns height into speed, and climbing turns speed back into height. Friction and air drag drain a little energy all the time, so without a chain lift the train never climbs back as high as it started. So a low start station needs a Lift.

A loop needs speed at the top. Here the train must still be doing about 5.4 m/s at the top of the loop, or it cannot get round and rolls back out. If the train stops on any climb it rolls backwards, and if it slows to a stop on flat track it stalls. Crest a hill fast and the riders float out of their seats: that is airtime.

The scream meter

The three faces in the top bar show how the riders feel. They smile at a steady speed, throw their arms up during airtime and at the finish, and scream when things get wild. The scream meter fills when the train is too fast in the wrong place:

• over 20 m/s at the bottom of a steep Drop, into the Brakes or into a loop
• over 12 m/s into the end station
• over 25 m/s anywhere

If the meter tops out, the ride stops and the riders’ hair stands on end. Nobody gets hurt.

Challenges and stars

There are 12 challenges, from a first gentle drop to a grand coaster with a lift, a loop and two hills. Some add a ridge or a mountain to build over, and some require loops or hills. Each challenge has three stars:

• Reach the end station with every required loop and hill.
• Land the thrill score inside the target range.
• Keep the track cost within the budget.

The thrill score adds the meters the train drops, 40 points per second of airtime, 15 per loop and the top speed in m/s. Any star unlocks the next challenge, and your stars and designs are saved in your browser. Sandbox mode gives you 16 columns with no goals, the end station moves to wherever your track finishes, and three save slots keep your favorite designs.

Tips

• Lift, then drop. A Lift leaves the train crawling at the top, so follow it with a Down or a Drop straight away.
• Height before a loop. Two Drops before a loop usually give enough speed. Three in a row can be too fast at the bottom.
• Brake late. Put Brakes near the end so the train is slow at the station but does not stall on the way.
• Drops are cheap. One Drop costs less than two Downs for the same fall.

FAQ

Is the Roller Coaster Game free?

Yes. It is free to play with no account and nothing to install.

Does it work on phones?

Yes. Tap or drag across the columns to build. The game area does not scroll the page while you play. On a keyboard, keys 1 to 9 pick pieces and Space starts the ride.

Why did my train roll back?

It ran out of speed on a climb or near the top of a loop. Start the drop from higher up, add a Lift, or make the climb smaller.

Want more? Try Bridge Builder to design truss bridges for cars and trucks, or Train Game to switch tracks and send trains to the right stations.