Planet Coaster is a game about designing and managing a roller coaster theme park. The player has access to a large environment where the landscape can be sculpted to create a custom park, including shaping mountains, digging lakes and tunnels, or creating floating islands in the sky. Parks and environments can be designed down to the details around specific themes such as aliens, Westerns, or a medieval setting.
The game allows players to design custom roller coaster rides using an extensive amount of components, including special effects, characters, and vehicles. The park must also be managed to attract guests and provide services, making sure they remain happy and the staff and finances are managed effectively to make the park profitable. Guests' responses can be measured to alter ride speeds and G-forces, making them more exciting or calming. Every building or service in the game can be designed in a custom way, from shops to ticket booths.
The game offers two main modes: Sandbox and Challenge mode. In Sandbox, players have unlimited money and everything is unlocked from the start, while in Challenge, finances must still be managed. There is also a Career mode with a series of short scenarios that offer specific goals to complete using shared ride, scenery, and park blueprints created by other players.