Thunder Rock/Scenario Guide

Remember:

The Scenario Guide below is only a suggested strategy for completing this scenario—it may not work for all players.
The General Scenario Guide and Hints and Tips articles may also provide helpful information in completing this scenario.
There are usually multiple strategies to successfully completing a scenario; these can be discussed on the scenario's discussion page or written down in an existing or additional section of this article.

This is one of the few scenarios in the game where guests have a long walk to reach the rides, however this shouldn't be a big problem as there is also a chairlift. You might want to consider building roller coasters on top of the rock and smaller gentle and thrill rides in the desert. This can be quite a hard park (although Corkscrew Follies and Loopy Landscapes can be harder!). However, there is a lot that can be done here, and the guest goal is incredibly low for the time given.

Basically, this park has three areas for constructing: the top of the rock; the desert; and inside the rock. Start by removing the path on the top of the rock (just let the path that leads the chairlift exit, so the guests can walk up and walk down the rock only). Now, build some stalls and bathrooms in the park entrance and in the top of the rock. Fix the prices of everything.

You'll have to save some space in this park. Just know that the large area on the top of the rock must be kept mainly for rides like roller-coasters, aquatic rides and go-kart tracks, so build small gentle and thrill rides like merry-go-rounds, haunted houses, swinging ships and scrambled eggs in the desert. The inside of the rock can host a lot of roller coasters, so take advantage of this! Also, allow water rides to tunnel through the rock, as this will dramatically increase excitement ratings and save building space both above and below the rock. Build several, as water rides are popular in the desert and have high capacities, reducing the crowds on your paths.

You should build a small roller-coaster (powered launch) like Shuttle Loop right now in the rock's edge. It will give you more money, since your loan is only until $15,000. Build some small rides using the right side of the desert and add foothpaths (you can use some underground sections of the rock to build the foothpaths). When you have more money, make a bigger roller coaster on top of the rock.

Just keep on building small rides in the desert and big rides on the rock. An aquatic ride is very useful and popular in desert areas like this, and also a go-kart track will attract a lot of guests. If you want, you can add some desert trees in the desert and other trees on the rock to raise your park rating.

When you reach the desert area behind the rock, make another pathway (it can be underground if you want) connecting the rock with the desert. So, guests can walk up or down the rock without having to go to the other side. But keep in mind that climbing makes your guests tired, so add some plateaus with benches on the way up. At Year 2, you should have built the whole round in the desert around the rock. If you think it's better, add more pathways connecting the two areas. And of course, don't forget building stalls and bathrooms throughout the park.

Be sure to have enough staff members, since this park can have long paths to walk. Consider setting patrol areas for mechanics as well, so they don't get lost. Otherwise, they will have trouble when trying to reach a broken ride on the top of the rock but can't find a path that connects the desert to the rock.

Four years is a lot of time for getting 900 guests, so you can reach the number until Year 2. But you need this time to complete the scenario in a good way. If you are short on guests in Year 4, make some marketing campaigns, although this shouldn't be a problem if you have enough rides and have continued building throughout the scenario.

Assuming this is your last park in the game, you may want to try the following: In October of Year 4, build a Shuttle Loop, but don't open it. Change the launch speed from 40 to 60 mph. When you reach October 30th, click the amber (test) light on the ride. If done right, it will crash right as the scenario is completed, producing a firework-like show. Congratulations on beating the game!

Also note, if you build paths from ride exits inside of the rock, mechanics will struggle to reach them. You should fit about 3-4 rollercoasters on top and going into the rock, then build shuttle rides (corkscrew and steel).