So what separates 3D Rollercoaster Rush from the original? Graphics and gameplay. 3D Rollercoaster Rush handily beats its two-dimensional sibling when it comes to the look of the game: Neatly-rendered scenes convey a sense of speed and exhilaration. Even the in-game audio and sound effects are measurably better in the 3D version.

All that aside, 3D Rollercoaster Rush really steals the show when it comes to gameplay. Whether it's the arc-shaped controller on the bottom left corner of the screen or the accelerometer-based navigation, 3D Rollercoaster Rush just feels that you're in control of the carts far more than in Rollercoaster Rush (which, I should add, has fairly good controls in its own right).

The game's three-dimensional design allows the developer to create tunnels and loop-the-loops that make you feel like you're in charge of an actual roller coaster--so much so, in fact, that I now sorely miss the fact that there isn't a first-person replay mode where you get to be one of the riders of the roller coaster and experience it from that perspective.

One other significant gameplay advantage the $5 3D Rollercoaster Rush enjoys over the $3 original is that you can actually see what the track just ahead of you is like, giving you a little time to slow down or speed up accordingly. Rollercoaster Rush requires you to adopt more of a trial-and-error approach, where you play a track once, memorize which parts would have required you to slow down the carts, and then have another go.

Should you buy Rollercoaster Rush? Absolutely. Though, in my opinion, 3D Rollercoaster Rush is worth the extra couple of bucks, as its gameplay, graphics, performance, price, and entertainment value are simply unparalleled.