151: The Train Game

Number 151
The Train Game
YS Top 100: 95

It's not Railroad Tycoon, but it's certainly a challenge for any train fans.

Your task is to guide one or more trains to different stations to collect passengers, before those passengers get tired of waiting, and before the platforms get too crowded. You do this by changing points in the railway network, of which there are 26 (one for each letter of the alphabet). Starting with one trains, it's necessary to learn the layout by heart to figure out how to get your trains around the track in the most efficient way, but the game gets even better by adding more trains to deal with, and even non-passenger trains to get in your way. Once you've mastered that, however, the developers even included a second layout on the cassette to play instead, so there's a lot of lasting appeal - for those who enjoy it.

I had a hard time figuring out the route to get to the stations, so I didn't get very far - perhaps if I spent a bit more time working out the best path, I would improve. It feels a lot like the modern game Train Valley, though you're only dealing with passengers here. I do like it, though it might not be to everyone's taste.

16K - Yes
48K - Yes
128K - Yes