'Train Conductor': It's Flight Control on Rails
posted by Blake Patterson on December 28th, 2009 12:49 PM EST in $1.99, $3.99, 4 stars, Reviews, Time Management, iPhone games, iPod touch games
iPhone developer The Voxel Agents has recently released Train Conductor [App Store], a pick-up chaos management game that should get the attention of Flight Control and Harbor Master fans.
Train Conductor, like the other aforementioned titles, involves safely getting a series of vehicles to their designated destination. In this game, the vehicles in question are trains and, as such, it's not a matter of drawing an arbitrary path to said destination, but routing the trains from track to proper track.
Each screen is filled with up to five, numbered, parallel train tracks. After a brief warning signal, numbered trains enter the screen along these track — in both directions — and the task at hand is to draw connecting tracks to get each train to its designated track. A tap on any train stops it on its track, and a fast-forward control allows for moving the game along when all on-screen trains are sorted. It sounds like a more simple take on the formula than that of the better known time management games in the App Store — and in a way, it is — but as the developer's video illustrates, things can get hectic pretty fast.
In all, there are eight progressively harder levels across four Australian locales. Certain levels feature a few twists, such as especially long and fast Gold Rush Trains, Demon Trains, and even Ghost Trains in the Graveyard Shift mode where spectral trains don't collide and action ramps up fast. Plus+ network integration tracks global awards and leaderboards.
See the developer's demonstration video to feel the action.
iPhone gamers on the go will find Train Conductor to be a game particularly well-suited to quick, pick-up play sessions. It's right into the action and in moments you're in the heat of the connecting track shuffle. In assessing the game for this writeup, I found it hard to put down and expect to spend some real just-for-fun time with Train Conductor over the next few months.
App Store Link: Train Conductor, $1.99 (limited time)
TouchArcade Rating:
first.
cool
cause for celebration! the first post in a week with any real content!
This is because the App Store was closed to developers the past week. Now the flood gates will be let loose…although honestly, most devs should have had their apps in place for the Christmas giftcard season by now. I've already blown through nearly $100 in cards and have more left to burn. Heh.
Lame comment!
The last few articles belong to the best EVER seen in here.
Hey this actually looks like fun..
Off to buy it now! Was it $1.99 or $3.99
its ok. buy only if ur obsessed with trains.
I don't really like trains but this app is awesome.
I don't really like apps, but these trains look awesome.
I'm not really trained to look at awesome apps.
I don't really look awesome with my untrained abs!
(Are we all playing Chinese whispers or is it just me??)
Disagree! You don't have to be obcessed with planes to like Flight Control
Or with cow dung to like Fly Control
Or with cargo containers to like Harbour Master (note correct spelling)
Or with amoeba to like Aqua Globs
Or with monolths to like Astroserf
Or with zebras to like Lion Pride
Or with 70s WW2 movies to like 33rd Division
The list goes on, but you get the idea. This game is a truckload of fun.
Can't wait for the inevitable complaints about the game being "on rails".
Enjoying this so far.
I hope the developer will update this game with new levels!
It would be great to drive traina in non-parallels tracks too!
The game is not so simple as it could seem, but with cross-rails it would be more interesting and addictive!
I've wasted so much time playing the game… It's very addictive! Buy at your own peril.