Fun 1983 game where you control the routing of trains around a rail network by switching points, making sure to avoid derailments and collisions. You also have to stop the trains at stations before they overfill with passengers (if only that happened in real life). "Thomas the Tank Engine" is quite a similar idea, but perhaps this earlier game is even more enjoyable than that one, if somewhat graphically simpler.
There is no scrolling here as the entire rail map has been adeptly squeezed into a single speccy screen. This is rather reminiscent of a model train set with as much track as possible squeezed onto the board. There are a variety of difficulty levels with the easiest consisting of just a single train, up to three player-controlled trains plus the added hinderance of frieght trains on your network. There's also a turntable subgame.
Sound consists of whistle effects and the white-noise "chug-chugging" of trains. The key controls consist of letters of the alphabet mapped to the various points, labelled on-screen. Keys 1, 2 & 3 command each of the (up to) three trains to stop at the next station. SPACE pauses the action.
Also, the player has the choice of two different track layouts by loading the corresponding program, "tracka" or "trackb". Overall it's a game that whilst fun can get considerably difficult on the higher levels and also has quite a bit of long-term playability.
1983 - Microsphere (UK)
A pearl from 1983.
Why do these simple games appeal so much to me? Maybe because they let your your imagination flow .
You work in a major railway as an operations manager your job is to maintain the train circulation flowing without any problems.
Pressing the letters on screen will let you change the trains course, pressing 1,2 or 3, depending on the train colour will stop the train when it arrives to a station. Avoid collisions and full stations.
The game is really challenging and will test your reflexes and your speed response abilities for sure.
