Rails Review

Rails is a cerebral logic game for the iPad. It’s similar to other path drawing and timing games, but in a train setting. The player’s job is to build and manage train tracks, and to ensure that trains make it to the correct location.

The goal is to laydown train tracks so each train makes it to the station of the same color. When trains don’t make it to the correct color station, they backtrack. There is an incentive to be fast since the longer the game takes the less money players get. The only controls are tapping to place tracks, change traffic lights, or change the direction of tracks.

This game is pretty hard and definitely not a casual game. There are so many things that have to be accounted for it can be overwhelming. Thankfully, there is a tutorial with multiple parts that explains the various game mechanics. One mistake in my opinion is that the tutorial is not the first thing players go through, but rather it is in the level select menu.

Rails keeps things interesting during levels by adding traffic controls to the game. There are rail switches and traffics lights that can be added to tracks. They are also both very handy for avoiding crashes while using the same tracks for multiple trains.

The biggest deterrent from this game getting more downloads it its price. At $4.99, it’s on the more expensive end of the app store. I think it’s definitely worth its asking price, but considering there are so many cheaper apps, I hope people just don’t disregard it because Rails is definitely up there with some of the best timing and logic games, and it does include 60 levels.

Rails also includes a “Trainopedia” which details all of the various types of trains in the game. The trains range from handcars, to steam locomotives, and up to new electric locomotive trains. I really like that Rails also has a lot of fictional trains that make for more interesting game play, like the Kamikaze trains or “Crazy” trains that can’t stop. Thankfully, there is a demo level in which players can mess around and practice without worry.

Rails is a thought-provoking game. It requires timing skills, creativity, and logic. There are so many different factors that players have to consider when building tracks. Since there are multiple train types, it’s not a simple matter of dealing with uniform and consistent trains. With multiple trains having to make it to the correct station, things can difficult really quick. Anyone who enjoys thinking hard will enjoy Rails, but people who want a really easy to play casual game should probably look somewhere else.