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REViEW: Trainyard (iPhone & iPod)

Posted on 21. Jul, 2010 by admin in Featured, Review

UPDATE 1

Who loves developers that make cool apps and then keep making them better? We do!

Matt Rix has made an amazing app (read original review below) and has just made it better.

In one sweep he’s added:

+ Over 40(!) new hard puzzles
+ Streamlined the tutorial process, including adding a “skip tutorial” button
+ Added “Colour blind mode” in options
+ Tweaked the colours to make them stand out from each other(orange+red, etc.)
+ Numerous UI improvements
+ Fast app switching support
+ Removed grunge effect
+ Enhanced track drawing to make it slightly easier

UPDATE 2
Since the last update Matt Rix has launched a ‘prequel’ to Trainyard app called ‘Trainyard Express‘, with 60 puzzles and its FREE. Our advice, get both, NOW!

The Numbers

Graphics

Sounds

Overall

Game Play

Interface

THE DETAILS

The Words

I thought if I reviewed anymore puzzle apps my mind would explode, but Trainyard seemed too good to pass up.

Trainyard is packed with 100 main puzzles and over 40 bonus puzzles. The goal is simple: direct the correct coloured trains to their corresponding station by drawing tracks for them to run on. The twists are nice: rocks, track switching, joining/timing same coloured train to intersect at the same time, combining two coloured trains to make another colour, track space limit. Very few apps are this well thought-out.

While theres no time limit or such challenge, this doesn’t really matter. In fact it’s nice not to have it. The trade-off for this is you’re able to post you answers and compare with other people to see who has the best set-up. It might be nice to see how many tracks each person has laid.

In all I can’t really fault anything major here, except maybe the tutorial goes on a bit long… and by a bit long I mean I had grown a beard by the time I had finished. Also, laying down the tracks can sometimes be a little haphazard, especially for the big-fingered. One other little sticking point (though it’s small) is I, like a lot of people, am colour blind. The orange and red confuses me!

Besides its great game play, originality and in-depth concept, the graphics are great. I know a lot of people prefer a lot more bells and whistles (train pun, oh yeah!) in their app, but sometimes it just distracts. Graphics must consider a healthy dose of design, and this app is one that nails it. They perfectly sync with a slick game that’s bound to be a huge hit. (Get it soon, the price is said to be going up!)

UPDATE 2
Since this post Matt Rix has launched a ‘prequel’ to Trainyard app caled ‘Trainyard Express‘, with 60 puzzles and its FREE. Our advice, get both, NOW!

Tags: iPhone, Matt Rix, Puzzle

Reviewed by: admin

The admin behind the voice behind the people behind it all... not one voice but many... follow those voices on The AppVader Twitter Feed.