Even though Thomas The Tank Engine was created for kids, this is not at all a game exclusively for them. It is a racing game which pits you, Thomas, Percy, Gordon, Bill, Toby James, Ben and Bertie, against another train from the popular television show in a race to the finish. But it isn't as simple as throwing some coal in the old engine and being the fastest one to reach the finish. There are all kinds of obstacles in your way that will make your race very nerve racking.
From bent rails, dead ends, water and other trains, this game is like a rat race with the best rat hopefully being the player. There are four different tracks (Main Line, Postal Way, Waterway, and Wood Glade) and an Easy or Hard difficulty option Every train drives a different way, burns fuels at different rates and has different top speeds.
The graphics are very pixelated but it isn't too hard to see what you are doing. The colors are good and all of the engines are recognizable. The sound effects are not stellar, but there really isn't any sound needed to play the game and enjoy it as well. The gamer can shut it completely off if the whirs and beeps are annoying and still enjoy
a great gaming experience.
Now for the game play: It just doesn't seem like a little kid would really like this game. It takes patience, and you have to keep track of how much fuel you have left, where your opponent is on the track, on top of trying not to be on the wrong side of the track and have to reverse and find a new way. It's a kids game that the adult ends up playing. With the great visuals, though, the kids will probably still like to watch. It really is a fun game once you get ahold of what you have to do and you'll definitely find yourself playing this one for hours no matter your age. It is a great hybrid game because the vibrant and colors are sure to attract little kids...as will the overall theme and characters. However, the game play is awesome for adults. It makes for an excellent little download and is very easy to run. The summary of the game' s features follow:
GAME PLAY:
Fun - 9 out of 10
Ease - 8 out of 10
GRAPHICS AND SOUND:
VFX (THEN) - 8 out of 10
