Game: Railways – Train Simulator
Genre: Puzzle, Simulation, Strategy, Arcade
System: Nintendo Switch (also Steam & Android)
Developers | Publishers: Infinity Games | Nerd Monkeys
Age Rating: US E | EU 3+
Price: US $5.99 | UK £4.99 | EU € 5,99
Release Date: July 7th, 2022
Review code used, with many thanks to Nerd Monkeys.
All aboard for Infinity Games and Nerd Monkeys’ new puzzle game, Railways – Train Simulator, based around trains and collecting passengers, and hopefully not crashing! Let’s get this review rolling along the track.
Minimalistic Puzzle
Railways – Train Simulator is a minimalistic puzzle game where you’re the conductor of trains tasked with collecting as many passengers as possible on each level.
Play with Trains
There are 30 levels with a timed mode and a free mode. Each mode runs through a short tutorial, so you get to know how to control the trains. The blurb on the game’s Nintendo pages reads like this:
“This is a train simulator where patience is a virtue. To succeed, you must wait for the right moment and use your train management skills to drag the trains from one railway to another. But be careful, or trains will crash!”
I read that and thought, oh, that rules me out as patience isn’t one of my virtues. However, even without much patience, this game is a lot of fun.
Collect the Passengers
On most levels, you will have at least three trains to control and ensure they are on the right track to collect their passengers. All the passengers are colour coded to match the train that must collect them.
That sounds easy enough. Well, it is, up to a point; your timing has to be spot-on in moving a train to another track as there is usually another train already on that track! If your timing is off, then it’s kaboom and the trains crash, and you start the level again.
Move the Trains Between Tracks
Moving the trains to a different track is a simple case of swiping with your finger on the Switch’s touchscreen, or you can use the controller’s buttons. You can also press the train’s corresponding button on the controller or use the touchscreen to stop a train for a few seconds. You’ll watch the trains crash if you get flustered and press the wrong button.
As you move through the levels, more tracks are added and other vehicles to avoid, all while picking up those all-important passengers. Tracks run across roads, and you must ensure the trains avoid cars, trucks, or even aeroplanes.
Visuals and Controls
Graphically, Railway – Train Simulator looks fantastic. It’s clear and bright with lots of colour throughout the levels. The trains are well animated, and the sound effects are all train-related, with chugs and whistles. Even the music beats in time to the train’s chug along the tracks; it all comes together in one very neat package.
Both control systems work as they should. However, I managed the trains much better if I used the touchscreen to stop the trains. Using the corresponding buttons does work to stop the trains, but I fumbled over the buttons in a rush to stop the right train and usually failed miserably.
Conclusion – All Aboard the Fun Train
Railway – Train Simulator is a brilliant pick-up and play puzzle game. It has all the right ingredients on the tracks to give you hours of enjoyment. After all, who doesn’t like to play with trains, no matter your age? So if you like your puzzle games, I recommend you try Railway – Train Simulator. Now, step aside and mind the gap, all aboard as the fun train leaves the station!
Final verdict: Two Thumbs Up 
Note: Do you think you have the skills to be a railways master? Find out for yourself when the game launches on July 7th 2022. You can pre-order the game with a 20% discount on the eShop, or if you own Nerd Monkeys’ previous title Traffix you can get Railways – Train Simulator with 33% off! You’ll find our review of Traffix here. You might also like to read our Indie Dev interview with Nerd Monkeys which you can find here.