Do you even have those moments where you see something that speaks to you in a way that you just can’t quite put your finger on? Part nostalgia, part déjà vu, part something else entirely…that’s how Trackastrophe! got its hooks in me.
When I first saw this charming game appear on my screen, it was clear that the animation style was reminiscent of those cartoons from the 1930s. You know the style when you see it. Look at this design style, the face…it’s perfect!!
Trackastrophe! is an engaging, challenging isometric pathfinding puzzle game developed by Kinoko Studio and published by Black Smoke Studios. Featuring over 100 levels, your objective is to figure out how to get your train from start to finish, across grid-based maps, all while avoiding hazards and picking up the train cars scattered across the maps. You do this by placing directional and movement tiles before pulling the lever to start the train in motion. There are even some bonus levels for you to discover.
Each world introduces new mechanics to learn and hazards to navigate, portals, rock walls, ice, and large holes in the earth that you need to jump. Bouncy bumpers, tracks that overlap themselves, and even directional switches all become available in later levels.
I found the difficulty progression to be fair, slowly ramping up the difficulty. Starting with simple directional arrows, you will then get introduced to the moles you bounce off. Each of the 3 colours determines the number of grid spaces you can jump over. Jumping too far, or not far enough, will simply not do.
Spanning 5 worlds with over 20 levels in each, there were many puzzles that I had to restart when I made errors. Thankfully, this can be done with ease. While mistakes were made and sometimes I found myself scratching my head, I was never frustrated enough to walk away.
The only real downside I had was that you couldn’t skip levels if you got stuck. You must complete each level before moving on. There are some handy hints in each level, though, meaning the game is approachable for gamers of multiple skill levels.
With its cozy aesthetic, dreamy colours, quirky steampunk style and catchy music, it’s easy to get lost for hours at a time.
At the time of writing this, there is a demo available on Steam, but since Trackastrophe! is priced under $10, this is an easy recommendation to pick up and add to your library today.
Until next time…be good to yourself and be good to each other.
**Special Thanks to Black Smoke Studios for the review code**
Ophelia Payne 
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