The number of infinity games or endless runner games in the Windows Phone and Windows 10 Stores is vast. They may be only rivaled by the number of Zombie games in the two Stores. Train Tunnel is one such endless runner styled offering that hopes to attract your attention with the game's simple mechanics and unique main character.
Train Tunnel has you clearing the tracks of brick columns, creating a tunnel that will allow your locomotive to safely travel down the tracks. As you might guess, the goal of Train Tunnel is to see how far you can travel before your train smacks into a brick wall.
Available for low-memory Windows Phones and Windows devices, we took the Windows Phone version of Train Tunnel out for a try. While the game isn't very complicated, we found Train Tunnel to be challenging nonetheless and not a bad time waster.
Simple is a good adjective to use in describing Train Tunnel. The main menu has two options, play the game and a pop-up menu to visit the developer's social media sites. You only have two gaming moves that are performed by swiping at the screen. Your goal in playing Train Tunnel even qualifies as simple, don't let your train hit the brick columns.
While Train Tunnel isn't a very complicated game, that shouldn't be mistaken to mean the game lacks challenge. You jump into game play with your locomotive traveling down a train track trestle. A simple tutorial will appear that instructs you to swipe up or down on the screen to slide the brick columns where the gap or tunnel allows the train to pass.
Tap the screen to clear the tutorial graphic and your train is on its way. The track dips and rises as the train moves along and some of the brick columns are already lined up to allow the train to pass through the gap. Others will require you to swipe at the screen to lower or raise the columns.
Now keep in mind that your swipe only moves the brick column. You will need to slide the column carefully to allow enough clearance in the gap for the train to sail through it unscathed. You don't have to be exact with the gap's placement and I have to admit there is a nice amount of wiggle room in the column's placement.
While your brick column of adjustment requires some precision, the more success you have at Train Tunnel, the faster the train will move down the tracks. The game will test your skills at timing, as well as precision. Each column passed through will net you one point and don't be shocked if it takes you a few tries to get into double digits.
Also, there is a strange urge to move columns that are safely in place. You will go through a series of columns that need to be moved, where a reflex develops to instinctively move any brick obstacle that comes into sight. It is somewhere along this point where the game sends you a brick column that is already safely positioned and you move it, out of reflex, where your train smashes into it. It is a nifty curve ball Train Tunnel will throw your way that adds to the game's challenge.
Overall Impression
Looking at the basics, Train Tunnel has nice graphics, challenging game play and an uncomplicated design. There isn't many bells and whistles such as online leaderboards or power-ups with Train Tunnel and I think the game has a nice level of appeal without the window dressing.
Granted, Train Tunnel isn't a game that you would sit down for marathon gaming sessions but it is an attractive title to have tucked away for shorter gaming spurts. At last check, Train Tunnel is rated at 5 Stars, but with only one review that score is a little skewed. We'd place Train Tunnel in the 4 Star range. Add explosive graphics when the train crashes and maybe you could bump it up a little.
If you have given Train Tunnel a try, let us know what you think of things in the comments below. It is a free, ad-free game that is available from both the Windows Phone and Windows 10 Store.
