Review: Thrillville: Off The Rails

Score: 63

I'm afraid 'off the rails' is just about right for anyone coming to this title from the same game on other platforms... though there are still some redeeming features for total theme park newcomers.

The core idea, that of running a roller coaster-centred theme park, is still here, but the core presentation, such a hit on other platforms such as the Wii, with full 3D real-time renderings, including the central first person perspective 'thrills' riding of each track, is all but missing.

Creating your masterpiece roller coaster is clunky and far more restrictive than on other platforms and many of the rides look and feel similar. When they're done, you watch as your character rides them in isometric 3D, with no real feel for the motion.

Visitors wander the park, as you'd expect, and you gradually accrue money from their pleasure. But it's too easy to keep earning and not hard enough to lose it, making even the 'sim' angle of the game not worth playing.

The saviour of Thrillville is perhaps the selection of half-decent mini-games, from fishing(?) to air hockey, with each being playable using a single cartridge wirelessly by multiple players.

But that's your lot. Thriillville on the DS turns out to not be much of a thrill at all. No white knuckle rides, here, move on, nothing to see....