Thrillville - Off the Rails
Ages: Everyone

You don’t start off with a tabula rasa – which for my opinion – is a good choice. So the game opens with charming families strolling about with their kids jumping with excitement. The theme park is already partly designed.

But, let's cut to the chase – we're here to build the craziest, stomach churning rollercoaster. You may not believe it but you can even end the coasters in mid-air without killing the riders. That alone is almost worth the game. The management parts play a lot like the sandlot option in the Tycoon games – you can pay it little attention without having the park closed down. Of course, you may have to install a restroom or two to keep the customers from complaining. You can do the tutorial on Managing, Guests and Upkeep if you are planning to take Management 101. Build and Games tutorial are more to my liking, and all tutorials can be turned On or Off in the Options menu. Easy saves are done with the + button for everything except mini-games.

As in previous games, you can place rides on available spaces. It's easy, red is No, blue is Ok and you get the reward of being able to ride anything you build. There is a huge collection of mini games that may have been inserted to keep you amused if rollercoasters aren't your thing. Nothing new here but they are colorful, plentiful and you can play many of them without having to first "earn" them. Many seem to relate to the attractions being built. The Wii – as it has for other games – revitalizes the game and will make it interesting even for those who have already played other Tycoon sims.

Building the coaster is almost intuitive. Use the pointer to place the track and to indicate the direction for the track - up, down, and sideways. Banking and turns are done by tilting the controller. The number 2 button zooms in, and the control stick changes the view. The Z button on the Nunchuck gets you the WHOA! pieces. When flummoxed – press C for Track Assist. WHOA! features include drops, flames, TNT corridor, brick walls. slicer dicer, water splash and a few helixes and screws - no fireworks tho. Placing pieces is accompanied by what can be best described as weird groans – Whooooa, Hoooo - a nice touch.

As much fun as it sounds Thrillville - Off the Rails needs an audience and is best enjoyed with friends.

Fun Factor: Many options for play.
Player Friendly: Easiest roller coaster I've played. Wii functions are well used.

Reviewed by: Editor - 11/07