Locomotion

Game review

Locomotion, released in 1992 for DOS, is a delightful puzzle game that stands out for its peaceful and cerebral approach to gameplay, focusing on trains and railway logistics rather than the action-packed scenarios commonly found in other games of its time. This game is entirely separate from the 2004 title of the same name, which is a continuation of Transport Tycoon, sharing only the name and a thematic focus on transportation.

Locomotion is a puzzle game from a railway environment, which in principle follows the older arcade game Loco-Motion from Konami from 1982. The goal of the game is to direct a certain number of locomotives to the correct destination stations and railway stations. Locomotives depart from different locations on the railway at intervals or at the same time, you have to guide them to the correct station with the help of track crossing switches and avoid collisions on the tracks.

The game is seen from a bird's eye view and the screen shows the entire railway circuit with all crossings, crossings and the immediate surroundings. You then use the mouse to control switches at individual track crossings, or even barriers, which you can use to slow down one of the trains to avoid a collision. The developers have prepared more than a hundred levels and bundled an editor, thanks to which you can experiment with your own hand-made levels.