All Aboard! The Last Train to Tranz-Central, ZX Spectrum

Who doesn't love a free game? A free game with TRAINS in SPACE? (Cue Tim Curry SPAAAAACE). The game I will gush about today is an excellent freebie from Quantum Sheep, a talented coder of what I always like to call 'New Retro'. 

I enjoy waxing nostalgic about the classics (and not so classics!) of yesteryear, but it's always important to remember that there's a flourishing scene of new games for old machines and consoles. There are heaps of new games to try before reaching for Jet Set Willy or Skool Daze for the umpteenth time. 

Last Train to Tranz-Central is one of my favourites of the new crop of 8-bit titles of recent years and comes in two parts, with the first one free to download. It's available in both 48k and 128k versions and in three file formats (and a physical tape from Bitmapsoft!) and was made in MPAD, the Multi-Platform Arcade Game Designer.

Enter Maurice, space cowboy! He's the hero of the spaceways where AI-controlled trains powered by 48k ZX Spectrums ply the stars between worlds. But uh oh, four of them have gone rogue! Tsk, wouldn't have happened if they'd put Commodore 64s in, right?

It's up to Maurice to shut down the AIs and stop the runaway trains. And he does this by running and gunning his way horizontally through flick screens filled with hazards and enemies to some of the most catchy and awesome speccy music I've ever heard. I guarantee you'll have the first train's tune stuck in your head for weeks after.

The game is helpfully set in space, so there are no busy backgrounds and colour clashes to be concerned about here. Last Train moves at a brisk pace, with each screen progressing by picking up all the keys and firing at the door to open it. Reach the engine car, take down the AI, all of whom have their own boss mechanics to puzzle through, and then it's off to the next one!

Crucially for a game with lots of going up and down ladders, Maurice handles well and doesn't get stuck on them. Remember how awkward it could be to use them in Rick Dangerous? There's none of that here, so the only thing you'll be cursing is your own impatience and not the controls or collision detection. And Last Train succeeds in having an 'Oh just one more go!' arcade game appeal, as evidenced by my losing another half hour to it before writing this review.

Last Train to Tranz-Central is a lovely game and easily the New Retro speccy game I've put the most time into. And if you beat all four trains and you're hungry for more, Part II is a mere £1.99 for a digital download and offers up another four AIs with a thirst for rebellion.

So, pardner, mosey on over to Quantum Sheep's itch.io and give it a download! Won't cost you nothin' and you'll have yerself a mighty fine time.

Download: Last Train to Tranz-Central Part 1 (Look for the Demo section, it's the full Part I!)
YouTube: Sharka's RetroBytes