Thrillville: Off the Rails

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"Thrillville: Off the Rails" is a theme park simulation game that lets you build and ride your own roller coasters, interact with park guests, and play minigames. The game features 20 extreme rides, 34 multiplayer minigames, and 15 themed areas, including Battleville and Winterville. The detailed conversations with park guests add depth to the story and offer strategic park management suggestions. Be cautious of all guests, as not all may be trustworthy.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Reviews

94%

Audience ScoreBased on 639 reviews

graphics14 positive mentions

stability9 negative mentions

Thrillville: Off the Rails is a nostalgic experience that brings back fond memories for many players, especially those who enjoyed it as children.
The game offers a unique blend of theme park management and mini-games, allowing players to build roller coasters, interact with guests, and play a variety of fun arcade-style games.
Despite its age, the game still holds up well and provides hours of entertainment, making it a great choice for casual gamers and fans of the genre.

The graphics and character models are dated, which can detract from the overall experience for some players.
The game suffers from technical issues, including crashes and laggy controls, particularly in mini-games, which can hinder gameplay.
The power meter limits creativity in park design, restricting the number of attractions and rides that can be built in each area.

graphics
84 mentions
17 % positive mentions
74 % neutral mentions
10 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game, released in 2007, are widely regarded as dated and rough, with many users noting that they haven't aged well compared to contemporary titles. While some appreciate the nostalgic charm of the original PS2 graphics, others find the updated visuals less appealing, often recommending players to lower the settings for a better experience. Overall, the graphics are considered a weak point, but they do not detract significantly from the game's engaging gameplay and creative features.
- “The cutscene animations are obviously low-resolution, but the art style saves it and it still holds up for a game that's almost 20 years old.”
- “Even the graphics don't seem that out of place by today's standards, which just shows how cartoon styles age really well compared to realistic styles (if done right).”
- “For a 2007 game, the graphics are decent.”
- “It also didn't age gracefully--graphically it's pretty bad, its soundtrack is a period piece of mid-2000s pop and most of it's forgettable (some it still bangs though, OK Go and The Vines are my highlights), and the gameplay as an adult ranges from cute or cool idea to kinda boring.”
- “The graphics really haven't aged well at all unlike other games from that time.”
- “The only thing that aged it terribly are the graphics.”
story
79 mentions
20 % positive mentions
73 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
The game's story is characterized as lighthearted and whimsical, featuring a plot centered around managing a theme park and thwarting a rival amusement park's sabotage efforts. While some players find the narrative engaging and nostalgic, others criticize it for being short and underdeveloped, with a mix of fun quests and mini-games that often overshadow the main storyline. Overall, the story serves as a backdrop for the gameplay, providing a framework for missions and interactions rather than a deeply immersive experience.
- “The story is exceptional; you'll find that you inherited a vast fortune, and it's up to you and the doctor of science and partying.”
- “Generally, the larger plot involves stopping Globo-Joy, a competing amusement park, from sabotaging the Thrillville parks, which is divided into five subplots led by a set of missions assigned to each park the player is managing.”
- “And if all that's not enough, there's a coherent story about beating a rival park and finding out who's secretly working for them.”
- “The story is pretty mundane and short.”
- “I wish the story was more developed; the ending isn't satisfying at all.”
- “The story is fine, I don't particularly care for it much.”
music
50 mentions
44 % positive mentions
50 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
The music in the game is a nostalgic highlight, featuring a mix of mid-2000s pop hits and original tracks that resonate with players, often evoking fond memories of their childhood. While some find the soundtrack to be hit or miss, many appreciate its ability to enhance the gameplay experience and create a vibrant atmosphere. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a significant aspect of the game, contributing to its charm despite some dated elements.
- “Love all the cheesy mid-2000's music still in this; it ain't a theme park in 2007 if Miley Cyrus and Lil' Romeo aren't blasting over the bassy loudspeakers between all the clanking and screaming from the rides.”
- “The soundtrack goes harder than any other video game soundtrack, and I will die on that hill.”
- “The songs that play are nostalgic and give the game a really vibrant atmosphere.”
- “The music cuts off at very random spots.”
- “It's also annoying how they simulate the music being on speakers, meaning that if you build your coasters high enough you can't hear it, and you switch songs between areas of your parks.”
- “I honestly feel like this could've been different if the vast majority of the budget didn't go to the licensing of all the songs that are in this game.”
gameplay
33 mentions
39 % positive mentions
52 % neutral mentions
9 % negative mentions
The gameplay in "Thrillville" is characterized by a mix of enjoyable park management mechanics and engaging mini-games, providing a nostalgic experience for players. While the core gameplay can feel repetitive and somewhat limited, the variety of mini-games and the rollercoaster building feature add a fun and relaxing element. Overall, it offers a solid, if not deeply complex, theme park simulation experience that appeals to both younger audiences and those seeking a light-hearted gaming experience.
- “The gameplay is both easy and smooth, with standard movement and interaction tools.”
- “Even today, this game holds up pretty well against newer ones in terms of content, mechanics, and ease to play.”
- “The coaster building and park management mechanics are also very well done.”
- “It's backed by a surprisingly strong park simulation for the management mechanics, but you'll find yourself spending most of the time doing quests for getting a certain score in a certain minigame than actually building a park.”
- “The game doesn't have a core gameplay loop that makes the game work.”
- “The mechanics haven't changed at all and I felt like I was paying for an expansion more than a sequel.”
humor
13 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by its quirky characters, outrageous storylines, and amusing dialogue, particularly in interactions with NPCs that often include obscure references and hilarious flirting options. Players appreciate the nostalgic, cheesy charm of the early 2000s humor, which is complemented by entertaining minigames and challenges that add to the overall fun. While the humor is not essential to gameplay, it enhances the experience and keeps players engaged and smiling.
- “From wacky characters to an outrageous story, this game will have you laughing until your sides hurt.”
- “My absolute favorite part of this game is chatting with NPC park customers - some of the chat points are so obscure and seem to relate specifically to the US, and the flirting options are hilarious.”
- “The dialogue system is simple, but the lines and the performances of the voice actors can be entertaining and funny in a cheesy sort of way.”
stability
10 mentions
30 % positive mentions
-20 % neutral mentions
90 % negative mentions
The game's stability is marked by a mix of inconsistent glitches and minor bugs that can disrupt gameplay, such as control issues and visual anomalies. While some players find the game occasionally unplayable and frustrating, others note that it remains enjoyable despite these problems, with the overall performance being satisfactory for a title of its age. Players recommend saving frequently to mitigate the impact of these glitches.
- “The game still runs great even though it's 13 years old.”
- “I've never experienced any crashes or major bugs; the stability is impressive.”
- “The performance remains smooth and consistent, making for a seamless gaming experience.”
- “In general, it's just buggy and at times completely unplayable, which is sad, because I remember this game being very fun back in 2007 and 2019.”
- “It'd be really sad if this game was just left on Steam as a buggy, broken game.”
- “Edit: I have played this further and it seems the glitches are extremely inconsistent. This game is beatable with keyboard and mouse, but it has some kind of corruption issue after playing for a period of time. When the controls start to malfunction, save and restart your game. It's a pain to have to do, but it makes the game playable.”
replayability
6 mentions
17 % positive mentions
50 % neutral mentions
33 % negative mentions
The game boasts high replayability, with players noting that while the main missions can be completed in about 13 hours, numerous engaging minigames and the flexibility to alter gameplay styles enhance its longevity. As a tycoon-based title, it encourages creative experimentation, further contributing to its replay value.
- “High replayability.”
- “It's pretty easy, and I've beaten all of the missions in about 13 hours, but there are loads of minigames to go back to, and some of them can take up to an hour to get through, so there's a bit of replay value there.”
- “Change up the designs, change the way you play, or purposefully build the worst theme park in existence; either way, this game is a tycoon-based title, which means its replayability level is definitely up there.”
optimization
5 mentions
60 % positive mentions
-20 % neutral mentions
60 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is mixed; while some users report it runs well and is decently optimized, others criticize it as having the worst optimization for PC. Overall, the performance appears to vary significantly among players.
- “The game runs really well for the most part and is optimized pretty decently.”
- “Inexpensive and optimized.”
- “The dialogue system is simple, but the lines and the performances of the voice actors can be entertaining and funny in a cheesy sort of way.”
- “The game itself does not use much of a basis to start the game off performance.”
- “Worst optimization for PC possible.”
- “It runs really well for the most part, and is optimized pretty decently.”
emotional
2 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Players find the game to be a heartwarming experience that evokes nostalgia for simpler times, highlighting the emotional depth and effort invested in its minigames, which contribute to an overall wholesome atmosphere.
- “The minigames are like games within a game; the amount of effort and time put into each one is so heartwarming.”
atmosphere
2 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is enhanced by fun mini-games and nostalgic music, creating a vibrant and engaging experience for players as they build their parks.
- “The songs that play are nostalgic and give the game a really vibrant atmosphere.”
- “Fun mini games, music, and atmosphere, and coaster building makes for one fun park sim.”
monetization
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
300 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy is viewed as either a superficial gimmick or an ineffective reliance on advertising, suggesting that it detracts from the overall gaming experience.
- “It's a gimmick at best and an advertising crutch at worst.”
- “The monetization system feels exploitative and detracts from the overall experience.”
- “I feel pressured to spend money just to enjoy the game fully.”