Thomas & Friends Building the New Line

by Atari

Product Details

• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B00006BN8J
• Item Weight: 12 ounces
• Media: CD-ROM
• Release Date: September 25, 2002
• Average Customer Review: 2.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #31,693 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Product Description

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This new addition to the Thomas and Friends series just doesn't cut the mustard like its predecessors. Its problems are two-fold. An adventure component or underlying storyline is sorely missing, giving the activities a thrown together feel. Also, the design offers limited child input. Kids simply pick a train, track and cargo and then drive along the track. Certain hot spots serve as activities. Children load and unload cargo, use a whistle to prod a cow across the track and fix broken tracks by laying matching pieces nearby. The entire experience is much too directed and not very challenging. The train cleaning and decoration activities are very brief and superficial, and highlighted areas always show where to place objects (good for three year olds, but too much help for older kids). Uninterruptible instructions are doled out even when children play a game a second time. The best part of the program is matching track pieces to a track, but this short activity isn't enough to warrant a purchase.

Product Description

The Island of Sodor comes to life on tracks you design and build! There is plenty of work to be done and surprises around every turn! Includes three places on the Island to visit: The Farm, the Quarry and the Docks.

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

38 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great entertainment for the kids!, October 3, 2002

By 

Michael J Woznicki "Michael J Woznicki" (Holland, MA USA) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Thomas & Friends Building the New Line (CD-ROM)

Trying to find things for my kids to do is always a challenge. That's why when Thomas the Tank Engine and Frainds have a software package like this one I had to get a copy.

With 4 engines using 3 locations and 5 possible tracks, giving you 60 different layouts there is always soemthing different. I think if they release another version they should add more engines like Henry, Gordon, Toby and Duck.

You'll find fun right around every turn including having George rip up the track and you have to replace it. You can help Cranky the Crane move boulders off the track and help the engines back on the track when they fall off.

Also there is haybales, crates and oil drums you can spill to only have to clean up after. The only thing I didn't see is Thumper, but I sure he'll show up at some time. Ther are 2 levels a junior and senior engineer, giving you different things to do at each location.

Overall this is a great experience for the kids to look and learn as well as build computer and mouse skills.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars A disappointment. Try one of the other Thomas games first., November 27, 2002

By 

Louis Rios (Kansas City, MO USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Thomas & Friends Building the New Line (CD-ROM)

Our kids have enjoyed all three of the previous Thomas software titles ("The Great Festival Adventure", "Trouble on the Tracks", and the "Railway Adventures Playset"), and we purchased this latest title a few weeks ago. This one seems very unimpressive in comparison. It might be an ok option if your child is 2-3, and/or if they like the idea of completing a game within 15 minutes; otherwise, you should probably choose one of the other Thomas titles.

The game designers had a good idea -- design and build your own rail line -- but their execution of this idea is pretty dull and disappointing. You don't get much control over the design of the line, you just select one of 5 pre-designed layouts. All 5 layouts are small (one screen) in size, and they're all pretty similar to each other. You do some inconsequential decorating of the layout by placing a few trees and rocks here and there. After that, you run an engine around the line for as long as you like (it takes just a few seconds to drive a complete lap). Along the way you can complete a couple of dull and extremely simple activities, like load a stack of boxes from one spot and unload them another. It seems silly because you only carry the load for a few seconds before it requires you to unload it all! After that, you can clean and repair the engine (something that's part of every Thomas game), and lastly you "decorate" the engine, which means you get to choose from a few pre-selected decorations. It usually takes 15 minutes or less to complete the whole game.

The game offers two different skill levels, but the ONLY difference between them occurs during the placing of tracks onto the track layout, and it's a really minor difference in difficulty -- my 2 1/2 year old can do the higher level.

It's a disappoinment from Infogrames, the company that recently acquired both Hasbro Interactive (which made the previous Thomas titles) and Humongous Software (which produced a LONG list of great kids titles). I've seen a few of their other recent efforts (including "Dora's Backpack Adventure" and "Blues Clues Preschool"), and I have yet to see them produce anything that's on par with their predecessors.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not impressed, January 30, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Thomas & Friends Building the New Line (CD-ROM)

My son is 3 1/2 and a Thomas crazed child. He seems to like this game and has been playing with it consistantly for the last few weeks. However, the game is not very impressive, as other reviewers have already stated. It's very limited and does not do nearly as much as the game that comes with the Thomas attachment for the keyboard. (He has that one too) If you are debating between spending the $40 on the other game or getting off cheaper with this one, get the one with the attachment. That has at least 5 times more content to it and will last alot longer. Plus my son loves getting to actually drive Thomas. This game is a short lived Thomas fix for those children who love Thomas. It's not a bad game, there just isn't very much to it. My son had completed the three locations and the 5 track layouts in less than an hour (on both levels) I know I was bored to tears with it after 10 minutes.
It will help a child learn mouse skills (since it's a mouse driven game, the one with the attachment does not use the mouse at all).