Thomas and Friends: Wonders of Sodor is a Thomas the Tank Engine fan’s ultimate dream! This fun, lively, colourful, and oddly intense affair takes the love of Train Sim World to a whole new place. However, it doesn’t remove itself from the realism and seriousness of the dangers of the railway. Instead, it combines them beautifully to deliver a user-friendly and enjoyable train driving experience.
Dovetail Games has published and developed this single-player simulation experience. Although it has taken a cartoon and colourful approach, it has all the bells and whistles of its serious big brother. Furthermore, it is filled with every popular character from the much-loved TV series. Consequently, there are plenty of plus points to take away if you invest in this standalone game.
Thomas and Friends: Wonders of Sodor has plenty of interesting micro tales.
Unlike other games that focus on a TV or film franchise, Thomas and Friends: Wonders of Sodor delivers plenty of unique stories in its episodic delivery. As you enter the overworld hub, you notice countless story nodes. Each one has plenty of sub-sections that incorporate many of the different engines. Furthermore, there is an array of challenges that await. Each one will test your driving knowledge and skills.
The stories capture the essence of 12 key moments from the brilliant TV series. Although these famous moments don’t dominate proceedings, they allow lovers of the brand to experience “Thomas and Gordon” and “Thomas and Bertie’s Great Race“.
This bite-sized design may not be to everyone’s taste, but I liked the almost never-ending change of pace. Whether you are rescuing an engine, moving passengers across the large and colourful rail network, or undertaking shunting duties in a yard, the opportunities are wonderful. Moreover, the excellent tutorial ensures that newcomers and veterans will hit the ground running.
A balanced approach.
If you’ve played Train Sim World, you’ll know how intense it can be. AWS, TPWS, signalling, point work, speeds, and other typical train driving elements must be considered. Thankfully, Thomas and Friends: Wonders of Sodor smooths this intense feeling considerably. Although it still works on a realistic and technical approach, it doesn’t feel like you are undertaking a train driving exam to enjoy the game.
This is apparent in the driving cab. Unlike TSW, Thomas and Friends: Wonders of Sodor keeps it much easier to understand. The master controller can be shifted from reverse to forward with ease. Additionally, the dials and other important elements are easy to follow because of the exceptional UI. Now, this could be due to the nature of the rolling stock, but I believe that Dovetail Games has made this more accessible to a younger audience.
Keep the railway running.
The story mode is the key feature that’ll appeal to many gamers. However, this isn’t the only action you must tackle. Timetable mode allows gamers a bit more freedom as they must keep the Sodor railway moving. This is your everyday life design that offers freedom and the opportunity to move from A to B without limitations. Furthermore, the exploration allows you to find hidden items and collectables across the rail network.
Finally, the shunting challenges bring in those troublesome trucks. This mini-game puzzle offering is the chance to test your brain and beat your best score. As you arrange each truck, you must do so in as few moves as possible. If you are successful, you’ll beat your score and move on to the next problem. I adore this mode, but the planning element could have been much better. I’d have liked the chance to look at a 2D plan of the yard and the layout of the trucks. This would help a methodical mindset and improve this aspect of the game.
Thomas and Friends: Wonders of Sodor brings the TV series to life.
Capturing the essence of a famous and exciting TV series in a computer game isn’t as easy as you’d think. Thankfully, the developer has got this spot on in Thomas and Friends: Wonders of Sodor. This colourful and upbeat game delivers the magic and wonderment of the world of Sodor. The sidings, depots, train stations, and other elements are great to look at. Yes, there are the odd bugs and glitches, but these will be patched out. Additionally, the passengers are a little rinse and repeat, but who cares! Not only did I enjoy the vibrant world, but it also felt alive. There are moments when major hubs come to life. This was amazing as you feel like you belong to a huge railway network.
The audio is a Thomas and Friends dream. The characters sound great, and the dialogue sucks you in. Alongside this, the engines sound marvellous. The chug of your wheels on the rails was excellent, and I love the different tones for each engine. Alongside this, the ambient sounds and the use of dynamic weather to increase realism were fantastic.
Mouse and keyboard or gamepad?
I’m a console gamer at heart, and I feel more comfortable with a gamepad in my hand. However, I loved playing this with either a mouse and keyboard or my Turtle Beach Stealth Gamepad. Both options were easy to handle, and the tutorial automatically adjusts to your desired input method. The control layout is simple to master, and younger gamers or newcomers will be driving their favourite engine in no time.
Every TSW game is exceptionally addictive. Despite the occasional bugs, you can play these games for hours. Thomas and Friends: Wonders of Sodor is no different, as there are plenty of collectables, challenges, and the stories have loads of replay value. Moreover, there is a camera mode if you like that sort of thing, and you can customise your timetable to create a personalised driving experience.
Thomas and Friends: Wonders of Sodor is a brilliant addition to the franchise.
I’m glad that this is a standalone title. This approach allows gamers to get into the franchise without having to invest heavily in the huge core game. This makes it much more accessible and user-friendly for newcomers to the genre. Additionally, if you don’t fancy taking on the ultra-realistic world of global train driving, you don’t have to.
Thomas and Friends: Wonders of Sodor is a family-friendly, fun, and colourful affair that brings a smile to your face. The stories are interesting, well-paced, and a joy to work through. The shunting mode tests your brain power, and the ability to freely drive the network keeps you coming back for more. Accordingly, you should “choo, choo, choose” this amazing train driving experience, and I recommend buying it here! Can you help Thomas complete his tasks? Choose your engine, tackle the story, and enjoy the vibrant world of Sodor.
