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Traffic Jam was
developed by the company eSoft Interactive--the same team who made the ground-breaking
simulation game Tower Mogul. Traffic Jam is based on the game Rush Hour, where
you have to get your small Volkswagen Bug out of the parking lot by moving the
cars around you. Now, on to the review! Graphics
Graphics undergo a great deal of scrutiny nowadays by anyone who is considering
a game, and are often one of the deciding factors before purchase. I decided
to hop on the band wagon and critique the graphics in Traffic Jam, so I got
a large mug of hot chocolate and prepared to pick apart every graphical morsel
that made its way across my PDA screen. I only had to sit and stare for about
two minutes though, because there really is not that much to look at in Traffic
Jam. So, here is my well-thought-out and organized conclusion. The graphics
are clear, sharp, and colorful--although somewhat simple--and get the job done.
Sound
Sound in a game is very important; it helps convey emotions into the player’s
mind, so they might actually feel the game. Frankly, the sounds in Traffic Jam
are not great. I think there are a total of 5 to 7 sounds in this game. It plays
a small "honk" when you beat a level, and various little beeps and
clicks here and there--along with a 30-second track that loops continuously.
I found myself listening to music off my SD card while playing, because the
track is very annoying after about three minutes. Personally, I would have found
the game more enjoyable if eSoft added screeching tires and random shouts from
the unfortunate little people in the traffic jam. Unfortunately, sound is a
definite downer in this situation.
Gameplay
Ah, here is the heart of any game: the gameplay. The board is laid out in a
6x7 unit grid with vehicles of various sizes crammed inside. The vehicles can
only move horizontally or vertically, depending on how they are positioned on
the board; for example, vertically placed cars can only move up and down, and
horizontally placed cars can only move left and right. If you are still confused,
there is a small help file that might clear things up a bit.
Traffic Jam is
great for killing time; honestly, I was hooked. I could not put it down for
a good two hours. Traffic Jam records the least amount of moves it took you
to get out of the parking lot, so you can constantly try to beat your own score.
Plus, there are over 200 levels in the full version, all of varying difficulty,
so naturally the replay value is very good. I found level 24 to be the hardest
so far, so obviously a higher level does not mean that it is harder.
Also, there are
10 save slots available. So, you can continue where you left off at any time
without worrying about finding a save point--such as when your teacher asks
you to put it away.
Every Pocket PC
owner knows that control can be a major limitation with games today, but never
fear! Traffic Jam uses stylus input only. So basically tap the car you want
to move, and tap the spot you want it to move it to.
Conclusion
Traffic Jam is a fun little game. Though it obviously lacks in the areas of
sound (especially) and graphics, it makes up for it with addictive gameplay
and a reasonable price of $5.95.
Traffic Jam is
available for all ARM/Xscale Pocket PCs from Handango. It takes less than 3mb
storage and virtually no program memory to run.
Pros:
- Cheap! ($5.95)
- Time killer
- Addictive gameplay
- Small size
- High replay
value
Cons:
- Sound is lacking
- Graphics not
the best
Rating:
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