Trainyard Express for Spectrum Next

Trainyard Express is a puzzle solving game unlike any that you've ever played. It's easy to learn but very tough to master. Your job is simple: get each train to a goal station. Red trains go to red stations, blue trains go to blue stations, etc. You control the trains by drawing track for them to follow. There isn't a time limit or even a score; the only thing you need to do is figure out a solution for each puzzle.

The first few puzzles are almost too easy, but as the difficulty increases you'll be thankful that you were able to practice the fundamentals of drawing track. As the game progresses, you'll have to use basic colour theory to combine trains of different colours, use timing to merge, and use every inch of your brain in your quest to beat the game.

Trainyard was originally designed and developed by Matt Rix (https://trainyard.ca/), and was published in 2010 for iPhone and Android platforms.

The ZX Spectrum Next version has been developed in summer 2022 by David Programa, with permission from the original developer.

Installing on Spectrum Next / N-Go

Download the file trainyard-express.nex, copy it to your SD card, and run it.

Installing on Windows PC (emulated)

You can play Trainyard Express on a Windows PC  running on the CSpect emulator.

First install the OpenAL driver (required by CSpect) from http://www.openal.org/downloads/oalinst.zip

Then, download the file trainyard-express+CSpect.zip, unzip it, and execute the run.bat file.

How to play

Your job is to draw the tracks so each train reaches the goal station. Apart from track pieces, there are more tile types, each one with a different function.

Trainyard Express includes seven in-game tutorials covering all concepts of the game. You can watch and rewatch them, or skip them if you already know the concepts.

How to control the game

On a Spectrum Next, you can play using any of these control methods:

• Mouse: Plug a PS/2 mouse onto the PS/2 port before turning the computer on. You move the cursor with the mouse, select and draw with the left button, delete with the right button.
• Joystick: Use the joystick to move the cursor, and the fire button to select/draw. If the joystick has a secondary button, it will be used for deleting.
• Keyboard: use the keys Q, A, O, P for moving the cursor; SPACE for select/draw, and 0 (zero) for deleting.

All control methods work simultaneously (you don't need to select method) and you can change from one to another at any time.

Additional keys: ENTER to start / stop trains, I to increase speed, U to decrease speed.

Speed values range  from +5 (very fast) to -6 (paused), with 0 being normal speed.

On the CSpect emulator, only mouse and keyboard methods work.

How your progress is saved

Whenever you attempt a puzzle, your progress is saved when you go back from the game screen (even if you didn't solve the puzzle). When you first solve it, the solution is saved, and from then, only correct solutions are saved. Only one solution is saved.

Your progress is saved on the trainyard-express.user file. Copy the file for bringing your progress to another machine, or delete it for starting anew.

System Requirements

Trainyard Express has been developed and tested using:

• A N-Go (Spectrum Next clone by ManuFerHi) running Firmware v1.31 and Core v3.01.10
• CSpect emulator version 2.16.5 by Mike Dailly

The game should work on other versions / firmwares, but only has been tested on the ones mentioned.

Thanks & Mentions

• Marta, for beta testing and level transcription.
• Matt Rix, for creating the original Trainyard.
• ManuFerHi for the N-Go, a great Spectrum Next clone.
• Mike Dailly, for his CSpect emulator, great for developing.