A Ressha de Ikou, known to Western strategy fans as Take the A-Train, represents one of the most ambitious simulation ports on the Famicom. Originally a PC powerhouse, Artdink’s railway management sim challenges players to lay tracks, schedule departures, and foster urban growth through savvy transportation planning. It eschews the typical action-oriented library of the NES in favor of a slow-burn experience that requires patience, a meticulous eye for detail, and a willingness to navigate menus that push the 8-bit hardware to its logical limits.
Visually, the game utilizes a clean, albeit sparse, isometric perspective that was quite sophisticated for its 1991 release. While the sprites are tiny and the landscape can appear repetitive, the satisfaction of watching a once-empty field transform into a bustling metropolis of skyscrapers and residential blocks remains a powerful hook. The soundtrack is functional but takes a backseat to the mechanical depth of the simulation, which includes fluctuating land prices and the need to manage corporate subsidiaries to ensure your rail line remains profitable over the long term.
For those used to the intuitive interface of modern city builders, the Famicom version of A Ressha de Ikou presents a formidable learning curve, compounded by the heavy reliance on Japanese text for its deeper financial systems. However, for the dedicated retro enthusiast, it offers a level of complexity rarely seen on the console, serving as a fascinating precursor to the more famous SimCity ports. It remains a technical marvel that successfully distilled a complex PC simulation into a cartridge format without losing the strategic soul that defined the series.
