2

4 /5

Takara masters the Playstation, as we saw with Toshinden. But, as far as the Saturn and its two processors are concerned, it's a bit more complicated. Besides, you can see it as soon as you start the game, it's very ugly and it pixelates a lot. It's perhaps not a coincidence that the game's cover shows only pictures of trains on the back. Nevertheless, we are not in the presence of a game where beauty is an asset. In a simulation, the strength comes rather from the realism brought to the handling and to the various animations and there, Densha De Go! fulfills its contract wonderfully.
The game offers a multi-level accelerator/brake system that is easy to learn while remaining very realistic, which allows novice players to progress and pros to always improve. A tutorial for beginners is even available in easy mode, which helps a lot at the beginning ! In addition, there is a horn and an emergency brake. The display is not left out with a large number of parameters: speed, gear and brake engaged, distance to the next stop point, current and arrival time as well as the line number and finally the heart of the game, i.e. the number of remaining points.
At each line start, you are given a capital of thirty points. You must try to keep this capital in order to finish the chosen level, because for each mistake you make (not respecting the signs, speeding, being late or stopping at the wrong distance), you are given penalties ranging from one to... thirty points ! It is therefore possible to lose in one shot. However, Densha De Go ! is not stingy and your good behavior is rewarded with points added to your starting capital. During the game, travelers let you know their mood via a small window that appears on the right side of the screen (note that they rarely show up when things are going well) and people "wave" at you at the side of the track, which adds a touch of realism and life.
This Saturn version is precisely called Densha De Go! EX because it brings, in addition to the arcade and Playstation versions, bonuses to unlock such as videos, photos, etc.