Traffix is a simple idea executed to near perfection. It won’t win any awards for complex narrative storytelling, or elaborate mechanics – but it knows exactly what it wants to deliver and does it with a smile. Well, maybe not …
Traffix is a simple idea executed to near perfection. It won’t win any awards for complex narrative storytelling, or elaborate mechanics – but it knows exactly what it wants to deliver and does it with a smile. Well, maybe not a smile – a bent bumper perhaps.
It sees you controlling traffic lights across a range of busy intersections and roundabouts. It’s up to you to stop and let vehicles through at the right times so that they don’t collide with the rest of the traffic already on the road.
One button press lets one vehicle through, but a double press keeps your light green – allowing all traffic to go through until you say so. If a car is waiting at a red light too long it’ll grow impatient and cost you a point.
If you cause a collision this will cost you points too, and tot up too many of these before a certain amount of traffic has safely passed and you’ll fail the level.
And that really all there is to Trafffix, but it keeps things interesting by adding in little different wrinkles to the core idea as you progress.
It adds new traffic lights, throws in new types of road, adds multiple lanes, and so on.
You never get into a comfortable rhythm, but neither does the game add anything too unfair or obtuse.
There’s also the minimalist presentation, which is hugely pleasing to the eye and makes the whole experience strangely soothing at times – even when you cause a huge pile-up.
You get a good amount of content for the game’s low price-tag too. Traffix isn’t a hugely expansive experience – there’s no two player mode for example, and it’s perhaps a little too slight for some – but it’s a undeniably satisfying action puzzler that’s perfect for short bursts of play.
