Make your dream Houston transit system with Subway Builder
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A favorite part of my first system: The Zoo Express. Screenshot: Subway Builder
I'm here sharing my experience with my latest obsession: Subway Builder.
Why it matters: The game puts you in charge of building rail transit in your choice of 26 U.S. cities using up-to-date maps, U.S. Census data and commute patterns.
The intrigue: With Houston as one of the available cities, I had my sights on this game long before it was released earlier this month.
- The game gives you the option to build in sandbox mode with unlimited funds or with a $3 billion starting budget, depending on your creative appetite.
State of play: After messing around for a few days, I got serious and planned what I think is a decent start to my dream light rail system.
- My first order of business was to start with a stop at Hobby Airport and work my way downtown, somewhat mimicking what's always been teased — but never achieved — in real life.
- After trial and error, I made a decent system and moved on to another startup system, then another and another.
My experience: This game is super-detailed and wildly addicting.
- You can choose the elevation of your tracks and must account for the cost of demolishing existing buildings and rush hour demand, and you even have to make sure each station has the proper types of tracks set up.
- In my gameplay, I started with an unrealistic (given Houston's shifty clay foundation) underground system but graduated to an elevated rail network.
How to play: The game is $30 on SubwayBuilder.com.