Mini Metro (computer game)

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Mini metro
Mini Metro header.png
Studio New ZealandNew Zealand Dinosaur Polo Club
Publisher New ZealandNew ZealandDinosaur Polo Club,
Playdigious (Android)
Senior Developer Peter Curry, Robert Curry, Jamie Churchman
composer Disasterpeace
Erstveröffent-
lichung		 Windows, OS X, Linux: November 6, 2015
Android, iOS: October 18, 2016
PlayStation 4: September 10, 2019
platform Web browser , Linux , Windows , macOS , Android , iOS , Switch , PS4
Game engine Unity
genre Strategy , puzzle
Game mode Single player
control Mouse and keyboard
medium DVD-ROM , download
language German, English, French, Italian, Spanish, Czech, Dutch, Finnish, Greek, Japanese, Norwegian, Polish, Brazilian Portuguese, Russian, Chinese (simplified), Chinese (traditional), Hungarian, Bulgarian, Danish, Turkish, Arabic, Portuguese , Swedish, Thai, Ukrainian
Age rating
USK released from 0
PEGI recommended for ages 3+

Mini Metro is a computer strategy game with puzzle elements from the New Zealand game developer Dinosaur Polo Club . The player has the task of building a subway network, while the routes and stations have to be adapted to the ever faster growth of the city. The game design is reminiscent of modern line network plans with strong colors and simple geometric shapes and straight lines .

The game was published in an early version as a free browser game under the title "Mind the Gap" in April 2013. After the development of the game to the final version, Mini Metro was released commercially on November 6, 2015 for Windows, OS X and Linux. A version for mobile devices followed on October 18, 2016 for Android and iOS .

Gameplay

Screenshot from Mini Metro

The player is given the task of building an efficient local transport network for a rapidly growing city. The levels are based on real cities and the appearance of passengers and new stations is generated procedurally. Each level starts as a schematic map of a city with three stations. Stations are represented as simple symbols of different shapes. By clicking on a station the player can draw a line to another station and thus establish a route between the two. Depending on availability, a train that transports passengers starts automatically on each new line. The passengers are represented by the same symbols as the stations and wait at stations to go to a station of their symbol. The route network should therefore be designed in such a way that passengers get to their destination with as little waiting time and changing trains as possible. Depending on the level, the player can build a different number of lines, the number of passengers, capacity and speed of the cars also vary.

There are also rivers that have to be crossed by tunnels or bridges. As the playing time increases, the city grows faster and faster, new stations appear randomly or change their symbol, and more passengers want to be transported. If too many passengers wait at a station for a longer period of time in the "normal" game mode, it will be closed overcrowded and the traffic network collapsed, the level is ended. The level can then be continued in "Endless" mode, in which the capacity restriction at stations is lifted. It is then only a matter of transporting the passengers as efficiently as possible.

In order to counteract a traffic collapse, the player gets two expansion options after every week in the game or a few minutes in real time. First, another train for more capacity, and secondly, a new line, another wagon, a bridge or tunnel, or a transfer station. In addition, the game can always be paused in the two game modes mentioned, and entire lines can be changed. In the "extreme" mode, existing lines can no longer be changed, the lines can only be extended at the end stations.

In the new "creative" mode, the player can edit the map himself for the first time, for example place, change or delete stations, and thus build his own subway network. There is also an unlimited number of locomotives, wagons and transfer stations. In addition, all available lines are available from the start.

Development and publication

Mini Metro was of Dinosaur Polo Club developed an Independent - game developer from New Zealand consisting of the brothers Peter and Robert Curry. It is the first game from the studio, which was founded in 2013. The development of Mini Metro began in April 2013 under the title Mind the Gap . Robert Curry got the idea for the game after a visit to London , where he rode the London Underground .

The game was developed with the game engine Unity .

The brothers got help for design, sound and music. Jamie Churchman, a former colleague, helped out with game design. The American composer Disasterpeace was won over for the sound and the music . He developed a procedural sound system that generates sounds depending on the game and the behavior of the player. Each level was given a corresponding selection of rhythms and tones, the harmonic structure of which changes based on the size and shape of the subway system. The sounds were inspired by minimal music .

In September 2013, the first playable alpha version of Mini Metro was released , including on Steam Greenlight . After various problems with the game balance and the graphics, the game was commercially released in August 2014 as a version still under development in Steam Early Access . The game could be improved even further thanks to suggestions from the community.

On November 6, 2015, Mini Metro from Early Access was released fully commercially for Windows , macOS and Linux . Dinosaur Polo Club partnered with Playism and Plug In Digital for the digital release . The game has since been available for download on the Internet sales platform Steam . Koch Media is responsible for sales in retail in Europe. A version for Android (published by Playdigious) and for iOS was published on October 18, 2016. A port for the Nintendo Switch was released on August 30, 2018.

On November 20, 2018, the new "Creative" mode was released.

Mini Metro has also been available for the Playstation 4 via the PlayStation Store since September 10, 2019 .

reception

Reviews

The game received mostly positive ratings from the trade press. On Metacritic , the PC version of the game achieved a Metascore of 77/100 points. The iOS version achieved a Metascore of 89 points, the Switch version got 86 points.

Mini Metro has been described as aesthetically pleasing and relaxing, even as the gamer feels under pressure over time. In addition, the music and the soundscape were praised. The graphic animations and the matching design were also received positively. The game is also a good example of how to publish a game in Early Access.

Awards (selection)

According to Steam, Mini Metro for Mac received Game of the Year awards in 30 countries.

  • BAFTA Games Awards 2016 : Nominated for "Best Debut Game"
  • IGF 2016 : Nominated for “Seumas McNally Grand Prize”, “Technical Perfection”, “Innovative Graphics”; Awarded for "Innovative Sound"
  • GDCA 2016 : Nominated for "Best Debut"
  • Penny Arcade Expo : PAX East 2015 Alumni, PAX Prime 2015 Alumni
  • IndieCade 2014: Finalist

Web links

Commons : Mini Metro  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d Dinosaur Polo Club: Mini Metro - Factsheet. In: Dinosaur Polo Club. Retrieved May 26, 2018 (English).
  2. ↑ a b Mini Metro | Creative mode. In: Steam Community . November 20, 2018. Retrieved November 20, 2018 .
  3. ^ Road to the IGF: Dinosaur Polo Club's Mini Metro. In: Gamasutra . January 18, 2016, accessed May 26, 2018 .
  4. ^ A b c Post mortem: Dinosaur Polo Club's Mini Metro. In: Gamasutra . June 15, 2016, accessed May 26, 2018 .
  5. ↑ The Programmed Music of “Mini Metro” - Interview with Rich Vreeland (Disasterpeace). In: Designing Sound. February 18, 2016, accessed May 26, 2018 .
  6. ↑ What we've been up to. In: Dinosaur Polo Club. May 27, 2016, accessed May 26, 2018 .
  7. ↑ Mini Metro is out now on PS4! September 10, 2019, Retrieved November 2, 2019 (American English).
  8. ↑ Mini Metro for PC Reviews. based on 8 Critics. In: Metacritic . Retrieved July 20, 2019 .
  9. ↑ Mini Metro for iPhone / iPad Reviews. based on 7 Critics. In: Metacritic . Retrieved July 20, 2019 .
  10. ↑ Mini Metro for Switch Reviews. based on 9 Critics. In: Metacritic . Retrieved July 20, 2019 .
  11. ↑ Mini Metro on Steam. In: Steam . Retrieved May 26, 2018 .