The Mobile Train Simulator development crew used actual footage taken during a train trip for the sequences in the game for a photo-realistic interpretation of what you'd see if you were a conductor. Superimposed on the right side of the screen are the time, your speed in km/h, your Max speed, distance to next stop, and your percentage performance meter. A meter on lower left corner of the screen keeps track of your speed in graphical form in case the action becomes too hot for you to sneak a peek at the numbers on the side. If you've never been to Japan, the train ride as seen through conductor's eyes is an excellent introduction to the neighborhoods and sights in Japan that you'd otherwise never see.

Train conducting takes discipline and attention to detail. If you botch too much of the train ride, a somber end-game screen appears which features a shadowy railroad crossing accompanied by tragic music.

View the back cover and screenshots on the main NCSX website.

NCS Game Notes
* For those who can't conduct, there's a SCHOOL MODE where the player may enter a Training session for reading signals and ATS, ATS B-points, and braking. The game calls it "Breaking" but sic that. When braking into a station, the train will slowly creep to a crawl. Keep an eye on the distance meter on the right of the screen - the closer you are to 0.00m, the more your score. Any distance that is highlighted in green is acceptable. After each ride, a score book appears to grade your performance and rank. A cumulative score and a letter ranking then appears on the lower left portion of the screen.

* A license mode allows a conductor earn his or her keep when playing the game and there are routes that may be selected to try such as Asakusabashi to Aoto, Shinagawa to Takasago, Haneda Airport to Narita, Ueno to Narita Airport, and many more.

* In addition to summer and sunny weather to drive through, there are winter scenes where you drive a train where stations are nicely snow capped for a serene scene. To reflect the reality of snow days, ridership is generally less than on days where there is no snow.

* Finally, there's a gallery mode to learn about the history of the trains you're driving and their service inceptions.

* The designers wanted to make the PSP version of Train Simulator as accessible as possible to new train operators as well as seasoned drivers. To this end, they reduced the amount of data on screen to only the most vital stats required for operating a train. A save-anywhere function also allows gamers to store their position at anytime, even in the middle of the tracks, in the event you have to answer the call of dinner, nature, the wife, or the boss. Finally, a brake-navi system uses simple graphs to show new conductors the proper timing to apply the brakes as one slides into a station.

* A total of 13 different train models are featured in the game and the physics of the various trains and their handling are recreated in the PSP game.

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