Though the concept is simple – the game became an internet phenomenon: LineRider (PC version for playing online visit www.linerider.com).
With a simple drawing tool the player draws lines, creates ramps, hills etc. in order to create a track on which a sledge will run – until it crashes.
Now this game is available for PalmOS, too.
On the main screen you have the possibility to choose between the game modes “Create Track” and “Puzzle” mode, you can connect to the internet for sharing your tracks, open a help screen and access the settings.
In “Create Mode” you can design your own tracks without limitations. In the design window you can find a toolbar at the top of the screen with the following elements (from left to right):
Undo – Drawing Tools – Line Tools – Erase – Zoom – Hand – Play.
At the bottom you can see how many lines are used in the current track. Via “Menu” you can open a menu for saving, loading, deleting etc.
Drawing Tools:
Here you have the possibility to choose between straight line, freehand and curve. In straight line mode you can draw a line by selecting start and ending point – LineRider draws a line between the two points automatically.
Freehand:
This mode allows you to draw a line right how your stylus moves.
Curve:
In curve mode you can click a straight line and it will automatically deform.
LineTools:
Via LineTools you can define how your lines behave:
Normal:
This line has no influence on the sledge.
Acceleration:
This line accelerates the sledge to the right side of the screen.
Reverse Acceleration:
When the sledge comes on this line it will accelerate into the other direction (left side of the screen).
Deceleration:
The sledge gets slower here
Finish Line:
This line slows the sledge down very fast.
In addition there are several other line types which are only for cosmetic purpose:
You can draw lines which do not affect the sledge. They can be placed behind or before the regular track lines. But there are special lines which can be placed on the track so that the sledge can crash into them and destroy them.
All lines are displayed in an other color so that one can identify them easily.
If a line is misplaced you can remove it by using the rubber.
– 
By pressing “Play” the sledge starts to move and to solve the track. Now you can see if your track is ‘good’ – the the sledge will pass it without crashing – otherwise you should correct the track 
.
This was the ‘freestyle game mode’.
In puzzle mode you will get a track which is not completed. You now have to add lines in order to make the track playable. In addition you can find red flags which all have to be destroyed by the sledge.
These game modes are available in offline mode.
But LineRider has got an online mode, too.
You can access it by tapping on “Shared Tracks” in main menu. After getting online you have the ability to publish your own tracks and to download other ones tracks which were published by them.
You even can rate online tracks.
I’ve tried the game on a Palm TX: it runs quite good. The game is stable – I experienced no crashes or similar. You can really get addicted by it.
Anyways I found two things which are disturbing the good image of the game:
At first, the game only runs in 320*320 resolution mode on a 320*480 display. The missing space could be very useful for the track designer window.
The second thing is the processor speed: I had to overclock the CPU up to 520 MHz until the game stopped lagging but it is playable without modification, too.
You can try LineRider yourself – a demonstration is available via clickgamer.com.
The full version costs 10,21 € ($14.95).
Download and buy via clickgamer.com:
http://clickgamer.com/moreinfo.htm?pid=14559§ion=PALM
PS: Merry Christmas!
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