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I picked it up as a freebie (after rebate) from CompUSA this weekend. I'd read about it, and thought, "oh, that's nice," but didn't feel very motivated to pick it up. And I still don't know that I'd shell out $40 or $50 to have bought it when it was new. But, it is a very enjoyable little game. It's made by the same guys that made Railroad Tychoon 2, and there are a few interface similarities because of it. It looks nice, it plays nice, and it sounds very nice.<br><br>"But what is it?" you ask. It's a banana-republic simulator. You've just been instilled as the dictator of a Caribbean island, and can run it as you like. Be Fidel! Hold elections, rig the elections, or don't let them be held. Build your economy by growing a number of crops like pinapples and bananas, or mine gold, iron, etc, or build some industry to increase the value of your natural resources, or build tourist attractions. Build churches, schools, hospitals, and electric plants. Make your people happy or just keep them under control.<br>There are a number of scenarios that you can play (or download more) which challenge you to accomplish some goal within your 40-year reign. Or you can play a random map, or create your own.<br><br>I know, it doesn't sound that exciting, does it? And it's <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--><em>not</em><!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->, really, but it does have that "just a little longer" quality that keeps you up half the night, and it's fun. And funny sometimes, too.<br><br>You can probably find it in your local bargain bin. I think it's worth the $10 if you're looking for something entertaining. Or the mother-in-law might like it. <!--EZCODE EMOTICON START :) --><img src=http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/smile.gif ALT=":)"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END--> <br><br>Tropico 2, the prequel, comes out soon. It's the same island, but now you're a Pirate King. Yar! <p><!--EZCODE IMAGE START--><img src="http://www.xmenclan.org/xmengambit.gif"/><!--EZCODE IMAGE END--><br>XMEN member<br>Card-carrying DTM<br>OKL Fish-napper<br><br>Though a program be but three lines long, someday it will have to be maintained.<br><!--EZCODE ITALIC START--><em> The Tao of Programming</em><!--EZCODE ITALIC END--></p><i></i>

d00d! I lub tropico! I played that demo to death and back again! Same limited demo day-in and day-out... never got around to getting the full version. Now I have to! Thanks for reminding me of this game!<br><br>Side note: I didn't much like the tropico 2 demo... just wasn't as entertaining. <!--EZCODE EMOTICON START :\ --><img src=http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/ohwell.gif ALT=":\"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END--> <br><br>'nother side note: I have to get Capitalism 2... that game rules... I must have put more than 80 hours into the limited demo... that game is nearly as addictive as the original Rail Road Tycoon (love it love it love it! Played rails since just after Flight Sim 1.0... my dad was still playing it just a few months ago, before I got him Rails 2... I don't think he'll ever forgive me of that. <!--EZCODE EMOTICON START :) --><img src=http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/smile.gif ALT=":)"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END--> ) <p><!--EZCODE FONT START--><span style="color:red;font-size:large;">C</span><!--EZCODE FONT END--><!--EZCODE FONT START--><span style="color:orange;font-size:large;">O</span><!--EZCODE FONT END--><!--EZCODE FONT START--><span style="color:green;font-size:large;">L</span><!--EZCODE FONT END--><!--EZCODE FONT START--><span style="color:blue;font-size:large;">O</span><!--EZCODE FONT END--><!--EZCODE FONT START--><span style="color:indigo;font-size:large;">R</span><!--EZCODE FONT END--><!--EZCODE FONT START--><span style="color:violet;font-size:large;">S</span><!--EZCODE FONT END--><!--EZCODE FONT START--><span style="color:pink;font-size:xx-large;">!</span><!--EZCODE FONT END--></p><i></i>

The lead developer for RRT2 said in an interview recently that after people played RRT2 for a while, about half of them said,<br><br>"Wow, this is a really deep business simulation!"<br><br>and the other half said,<br><br>"Cool, trains!"<br><br><!--EZCODE EMOTICON START :lol --><img src=http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/laugh.gif ALT=":lol"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END--> <p><!--EZCODE IMAGE START--><img src="http://www.xmenclan.org/xmengambit.gif"/><!--EZCODE IMAGE END--><br>XMEN member<br>Card-carrying DTM<br>OKL Fish-napper<br><br>Though a program be but three lines long, someday it will have to be maintained.<br><!--EZCODE ITALIC START--><em> The Tao of Programming</em><!--EZCODE ITALIC END--></p><i></i>

I'm in the "Cool! Trains!" category.<br><br>Only problem I have w/ RRT2 is how goofy putting down track is... RRT1 was much better in that respect. <p><!--EZCODE FONT START--><span style="color:red;font-size:large;">C</span><!--EZCODE FONT END--><!--EZCODE FONT START--><span style="color:orange;font-size:large;">O</span><!--EZCODE FONT END--><!--EZCODE FONT START--><span style="color:green;font-size:large;">L</span><!--EZCODE FONT END--><!--EZCODE FONT START--><span style="color:blue;font-size:large;">O</span><!--EZCODE FONT END--><!--EZCODE FONT START--><span style="color:indigo;font-size:large;">R</span><!--EZCODE FONT END--><!--EZCODE FONT START--><span style="color:violet;font-size:large;">S</span><!--EZCODE FONT END--><!--EZCODE FONT START--><span style="color:pink;font-size:xx-large;">!</span><!--EZCODE FONT END--></p><i></i>

Goofy how? It just tries to find the best available path, not the shortest. IMO, it could be improved by some sort of slider that let you balance between length and grade and whatever other factors they use. <p><!--EZCODE IMAGE START--><img src="http://www.xmenclan.org/xmengambit.gif"/><!--EZCODE IMAGE END--><br>XMEN member<br>Card-carrying DTM<br>OKL Fish-napper<br><br>Though a program be but three lines long, someday it will have to be maintained.<br><!--EZCODE ITALIC START--><em> The Tao of Programming</em><!--EZCODE ITALIC END--></p><i></i>

sometimes you have to move the mouse to just the right spot to get your track pointing in the right direction (or manually select the direction with one of the buttons) I dunno... just goofy. <!--EZCODE EMOTICON START :) --><img src=http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/smile.gif ALT=":)"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END--> <p><!--EZCODE FONT START--><span style="color:red;font-size:large;">C</span><!--EZCODE FONT END--><!--EZCODE FONT START--><span style="color:orange;font-size:large;">O</span><!--EZCODE FONT END--><!--EZCODE FONT START--><span style="color:green;font-size:large;">L</span><!--EZCODE FONT END--><!--EZCODE FONT START--><span style="color:blue;font-size:large;">O</span><!--EZCODE FONT END--><!--EZCODE FONT START--><span style="color:indigo;font-size:large;">R</span><!--EZCODE FONT END--><!--EZCODE FONT START--><span style="color:violet;font-size:large;">S</span><!--EZCODE FONT END--><!--EZCODE FONT START--><span style="color:pink;font-size:xx-large;">!</span><!--EZCODE FONT END--></p><i></i>