Quirky App Of The Day: Organ Trail Puts A Spin On A Favorite Antique Game
by Kathryn Zane
August 13, 2012
I like the Oregon Trail. I like zombies. It would only make sense that I would love a game that combines these two interests into one simple app. Organ Trail is that app. It fuels the love that happens when the universe brings together the elements of what you enjoy into a neat little package.
The first thing people will notice is the pixilated look of Organ Trail. The designers specifically strove for the retro look of The Oregon Trail running on an Apple 2. Well, it's retro now, but back in the day, it was cutting edge. In an effort to stay true to the original, Organ Trail offers a brilliant 16 color pallet.
The game starts out with meeting a friend named Clements. He's a priest who takes you under his wing and starts you out on your journey. Heading out to Washington D.C. in an old station wagon, Clements unfortunately breaks his arm, gets dysentery, and is bitten by a zombie. Others who have played The Oregon Trail are familiar with the banes of dealing with broken limbs and dysentery. The only new nuance is being bitten by a zombie. However, considering how The Oregon Trail used to work, the broken arm or dysentery was bound to be just as fatal.
Like The Oregon Trail, there's a chance to go hunting in Organ Trail. It's the option to scavenge once you get to a new city. You can find money, ammo, food, and scrap metal to sell later. Instead of trying to take down a buffalo or one of those pesky squirrels, you're fighting off a horde of zombies.
You can update your wagon with things that you find on the road or with items purchased in the city. Instead of buying wagon axles or wheels, you buy tires and mufflers. Luckily, you don't have to deal with cattle getting sick or wandering off.
There are also odd jobs you can do in each city to earn more money. Each job has a different difficulty level. You are injured if you fail at the job, and too many injuries can kill you.
One of my favorite parts of The Oregon Trail carried over to Organ Trail. I loved the tombstones. The App Store info boasts of over 400 community written tombstones. When you die, you can also write up your own tombstone.
What are your favorite tombstone epitaphs?
Organ Trail is a universal app available in the App Store for $2.99.
