Review: The Trolley Solution

Developer – byDanDans

Publisher – The Bueno Interactive

Platforms –   PC (Reviewed)

Review copy given by Publisher

There are games that test your reflexes, games that test your patience, and then there’s The Trolley Solution ,a game that asks the one question philosophers have been chewing on since the 60s: how many digital strangers are you willing to run over with a train before you start to feel a little bad about it? The classic thought experiment by Philippa Foot has finally pulled into the Steam station, and instead of dusty lecture halls, it arrives as a tongue-in-cheek compilation of point-and-click minigames that put the “track” back in “train of thought.”

From the jump, The Trolley Solution doesn’t pretend to be anything more than a playful spin on a philosophical nightmare. You’ve got 20 variations of the trolley problem, each paired with a minigame that forces you to “weigh” your options. Will you pull the lever to save five but doom one? Will you derail into absurdity to save everyone? Or will you just sit back and let the trolley do what trolleys do best: flatten pixels? It’s philosophy with brakes cut, careening toward your sense of humor rather than your moral compass.

The beauty here is in the ridiculousness. One level might have you frantically clicking to switch tracks as the trolley barrels ahead, while another turns into a timing challenge where saving lives is all about precision. Sometimes you’re testing your mouse dexterity, sometimes your puzzle-solving chops, and other times you’re simply laughing at how little sense it all makes. The game doesn’t take itself seriously, and that’s exactly what makes it work. After all, philosophers already waste years debating this stuff; here you get to wrap it up in a few minutes with a scoreboard.

And yes, there are train jokes galore. You’ll find yourself off the rails, derailed, sidetracked, and on the wrong track more often than not. The developers clearly leaned into the absurd, because every time you think you’ve reached the end of the line, another bizarre twist pulls in at the station. One minute it’s a traditional lever-pull choice, the next it’s an arcade-style dodge-the-obstacles run. The variety keeps the momentum chugging along like a steam engine, and you’ll want to see just how far the joke goes.

Of course, you’re not actually going to walk away from The Trolley Solution with any new moral wisdom. The disclaimer outright tells you not to expect enlightenment, which feels refreshingly honest. This is less about pondering the sanctity of human life and more about whether you can laugh at philosophers turning ethical dilemmas into a carnival game. And honestly, it’s way more fun to watch cartoon characters splat across the tracks than to sit through a three-hour ethics seminar.

That said, the humor might not be everyone’s ticket. If you’re looking for a deep, meaningful exploration of utilitarianism versus deontology, you’ll probably want to hop on a different train of thought. But if you’re here for a goofy, low-stakes ride that doesn’t mind derailing into slapstick comedy, you’ll have a good time.

The real trick is that the minigames, while simple, are actually pretty fun. They’re not complex enough to stand alone, but strung together with the absurd trolley theming, they click. Some are clever twists on classic arcade mechanics, others are quickfire puzzles, and a few are just plain silly. And yet, because every one of them ties back to a new trolley variation, it feels like a consistent package rather than a random grab-bag.

You’ll laugh, you’ll groan, and you’ll almost certainly mutter “I should’ve seen that coming down the tracks” at least once. Like a good dad joke, it thrives on predictability and surprise at the same time.

In the end, The Trolley Solution isn’t about solving moral dilemmas, it’s about putting the pedal to the metal on a runaway gag. It’s a goofy, rail-thin experience that doesn’t overstay its welcome, giving you just enough track to enjoy the ride without derailing into boredom.

So if you’ve ever wanted to run over philosophy majors with a smile, or just prove once and for all that you’re terrible at saving digital lives, punch your ticket. The Trolley Solution is waiting at the station, and it’s ready to take you for a ride straight into the ethical scrapyard.

Final Solution: It’s not exactly philosophy with horsepower, but it’s got enough steam to keep you entertained. Choo-choo-se this one if you like bad train puns, quick minigames, and watching thought experiments get crushed under steel wheels.