Traffic Jam 2 1.00

We all hate getting stuck in traffic jams, so why on Earth would anyone put themselves through it for fun in a computer game?

Actually, if you're stuck in traffic in real life then Traffic Jam 2 is quite a fun way to pass the time, allowing you to vent your frustration by at least pretending to be out of a bumper-to-bumper situation.

The purpose of this puzzle game is to guide your little Beetle out of the jam by moving the cars around it to clear its path. The road is split into a series of cells and you can only move vehicles in a straight line. Although there's little in the way of in-game help, it's pretty easy to pick up, and before too long you'll be engrossed.

The pixel-art graphics in this game are great fun and there are lots of different kinds of vehicles throughout. The inclusion of a 2D view is welcome because sometimes it can be difficult to see where you can move in a real gridlock situation. Although the demo only lets you play a rather stingy 10 levels, there are 250 to play in the game so this is one that will keep you going for a while.

One of the few sour points of Traffic Jam 2 is the background music. The tune loops throughout the whole game and doesn't vary from level to level, so unless you mute it you'll end up clinically insane after more than half an hour's gaming.

Putting sound issues aside, the second installment of Traffic Jam proves that it's still an engaging puzzle game format.