RAILSTAR
1 · the dive, a chain, the warp and the WARDEN boss (developer's alt text) (1-bit still: gif-1-still.webp)
2 · GLASS NIGHT, the ice shelf under the aurora
3 · the ship folds into the sub, then the hover tank (1-bit still: gif-2-still.webp)
4 · THE TRENCH
5 · bosses including the PYRAMID, the ORB and the CUBE (1-bit still: gif-3-still.webp)1 · the dive, a chain, the warp and the WARDEN boss (developer's alt text) (1-bit still: gif-1-still.webp)2 · GLASS NIGHT, the ice shelf under the aurora3 · the ship folds into the sub, then the hover tank (1-bit still: gif-2-still.webp)4 · THE TRENCH5 · bosses including the PYRAMID, the ORB and the CUBE (1-bit still: gif-3-still.webp)What it is
RAILSTAR is "a 3D rail shooter I made for the Playdate and its crank," in the developer's words. You fly the last fighter of the carrier MERIDIAN across eight worlds, from a salt desert and a storm sea to an ice planet, an asteroid field and a machine capital, plus two secret worlds. The story branches on your choices after each boss, and four epilogues depend on who comes home and what you do with the enemy at the end.
A third of a turn on the crank rolls the ship sideways so shots pass through. Hold A while rolling for the LANCE, a shield-breaking ram, or B for the AEGIS, which reflects nearby shots for double damage; both cost a third of your meter. The ship also transforms into a sub and a hover tank, whose turret the crank swings. The page lists 40 acts, eight bosses and eight mid-bosses, eight mini-games, a voiced crew with more than 1,000 spoken lines, and unlockable modes including Endless, Boss Rush, Time Attack, Hard and Mirror campaigns and a Daily challenge.
The developer puts one route at about 1.5 hours and seeing everything at about 5 hours. It can be played with the crank docked, and options include left-handed cranking and a reduce-flashing setting. RAILSTAR was published on itch.io on 26 Oct 2026 at $12.99 CAD or more.
Who made it
Made by Matan Dessaur, per the itch.io credits, which also credit sprite packs by jaks, portraits built with LostHeadStudio's Animated Face Generator, and some models from Kenney's CC0 Nature and Space kits.
What others are saying
No coverage yet: we found no press or reviews. This overview is built from the game's own itch.io page.
Callout (?): No review yet. We haven't reviewed RAILSTAR yet. This page is an overview built from the developer's own itch.io page.
Sources
Checked 27 Oct 2026. Times on itch.io are shown in UTC; dates here are as itch.io shows them.
- Official itch.io page (description, credits, controls, size, date, price, AI disclosure). https://m8n-matandessaur.itch.io/railstar
Not yet reviewed.
No score. This page is built from official and press sources.
A 3D rail shooter where the crank rolls your fighter through enemy fire, across eight worlds and a branching, fully voiced story.