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Updated July 2026 · real, multi-region App Store reviews
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The verdict on

Thomas & Friends

40
User verdict / 100 High confidence Divided

Recent reviews for Thomas & Friends by Budge Studios show a strong negative reaction to the updated 'All Engines Go' art style and a recurring complaint about the high cost and prevalence of in-app purchases, despite some users finding the game nostalgic and fun.

4.4★ lifetime (73,156) Free + in-app purchases since 2016 by Budge Studios updated 8.4 mo ago recent negative 32% 100 reviews across 2 regions
Art Style Change In-App Purchases/Paywall Glitches and Freezes Nostalgia/Fun Lost Purchases
5★58
4★8
3★2
2★9
1★23
recent reviews across 2 regions, vs the 4.4★ lifetime average

Thomas & Friends by Budge Studios is an entertainment app that allows users to play with Thomas and other trains. While some users find it fun and nostalgic, a significant portion of recent reviews express disappointment with the updated 'All Engines Go' art style and the extensive paywall for additional content and characters.

What users like

  • Many users find the game fun and nostalgic, especially those who played it in their childhood.R3R8R10R12
  • Some users appreciate the 'All Engines Go' remake and characters.R79R84R98

What users complain about

  • The updated 'All Engines Go' art style is widely disliked, with many users preferring the old design and calling for an option to revert.R7R28R29R41
  • A significant amount of content, including other trains and mini-games, is locked behind paywalls or subscriptions, which many users find too expensive or predatory.R2R15R26R42
  • Users report glitches and freezing issues, particularly during mini-games or specific challenges.R37R52R53R59
  • Some users who made in-app purchases in the past report that their purchases were reset or no longer apply with the new update.R62R66R82R100
  • Paid subscriptions do not always remove ads, which users find frustrating.R37R97

Latest update · v2025.1.0

What the developer says changed (the verdict above weighs this against what reviewers report):

Welcome back! A new game update is here with performance improvements and bug fixes.

Recurring themes

Art Style Change negative
Many users strongly dislike the new 'All Engines Go' cartoon art style, finding it 'babyish' or 'rubbish' compared to the older CGI style. They frequently request an option to switch back to the original graphics.R7R28R29R41
In-App Purchases/Paywall negative
A significant number of reviews criticize the extensive in-app purchases required to unlock additional trains, mini-games, and content. Users feel that 'everything' costs money and describe the pricing as 'ludicrous,' 'predatory,' or 'too expensive,' especially for a children's game.R2R15R26R42
Glitches and Freezes negative
Several users report frequent glitches, freezing, and bugs, particularly during mini-games or specific interactions like moving animals or passengers. This often requires restarting the game, disrupting gameplay.R37R52R53R59
Nostalgia/Fun positive
Despite the negative feedback on updates and monetization, many users express that the game is fun and brings back nostalgic memories from their childhood.R3R8R10R12
Lost Purchases negative
Some users who previously purchased content or unlocked engines report that their purchases were reset or became unusable after the update, leading to frustration and calls for refunds or restoration.R62R66R82R100

Who it's for

This app is for younger children who enjoy Thomas & Friends and are new to the game, especially if they prefer the 'All Engines Go' art style R79R98. It might also appeal to older players seeking nostalgia, provided they are aware of the significant changes and potential paywalls R8R10. It is not for users who dislike the new 'All Engines Go' art style, are unwilling to pay for extensive in-app purchases, or expect a bug-free experience R2R28R75.

Evidence note: The recent reviews skew heavily negative due to the 'All Engines Go' update and monetization, which contrasts with the high lifetime rating. The developer's notes mention 'performance improvements and bug fixes,' but recent reviews still report frequent glitches and freezes R37R75.

Frequently asked

What happened to the old Thomas & Friends art style?
The game was updated to feature the 'All Engines Go' cartoon art style, which many users dislike and wish to revert to the older CGI style R28R41R68.
Is all content free in Thomas & Friends by Budge Studios?
No, a significant amount of content, including other trains and mini-games, is locked behind paywalls or requires in-app purchases, which many users find expensive R2R26R73.
Are there glitches or performance issues in the game?
Yes, several users report constant freezes, glitches, and bugs, particularly during mini-games or specific challenges, despite developer notes mentioning performance improvements R37R75R87.
Can I get a refund for past purchases after the update?
Some users who made in-app purchases in the past report that their purchases were reset or no longer apply with the new update and have requested refunds or restoration R62R82R100.

What reviewers actually said

Built only from these 100 real reviews (foreign ones translated). Superscripts jump to the quote here. Apple has no per-review links, so [ref] opens that app's reviews on the App Store.

  1. [R3] 5/5 · US Amazi g: played this while on ft screen control funnest thing ever
  2. [R8] 5/5 · US Very nostalgic: Very nostalgic
  3. [R10] 5/5 · US Nostalgic: I used to play this when i was younger it is so nostalgic
  4. [R12] 5/5 · US mi infancia: es uno de los mejores juegos que jugaba de chiquito se los recomiendo 10/10⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
  5. [R79] 5/5 · GB Awesome: Would recommend to anyone who actually likes season 25 ttte (which is me)
  6. [R84] 5/5 · GB Nostalgia: Used to play this 24/7 when i was younger and love the all engines go remake
  7. [R98] 5/5 · GB ALL ENGINES GO: Yay ALL ENGINES GO CHARACTERS! Great game but can you make a my talking kana game?
  8. [R7] 4/5 · US Ok: Right now the game is ok but I liked it better before the reboot and now it just feels weird and off sized
  9. [R28] 1/5 · US Why?: What happened to the old engines They were way better.
  10. [R29] 2/5 · US GreAt game !!: It is great but can you add the olriginl game with the not corton Thomas plaes
  11. [R41] 1/5 · US I mean the new one is nice but the old was better: I have suggestion on the setting screen can there be a switch the says cgi then everything will go back to the cgi version please do it
  12. [R2] 2/5 · US It’s Ok But: The game is fun but in order to have more fun is EVERYTHING = FREE Any of you remember when you didn’t have to pay for the other trains and the “toys”. PS. If you don’t know, everything used to be free
  13. [R15] 2/5 · US Not every train: It is like I do not have every train and I am not paying for it
  14. [R26] 3/5 · US Please do this: So my kids are 4 and 6 and they keep on begging me to buy them more of the mini games because all of the other trains and mini games aside from Thomas’s cost money so they can’t play it so all I’m asking for is to make All of the other stuff unlockable and not cost money
  15. [R42] 1/5 · US Predatory and parasitic.: Give us a way to pay once and unlock everything. A monthly subscription for this is ludicrous.
  16. [R37] 5/5 · US Glitches and Ads: My son loves this game, but it always freezes on certain challenges and I have to close the game out for him to start over. It is usually when he is moving the sheep or cows off the tracks or when he is matching the people to their specific color of train car. It also freezes when he is trying to put the pieces back on the tunnel to piece it back together. I have emailed support
  17. [R52] 1/5 · GB Creepy spencer: When I was doing that passenger mini game a creepy spencer popped up and the camera went crazy and blacked out
  18. [R53] 5/5 · GB What a glitch…: When I will jump over the bridge it goes to the wrong way and did not move and this is happening forever!
  19. [R59] 4/5 · GB Bugs: This game has got bug. In one of episode passengers can’t get in to train
  20. [R62] 1/5 · GB Disappointed it has changed: Sad to see that a game that we loved has changed to the new style Thomas characters. My son finds them a lot more babyish and no longer enjoys this game because of the changes. Frustrating particularly as we had made some in app purchases in the past.
  21. [R66] 1/5 · GB The update is rubbish and here’s why: Ever since the game told me to update it I knew it was rubbish from the start the graphics are to 6 and under like and it reset all my purchases it is a rubbish app and I am deleting it Thanks for listening P.s sorry if you dont agree is my opinion
  22. [R82] 1/5 · GB ALL ENGINES NO!!!: Magic tracks was such a good game that my son a lot of fun on. And you’ve butchered it. I can fully understand that it might not have been your decision to fix it into the all engines go art style, but have you tried adding a feature to have the original game back, and the purchases, I purchased all the characters in the game and now I have to buy them again, a minimum you cou
  23. [R100] 1/5 · GB Bulls horns are bulls horns: It’s now terrible the all engines go update ruined it. It got rid of so many good characters and the only all engines go realism is in the first mini game the engine of your choice swerved off track and back on in my opinion it’s now bad. It also reset the £18 I payed for all engines unlocked >:(
  24. [R97] 1/5 · GB Cynical cash grab from toddlers: This is absolutely dreadful. Adverts every 15 seconds for toddlers to spend £18 a time on upgrades. Adverts with tiny “x” that after a while only fades after 10 seconds, if they manage to press the x it leads to another advert. Cynical, and counterproductive. How could any child enjoy it enough to justify £1 when they can’t use it for more than a few seconds at
  25. [R68] 3/5 · GB Doesn’t give me tingles: When I first downloaded the app when I was 6 I was in love the graphics and gameplay were amazing but now when I wanted to play it again for the memories I was let down by how the engines looked ‘THEY TURNED THEM INTO CARTOONS !!’ that was my reaction but at least the gameplay stayed the same
  26. [R73] 1/5 · GB To expensive: Everything is money
  27. [R75] 2/5 · GB Constant freezes on iPad: Very annoying constant freezes on iPad. Can’t move cows/passengers. The app is just stuck.
  28. [R87] 2/5 · GB Glitches and bugs: When I bought this game for my 5 year old son back in 2021, he played the game a lot of the time but then started playing the game for merely a minute before converting to ThomasMinis. So when he found out about the new All Engines Go update he got really excited but when he entered the game, the first thing he saw was a black Thomas in the sheds with Percy, Diesel, Kana and Nia

Synthesized from 100 recent App Store reviews · updated July 2026 · View on the App Store