8 Best Video Games for Train Enthusiasts

For decades, trains have captured the imaginations of people around the world and of all ages. The basic concept of transporting people and goods on wheeled vehicles guided by rails actually goes back to the ancient world, but the increasing presence of steam locomotives in the 19th century was a game-changer worldwide. As track routes grew bigger, trains became an efficient means to travel long distances with large payloads. Eventually, they could transport people across continents faster than any other mode of transportation at the time. Trains continue to play a key role in modern society. The history of the railroad is a captivating tale, which is inextricably linked to every key event of the 19th and 20th centuries.

RELATED: Starfield Player Builds Incredible Galaxy Express LocomotiveTrains are a fascinating piece of machinery, and it is no surprise that this is reflected in a lot of our media. There is no shortage of films about train-related mishaps from Buster Keaton’s The General to Tony Scott’s Unstoppable. A lot of media geared towards children likes to fuel interest in trains, from the classic story The Little Engine That Could to Thomas the Tank Engine. Collecting and setting up model trains remains a popular hobby. This is also true of video games, which have also found ways to appeal to humanity’s love of trains.

LEGO Loco

This classic 1998 computer game is effectively a model train simulator. The player gets a sandbox in which they can freely build their own LEGO City populated by LEGO people, but the game’s main selling point is the ability to build railroads.

There are plenty of track pieces to choose from, allowing free rein to experiment with different routes for the little LEGO trains to follow. The best part is being able to make postcards that can then be sent to various characters using the player’s own train-based postal service, which will also deliver their reply. Although perhaps a bit simpler than some of the others on this list, it is a great introduction to the world of trains.

Metro Exodus

Steam User Rating: 89%

The first two Metro games took place in a post-apocalyptic subway network, so Artyom often found various rail vehicles in various states of functionality, but Metro Exodus took it to another level. This time around, Artyom’s crew gets to leave the metro in a steam-powered locomotive called the Aurora, and they have a small train by the end.

This train acts as a main hub and a driving force for the story. The game’s entire plot is structured around the Aurora being used to explore post-nuclear Russia, with each level centering on misadventures that occur at each stop. This format allows Metro Exodus to use its train as a means of visiting several very distinct locations which each have their own unique stories and characters.

Railway Empire

Steam User Rating: 82%

Railway Empire casts the player as a railroad baron during the Industrial Revolution, with an emphasis on construction and resource management. The main campaign deals with the role of trains in American history during the 19th and early 20th centuries, with expansions showcasing the railways of other countries around the same time.

Players get to deal with all the challenges of running a business, such as managing finances, gathering resources, and hiring personnel, but as they progress, the player will have access to a greater selection of locomotives, and the means to build even bigger track routes. That is, of course, if they can keep up with an increasing task list and outwit their competitors.

Railroad Tycoon 3

Steam User Rating: 77%

As its name implies, the Railway Tycoon series is all about running a railroad company. Railroad Tycoon 3, arguably the most popular of the series, has several campaigns to choose from, many of which are inspired by different historical locations and eras. This makes it the kind of game perfect not just for railroad enthusiasts but historical railroad enthusiasts, who are bound to appreciate the wide variety of trains from different eras and countries to pick from.

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As a business management simulator, Railroad Tycoon tries to re-create the challenges of running a company. Placing railroad tracks is part of it, but it also means managing finances and resources, plus trying to thwart the efforts of rival businesses.

Ticket to Ride

Steam User Rating: 54%

Ticket to Ride is the digital adaptation of the popular board game of the same name, which is interestingly themed around being a passenger on various trains rather than driving one or building railroads. The goal is pretty simple: players gain points by traveling between different cities, with the ultimate goal of connecting destinations given on their tickets.

The rules for how to accomplish that are also pretty straightforward: you can take one of three possible actions and collect cards of a matching color to claim a route. However, the inevitable chaos comes from the fact that each track can only be ridden by one player, leading to them thwarting each other’s efforts.

Train Simulator 2022

Steam User Rating: 71% (Train Simulator Classic)

A lot of the mentioned games are about old-fashioned steam locomotives, but what about those who are more interested in modern trains? Furthermore, a lot of those games are about building tracks and letting trains run along them, but what if players want to actually drive the train?

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Enter the latest addition to Dovetail’s popular series. Train Simulator 2022 puts players in the engine room and gives them the responsibility of getting their train from point A to point B. Players can control a variety of electric, diesel, and even steam engines, with all the important tasks that come with being an engineer in each one.

Tren (Available In Dreams)

Metascore (Dreams): 89

This simple game, available through the Dreams platform, is all about the childhood experience of playing with wooden toy trains. Players control a toy locomotive named Tren and solve puzzles to complete routes.

Gameplay involves simple movement – Tren can move forward or backward at different speeds. Some tracks will add an extra challenge by requiring Tren to take on cargo, which can be challenging when it comes to completing routes that involve loop-de-loops, jumping over gaps, elevators, and springboards.

Voidtrain

Steam User Rating: 70%

This peculiar indie game gives players the role not only of the engineer, but also the conductor. Only in this instance, there’s a strange twist. Instead of simply traveling from one place to another or building a track through rough terrain like some of the others on this list, Voidtrain has players moving through an alternate dimension with its own physics.

Conducting becomes everything from managing the train’s crew to protecting the train from the strange monsters that inhabit the void, plus gathering resources and crafting upgrades to increase the chances of coming out the other side. Players don’t know what They’re going to find in the void, which almost makes Railroad Tycoon look pretty simple by comparison.

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