Hands-On Preview: Transport Fever 3

As a former Curler Coaster Tycoon and Sim Metropolis child, I recognize expansive, detailed administration simulators. There’s nonetheless a wide selection of those video games in the marketplace, however as of 2026, there aren’t that many new choices that talk to me in the identical method as these traditional video games. Then I attempted Transport Fever.

Extra particularly, I began with City Video games’ 2019 title, Transport Fever 2. The title has managed to garner a passionate cult following. I can instantly say that TF might be the most effective and most addictive recreation on this style in latest occasions. In preparation for an occasion in New York Metropolis final week, I lastly determined to be one of many first to expertise the upcoming Transport Fever 3 first-hand.

After only a few marketing campaign missions and taking part in round with the free play mode and the a whole lot of mods obtainable, I figured it out. Transport Fever scratched a gaming itch I did not even know I had but, and it made me much more excited to see what 3 would deliver later this yr.

Along with the sport’s helicopters, flights round Manhattan to rejoice issues just like the Free State, and an old style trolley shuttle between accommodations and occasion venues, I spent two and a half to 3 hours getting my ft moist on this early beta of Transport Fever 3. That is what it seems to be like in my case.

What’s new in Transport Fever 3?

First, let’s speak about what Transport Fever 3 brings new content material and options in comparison with earlier variations. Nicolas from the Swiss staff City Video games gave all of us within the room a 20-minute presentation and demo of the sport to familiarize us with the brand new recreation earlier than we went hands-on. One of many first issues we had been instructed was that Transport Fever 3 wasn’t supposed to be a revolutionary title in comparison with its predecessors. We’re constructing the muse for the sequence and rising it to even higher heights.

There was many We talked in regards to the neighborhood across the recreation, the suggestions we have gotten beforehand, and the way we’re doing our greatest to ensure Transport Fever 3 meets every little thing the playerbase is searching for and value. That is additionally the primary time City Video games has revealed its personal properties in-house, so specializing in participant desires and wishes clearly looks like an amazing path.

The sport thus far has had an admittedly steep studying curve, with some gamers discovering the tip recreation a bit “bland,” as Nicholas defined, however every little thing City Video games is engaged on bettering this time round to not solely make the sport extra accessible, but additionally ship an extended tail to maintain skilled gamers joyful as they lock themselves into the sport for dozens of hours.

There are a whole lot of additions and tweaks to TF3 this time round, so let’s check out some fast notes that will help you perceive.

• General, there’s much less deal with cash administration. That is nonetheless a core a part of the sport, nevertheless it’s much less decisive for the general failure/success of the sport (you may even take out a mortgage to maintain your checking account afloat).

• Over 300 totally different autos, together with new courses equivalent to helicopters and freight trains.

• 35 totally different industries and 40 sorts of cargo, together with objects particular to the sport’s new subarctic area. The sub-Arctic playstyle additionally will increase the necessity to implement ships into the sport ahead of in earlier sequence entries.

• Marketing campaign timeline spanning from 1900 to 2033.

• Day/evening cycle and dynamic, adjustable climate situations. These don’t have any impact on in-game operations, so you do not have to emphasize if, for instance, your aircraft cannot land because of heavy rain. These programs exist solely to permit for additional customization and general realism.

• Landmarks (such because the Statue of Liberty, lighthouses, amphitheaters, towers, museums, and many others.) added as rewards for leveling up and success within the recreation.

• Means to customise the headquarters on the map to fit your most well-liked type.

• Added/Tycoon mode for particular challenges.

• Managed fishing grounds and oil rigs.

• 8 new and improved marketing campaign missions

• Freight loading/unloading pace. Adjusts primarily based in your successes/selections within the recreation.

As you have most likely already guessed, Transport Fever 3 looks like a extra formidable enchancment than its predecessors within the sequence. This must be excellent news for followers of earlier titles seeking to get pleasure from extra content material and actions throughout the recreation loop they’re already accustomed to.

City Video games was additionally eager to speak that it’s an AI-free studio. This implies you can count on that every little thing you find yourself experiencing in Transport Fever 3 is totally handcrafted by actual people who find themselves enthusiastic about what they do. We’ll depart it as much as you to determine whether or not that is necessary to notice, however we felt it made sense to let you know in 2026 as a result of the gaming trade continues to have tough inquiries to ask.

After this presentation the place you realized all the brand new details about Transport Fever 3, it is time to hop in an actual Transport Fever 3 branded helicopter and fly round New York Metropolis. However after that have, it was lastly time to check the sport itself. Let’s begin with a brand new marketing campaign.

Enjoyable guided marketing campaign missions

For me personally, Transport Fever 2’s marketing campaign was truly the one I had probably the most enjoyable with after I tried it out earlier than the brand new recreation’s preview occasion. Apparently, this is not like video games like Rollercoaster Tycoon or Sim Metropolis. I fortunately spent a whole lot of hours creating my very own sandbox experiences in these worlds. For some motive, I just like the path and small tales that Transport Fever presents in its campaigns, so I used to be excited to see what 3 had in retailer.

Nicolas from City Video games defined to us that suggestions from earlier campaigns within the sequence has been that they’ll get a bit repetitive and boring by the tip. To assist in these areas this time round, I really feel like 3 is specializing in extra attention-grabbing and enjoyable marketing campaign situations general. For instance, the primary mission takes place in New Orleans circa 1900 and focuses on preventing alligators all through the town and making ready the town’s streets for the Mardi Gras parade.

This mission, which can also be the intro to the sport, permits you to organically find out about digital camera motion, car line implementation, constructing building, and different fundamental options. As quickly as I examined Transport Fever 2 earlier than this occasion, I shortly realized that this intro mission was nice for acclimating new gamers to this version of three. That is nice information, as I’ve to think about that there have been gamers who’ve tried to get into the sequence up to now who did not catch on shortly sufficient and bounced again for one thing else.

By the tip of this mission, the a number of characters, voice actors, and precise story plot had been additionally noticeably extra alive, and I felt a lot better geared up to proceed studying and transferring ahead from right here to the latter, harder missions. That is clearly what you need in an intro.

Subsequent up was truly the fourth mission within the full model of Transport Fever 3, tasking us with securing the unique Woodstock Music Pageant campsite from above floor with a purpose to make the live performance successful. This was additionally from a way more comical angle than I anticipated, with my avatar having to work with the native police to ensure all of the competition plans had been on observe.

This included the second they determined to move human waste from their Woodstock campground to an area river to maintain it away from campers. It is out of sight, out of thoughts, proper? Properly, not so quick. The native sheriff wasn’t proud of this transfer, so I needed to shortly change transportation to direct the waste disposal to an precise, appropriate facility additional away. Transport Fever 3 has a cheeky high quality to it that labored for me. This Woodstock mission particularly included enjoyable and tongue-in-cheek references to bands and songs from the time whereas avoiding potential copyright infringement.

Earlier suggestions about campaigns in older video games was that they may get a bit repetitive and ultimately boring. These new characters, tales, and objectives appear to legitimately resolve this drawback. Though I wasn’t capable of truly play it, I used to be knowledgeable that the sport’s remaining mission takes place in 2033 and focuses on house journey whereas revolving round a countdown timer. I am actually wanting ahead to seeing the way it performs out.

Further targets to make a mission ‘3-star’ return as effectively, with the staff’s purpose to make it an actual problem the place you may’t get every little thing proper the primary time. I additionally noticed this within the Woodstock mission, the place I utterly failed on my first try and accomplished it with 2 stars the following time. Personally, I felt the urge to go once more to get that third star. This bodes effectively for the marketing campaign. However that is after I jumped into Transport Fever’s freeplay mode.

Full sandbox

In fact, Freeplay and Tycoon modes open up Transport Fever 3 to something I personally want throughout the confines of the sport’s mechanics. As you’d count on from earlier iterations, map customization returns when you begin seeding, absolutely adjustable with terrain and problem sliders that assist you to tweak it to your liking. This additionally consists of mod help from the start, which anybody who is aware of the sequence will know. massive scale A part of the Transport Fever neighborhood. Nice to see it nonetheless alive and effectively in 3.

It is also value noting that even at this early beta stage, Transport Fever 3 seems to be superb from a visible constancy perspective. That is what cities and cities seem like many It turns into extra alive with absolutely named residents strolling the streets, all types of autos passing across the map, and small particulars like particular indicators for shops/eating places or lounge chairs on the seashore.

I zoomed in as a lot as I might to look at the newly created world, and was persistently impressed by the enhancements right here. The older video games regarded nice, however TF3 already has a noticeable shine to it, growing realism and immersion as you construct and broaden your map’s infrastructure.

This stage of element and repetition additionally applies to simply about every little thing else within the recreation. Improved menus, streamlined line settings and car buying/dedication, and different small tweaks like this all assist make Transport Fever 3 smoother and make extra sense this time round. I am not going to lie, this will really feel like a fancy sequence while you get into the small print of all of the programs. So this devoted addition to creating 3 a wiser expertise is a large win.

In attempting to see the place I can push the sandbox, I’ve additionally experimented with constructing issues like insane freeway junctions and intersections in the midst of nowhere to see if drivers will begin driving by means of them by default. And effectively…no. My design was nonsense, and even the NPC drivers might see this and select the obtainable route that will get them from level A to level B most effectively, somewhat than indulging the madness of some overlord sitting behind a mouse and keyboard.

We examined every little thing we might right here and ended up establishing a community of over 20 transport traces with all of the autos provided: vans, planes, helicopters, ships, trams, trains. I additionally constructed all of the related stations and ports, and by the tip I felt like an actual metropolis planner. Is every little thing I’ve constructed and laid out truly correctly optimized and correctly supplied to the neighborhood? Under no circumstances. However hey, I had enjoyable doing it, so I’ll learn to enhance from right here.

Sandbox kind modes should not for everybody. I am going to admit that I personally count on Transport Fever 3’s marketing campaign to be probably the most attention-grabbing as soon as the total recreation is launched. Nonetheless, for these thinking about all these modes, TF3 is clearly the most suitable choice within the sequence for gamers who wish to go all out, populate the map with visitors, and dwell out their metropolis planning desires.

It should proceed sooner or later

General, I got here away from this preview occasion feeling nice about my expertise, regardless that I used to be a relative novice when it got here to Transport Fever. This recreation nonetheless falls into a really particular style and playstyle, so like every recreation, it is not for everybody. Nonetheless, followers of this kind of recreation and followers of the sequence alike will many I am wanting ahead to Transport Fever 3.

Personally, I am completely on board with tackling the 8 marketing campaign missions after I’m prepared. I actually loved each items provided at this occasion and am wanting ahead to seeing the opposite six items, particularly the attention-grabbing instructions they take specializing in house journey within the close to future.

Though there is no such thing as a concrete launch date but, Transport Fever 3 is anticipated someday in 2026. It is going to be launched on PC, Xbox, and PlayStation.

The staff at City Video games has been posting common public updates all through growth, and you may comply with us on our Steam web page if you wish to keep updated as the discharge date approaches.