Hands-On Preview: Transport Fever 3

As a former Curler Coaster Tycoon and Sim Metropolis child, I am an appreciator of a sprawling, detailed administration simulator. Whereas there are nonetheless a pleasant collection of these video games available on the market, in 2026, there have not been a ton of newer choices which have spoken to me the identical approach that a few of these classics have. After which, I attempted out Transport Fever.

Extra particularly, I began out with Transport Fever 2, the 2019 title from City Video games that has managed to garner a little bit of a devoted cult following that might be fast to inform you that TF is maybe the perfect, most addictive recreation within the style nowadays. In preparation for an occasion final week in New York Metropolis to be one of many first individuals to go hands-on with the forthcoming Transport Fever 3, I made a decision to lastly soar in myself.

After simply a few marketing campaign missions and messing round with the Freeplay Mode and a whole lot of accessible mods, I get it. Transport Fever scratches a gaming itch I did not even actually notice I nonetheless had, which made me all of the extra excited to see what 3 was primed to deliver to the desk later this yr.

Along with a flight round Manhattan to rejoice issues like helicopters and the State of Liberty now being featured within the recreation, and an old-timey trolley journey backwards and forwards from my lodge to the occasion house, I spent someplace between two and a half to 3 hours getting my toes moist with this early beta model of Transport Fever 3. Here is the way it went for me.

What’s New in Transport Fever 3?

First, let’s speak about what Transport Fever 3 is bringing to the desk when it comes to new content material and options in comparison with earlier iterations. Nicolas from Swiss staff City Video games gave a 20-minute presentation and demo of the sport to all of us within the room to get us up to the mark with the brand new recreation earlier than all of us jumped in for ourselves. One of many first issues talked about to us was that Transport Fever 3 is just not meant to be some revolutionary title compared to what’s come earlier than. It is taking the sequence’ basis and rising it to greater heights.

There was a number of discuss concerning the neighborhood across the recreation, the suggestions they’ve gotten beforehand, and doing their greatest to verify Transport Fever 3 hits on the whole lot attainable that the playerbase is searching for and values. That is additionally the primary time that City Video games has self-published one in all their properties, so this laser-focus on participant needs/wants clearly looks as if an important course to be working from.

The earlier video games have had an admittedly steep studying curve, in addition to what Nicolas described as some gamers feeling that the late recreation can get a bit “bland” by the tip – all issues City Video games is working to treatment this time round to make the sport each extra accessible, but additionally with an extended tail to maintain knowledgeable gamers locked-in and glad dozens of hours into the expertise.

There’s quite a bit that is being added and tweaked to TF3 this time round, so let’s go over some fast notes to get you within the loop too:

Much less of a spotlight total on cash administration. It is nonetheless a core a part of the sport, however much less deterministic on your total failure/success within the recreation (you may also take out loans to maintain your checking account afloat).

Over 300 completely different automobiles, together with new lessons: helicopters and cargo trams.

35 completely different industries and 40 sorts of cargo, together with objects particular to the brand new Subarctic areas of the sport. The Subarctic playstyle additionally creates extra of a have to implement ships into your recreation sooner than in earlier sequence entries.

A marketing campaign timeline that spans from the yr 1900 to 2033.

A day/night time cycle in addition to dynamic/adjustable climate situations. These have no bearing in your operations inside the recreation, so there is no have to stress over, say, heavy rain grounding your planes. These techniques are simply there for additional customization and realism total.

Landmarks added as a reward for leveling up and succeeding within the recreation, together with issues just like the Statue of Liberty, lighthouses, amphitheaters, pagodas, and museums.

The flexibility to customise your Headquarters on the map as a way to make it extra private to your most well-liked model.

A Tycoon Mode for added/particular problem.

Fishing grounds and oil rigs to handle.

8 new and improved Marketing campaign missions

Loading/unloading velocity for cargo, which adjusts based mostly in your success/selections within the recreation.

As you possibly can seemingly already deduce, Transport Fever 3 looks like an bold enchancment over what’s come earlier than within the sequence, which must be excellent news for followers of the earlier titles which can be merely prepared for extra content material and issues to do inside the recreation loop they’re already accustomed to.

City Video games was additionally eager to inform us that they’re a no-AI studio, that means you can anticipate the whole lot you will ultimately get to expertise in Transport Fever 3 is totally handmade by actual individuals which can be obsessed with their work. I will depart it as much as you if this is a vital factor to notice or not, however I felt it related to cross alongside in 2026 because the gaming trade continues to have some tough inquiries to ask itself.

After this presentation the place I discovered all of this new details about Transport Fever 3, it was time for me to leap into an actual, Transport Fever 3-branded helicopter and fly round NYC. After that have, nonetheless, it was lastly time to check the sport itself. Let’s begin with the brand new marketing campaign.

Enjoyable, Guided Marketing campaign Missions

For me personally, the marketing campaign in Transport Fever 2 is definitely what I loved probably the most once I tried it out previous to the preview occasion for the brand new recreation. Apparently, that is completely different from a recreation like Curler Coaster Tycoon or Sim Metropolis, the place I used to be more than pleased to spend a whole lot of hours making my very own sandbox experiences in these worlds. For no matter cause, I benefit from the course and little tales of Transport Fever that the marketing campaign affords, so I used to be excited to see what 3 had in retailer.

Nicolas from City Video games defined to us that earlier marketing campaign suggestions within the sequence had been that it might get a bit repetitive and boring by the tip. To assist help in these areas this time round, it looks like 3 is leaning tougher into some extra attention-grabbing and entertaining marketing campaign eventualities total. For instance, the primary mission takes place in New Orleans across the yr 1900 and focuses on wrangling alligators round city and making ready the streets of the town for a Mardi Gras parade.

As the sport’s intro as nicely, this mission additionally organically teaches you issues about digicam motion, automobile line implementation, constructing development, and different primary options. Coming so quickly from testing out Transport Fever 2 earlier than this occasion, I seen straight away that this intro mission felt considerably higher at getting a brand new participant up to the mark this time round in 3. That is nice information, as I’ve to think about that there have beforehand been gamers that attempted to get into the sequence, could not wrap their heads round it shortly sufficient, after which bounced off for one thing else.

By the tip of this mission, which was additionally noticeably way more alive with a number of characters, voice appearing, and precise story plot, I felt I used to be a lot better geared up to continue to learn and progressing into the latter, harder missions from right here. That is clearly what you need from an intro.

Subsequent up was truly what would be the fourth mission within the full model of Transport Fever 3, which tasked me with getting a campground on the unique Woodstock Music Competition off the bottom as a way to have a profitable live performance. This one took a way more comical angle than I anticipated as nicely, with my avatar needing to cooperate with native legislation enforcement to verify all of our pageant plans have been on the up-and-up.

This included moments the place I might determined to move human waste from the Woodstock campground to the native river simply to get it away from the campers. Out of sight, out of thoughts, proper? Properly, not so quick. The native sheriff wasn’t a fan of this transfer, so I shortly needed to pivot my transportation traces to direct the waste disposal to an precise, correct facility additional down the highway. There is a cheekiness to Transport Fever 3 now, and it really works for me. This Woodstock mission particularly had enjoyable, tongue-in-cheek references to bands and songs of the period whereas avoiding any potential copyright infringement.

We have been instructed that earlier suggestions concerning the marketing campaign in older video games was that it might get just a little repetitive, even boring by the tip. These new characters, storylines, and goals legitimately look like they’re going to appropriate this subject. Whereas I did not get to go hands-on with it, we have been knowledgeable that the sport’s last mission takes place in 2033 and focuses on house journey whereas revolving round a countdown timer. I am genuinely excited to see how that one performs out.

Further objectives to “three-star” a mission are again as nicely, with the goal of the staff to make them a real problem the place you will not do the whole lot accurately the primary time round. I noticed this myself within the Woodstock mission, the place I initially failed it solely in my first try earlier than finishing it with two stars the following time round. Personally, I felt the urge to return for that third star, which is an effective signal for the marketing campaign. Nonetheless, it was then time for me to hop into Transport Fever’s Freeplay Mode.

Going Full Sandbox

Freeplay and Tycoon modes, in fact, are the place Transport Fever 3 opens up into no matter you personally need it to be inside the confines of the sport’s mechanics. As you’d anticipate from earlier iterations, map customization is again once you begin a seed, totally adjustable with terrain and problem sliders to fine-tune it precisely how you favor. This contains mod assist from the get-go as nicely, which if you recognize the sequence, you recognize is an enormous a part of the Transport Fever neighborhood. It is good to see it is nonetheless going to be alive and nicely in 3.

I will additionally notice right here that even on this early beta stage, Transport Fever 3 actually does look noticeably higher from a visible constancy standpoint. Cities and cities really feel way more alive with totally named residents strolling the streets, automobiles of every kind bustling across the map, and little particulars like particular signage for shops/eating places and lounge chairs on the seashores.

I zoomed in so far as I might to examine my newly created world, and I used to be persistently impressed with the enhancements right here. The older video games seemed good too, however there’s already an apparent sheen in TF3 that provides to the realism and immersion as you construct and develop the infrastructure of your map.

This stage of element and iteration applies to just about the whole lot else within the recreation too. Menus are higher, organising traces and buying/dedicating automobiles to them is streamlined, and different small tweaks of the type all serve to easily make Transport Fever 3 really feel smoother and make extra sense this time round. I will not lie, this will really feel like a sophisticated sequence once you get into the trivialities of all of the techniques at play, so this added dedication to creating 3 extra smart to expertise is an enormous win.

As somebody that tries to see the place I can push a sandbox, I additionally experimented with constructing issues like insane freeway junctions and intersections in the course of nowhere, simply to see if any drivers would begin touring on them by default. And nicely… no. My design was nonsense, and even the NPC motorists might see this, choosing the routes accessible to them that may get them from Level A to Level B most effectively as an alternative of indulging the insanity of their overlord sitting behind the mouse and keyboard.

I examined out the whole lot I might right here, ultimately organising an internet of 20+ transportation traces with all supplied automobiles: vehicles, planes, helicopters, ships, trams, and trains. I constructed all their related stations and ports as nicely, feeling like a real metropolis planner by the tip. Was the whole lot I constructed and laid out truly well-optimized and correctly serving of my neighborhood? In no way. However dangit, I had enjoyable doing it, and I will learn to enhance from right here.

Sandbox-type modes aren’t for everybody, and I admit I anticipate the marketing campaign of Transport Fever 3 will personally seize me probably the most as soon as the total recreation launches. Nonetheless, it is clear that for these inclined in the direction of these kinds of modes, TF3 would be the best choice within the sequence but for gamers that wish to actually go all-in, string their net of transportation traces everywhere in the map, and dwell out any of their metropolis planning desires.

Extra to Come

All in all, regardless of being extra of a relative newcomer to Transport Fever on the whole, I left this preview occasion feeling nice about what I might skilled. The sport nonetheless clearly slots into a really particular kind of style and playstyle, so like anything actually, it will not be for everybody. Nonetheless, followers of these kinds of video games and sequence followers alike have quite a bit to sit up for with Transport Fever 3.

Personally, I am utterly on board to work by way of the eight marketing campaign missions as soon as they’re able to go. I had a blast with each on provide at this occasion, and I am excited to see the entertaining instructions the opposite six go, significantly the one targeted on house journey within the near-future.

Whereas we do not have a concrete launch date but, Transport Fever 3 is predicted sooner or later in 2026. It is deliberate to launch on PC, Xbox, and PlayStation.

The staff at City Video games has additionally been posting common public updates throughout improvement, and you’ll observe alongside on their Steam web page if you wish to keep looped in as launch day rolls ever nearer.