Top 10 Simulator Video Games on Roads, on Rails, in the Air, or Even in Space

Simulation games are all about replicating real-world activities or systems in detailed ways through accurate, true-to-life mechanics. Most involve complex processes, decision-making, and factors that closely simulate reality, such as physics, economics, social situations, and more.

I can undoubtedly say that, with simulation games being so popular nowadays, you'll find something to suit your tastes. I've narrowed the genre of the games on this list to mobility and transportation, but there are many other titles out there, even for more uncommon activities. If your "dream activity" can be simulated virtually, you'll probably find a game that does that.

I won't discuss car and motorcycle simulation games, as I've dedicated two separate articles to them. Here are the most realistic car racing sim games and some of the best motorcycle racing games.

Train Sim World 4

Available on: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC
Release Date: September 26, 2023
Price: $39.99

If you're a fan of trains and want to learn more about what it takes to operate them, there's no better choice for you than the Train Sim World series. The latest installment is Train Sim World 4, with Train Sim World 5 set to be released on September 17 this year.

You don't need to be a full-on train nerd to enjoy this game. If you are one, however, you'll be more than happy with this game. At the same time, it's also perfect for people who want a relaxing yet engaging simulation experience, as you can fine-tune the difficulty and start slow.

Dovetail Games is the maker of this long-running series. It has since been significantly updated with new routes, trains, features, and a bunch of DLC, which can be a bit pricey.

The game's goal is to make you feel like you're actually doing the job. That's why you play the entire game in first-person, managing, driving, and maintaining the trains. By the way, you get various models, including high-speed, passenger, and freight trains, as well as accurate track layouts from real-world rail networks.

You'll find comprehensive tutorials to help you understand how to operate a train. That being said, expect a steep learning curve, especially if you want the experience to be as realistic as possible. Realistic weather effects, dynamic lighting, and a detailed environment help immerse you further in the train driving experience.

You get a bunch of game modes, including training, scenarios (you can also create ones yourself), and timetable. There's even a free-roam mode where you can explore the routes on foot. Furthermore, you can ride as a passenger, with AI controlling the trains.

Euro Truck Simulator 2 (ETS 2) & American Truck Simulator (ATS)

Available on: PC
Release Dates: ETS 2 on October 18, 2012, ATS on February 2, 2016
Price: $19.99 each

At first thought, driving a truck for hours on end delivering all sorts of stuff might sound like a boring experience. However, ETS 2 and ATS do a fantastic job of making this experience enjoyable and addictive.

These two games will make you feel like you're a truck driver in Europe or the United States, depending on which game you play. You can turn the radio on and cruise the open roads to your cargo's destination. It gets even better if you have some sim racing gear, such as a steering wheel and pedals, as you get even more immersed in the truck driving experience.

If you're a fan of road trips, you'll most likely enjoy these two games. In addition to delivering your goods on time and in one piece, you also have to manage your hauling firm and your delivery contracts.

Maps span across huge parts of Europe and the United States, so there's no need to worry about your drives being too short. In fact, your issue might be that they can be too long. However, it's the perfect opportunity to play a podcast and unwind as you carefully and legally travel to your destinations.

Of course, you get customization options for your rigs, including upgrades, paint jobs, and accessories. What's more, the graphics aren't mind-blowing, but they do a good enough job of immersing you in the game.

Gameplay can become repetitive, as it involves driving from point A to point B, and there aren't many in-game events or missions besides standard cargo delivery. Still, this didn't stop the games from becoming huge successes, as proven by their numerous active players.

One of the best aspects of ETS 2 and ATS is their modding communities. There's seemingly unlimited content to be accessed, including trucks, routes, and many more mods. They significantly enhance the "replayability" of these games.

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020

Available on: PC , Xbox Series X/S
Release Date: August 18, 2020
Price: $24.99

Microsoft Flight Simulator couldn't miss this list. The series has been running for quite a while, but the 2020 iteration raised it to new heights.

It's the ultimate flight simulation game that stands out with its real-world mapping and real-time weather data. Yes, you read that right—the game has a beautifully rendered 1-to-1 recreation of the world map. Tracking down various local landmarks is a lot of fun.

There's a lot to take in when you start playing this game. If you want a full-on, realistic experience, you must be prepared to learn all it takes to fly an airplane. The bigger it is, the more complicated it'll be (at least in most cases).

This game is so good that many pilots swear by it. Of course, it's not as good as a professional flight sim they train on, but it's the closest you get to one. It has detailed aerodynamic modeling, fully detailed cockpits and instrumentation, and much more.

What Microsoft achieved sounds almost impossible, but they nailed it. This game more than lives up to its hype, and it's definitely well worth its price.

Farming Simulator 22

Available on: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC, macOS, Google Stadia
Release Date: November 22, 2021
Price: $29.99

As someone born and raised in the urban environment of Bucharest, Romania, I sometimes wonder what it would've been like to live on a farm and take care of it. I probably won't take the leap in real life, but I have Farming Simulator 22 to fulfill my fantasies virtually.

Farming Simulator 22, made by Giants Software, is generally considered one of the best simulation games on the market – and for good reason. You get an inexplicable level of satisfaction when driving around the field of your farm in your combine, harvesting your crops.

You can choose what kind of farming life you want to have. From American farmland packed with wheat and corn to vineyards in the Mediterranean, there's something to satisfy every "gamer farmer" out there.

You get a vast range of licensed farming "gear," such as vehicles, tractors, and other equipment that will allow you to grow your farming empire. Taking care of your farm doesn't just involve taking care of crops and livestock (yes, you also have livestock) - it's equally important to manage your empire and make sure you turn a profit.

A multiplayer mode is also available, so your friends can join the fun. Moreover, again, like with the trucking games above, a massive modding community builds up on the already detailed game with new features, equipment, and maps. By the way, Giants Software will release a new iteration in the series, Farming Simulator 25, on November 12 this year.

Cities: Skylines 2

Available on: PC (Windows, macOS, Linux), PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
Release Date: March 10, 2015
Price: $49.99

Developing and maintaining a city is no easy feat—you can try it yourself and see how you manage on Cities: Skylines 2. If you're into management, trading, and creation, you'll surely enjoy this game.

There's no point in me detailing all you must do to manage a city, as it's a complex process. You have to make important decisions regarding traffic, access to utilities, pollution, production, energy, taxation, and a lot more.

It sounds like a challenging task, and it actually is. However, rest assured: Colossal Order, the game's maker, made sure to ease you into the action through a user-friendly interface.

What makes the game even more enjoyable are its excellent graphics and real-life-simulating features, such as changing seasons. These don't actually make you a better city manager, but they certainly help make the experience more realistic, making you feel like you're actually the "boss" of your very own city.

If you feel like anything's missing from the game, such as complex economic systems, you'll probably find what you need through the many available mods. Moreover, numerous DLCs and expansions add fresh content if you get tired of the standard offering.

On the other hand, players have complained about the game's confusing and faulty economic models and bad communication. The latter refers to the game not telling you what specific parts of your city are causing problems, making troubleshooting confusing and frustrating.

Car Mechanic Simulator 2021 & Motorcycle Mechanic Simulator 2021

Available on:
Release Date: CMS 2021 on August 11, 2021 and MMS 2021 on November 17, 2021
Price: $24.99 for CMS 2021 and $6.99 (currently discounted) for MMS 2021

I've grouped Car Mechanic Simulator 2021 and Motorcycle Mechanic Simulator 2021 since they're both published by PlayWay S.A. and are very similar in gameplay, only you deal with different vehicles, as their names suggest.

Both games have a similar approach: you start in your basic garage and begin with minor servicing, such as replacing brake pads or changing the oil, as you slowly learn how to repair these vehicles.

The more time you put in, the deeper the games get. Before you know it, you'll be leveling up and earning enough points and money to upgrade your skills and your garage, respectively.

The game isn't 100% realistic, but that's a good thing, as it would've been too complicated. Instead, it offers a great way to learn more about cars and bikes and all the components that make up these machines without making things too confusing. Repair processes are realistic and in-depth.

Once you've learned all about the systems, you'll need to start identifying the problems of some of the customers' vehicles that come to your garage. Jobs are randomly generated, so you never know what you're going to be assigned. You can also test the cars and motorcycles by driving or riding them.

There's no story mode but rather a sort of career mode that lets you expand your mechanic garage empire. Regarding the vehicles, they're made to resemble real-world cars and motorcycles, and there are some DLC with licensed vehicles that get you the real deal. Furthermore, the graphics are decent, good enough to hook you into the gameplay.

These games are certainly not for everyone, but if you're in the target demographics, you'll get a kick out of them. I like the educational component, as you can actually learn stuff about vehicle mechanics and maintenance. However, gameplay can get repetitive, and there's little to do outside the garage.

Kerbal Space Program

Available on: PC (Windows, macOS, Linux), PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Release Dates: April 27, 2015
Price: $39.99

Have you ever wanted to escape this world? Well, you can do that virtually with the Kerbal Space Program. If space exploration is your jam, look no further than this game.

It provides surprisingly good realism. What makes the game stand out is its orbital physics engine, which simulates interplanetary travel in mind-blowing ways. And it's not just me saying that—the game has gotten praise from some of the leaders in space exploration, including SpaceX, the European Space Agency, and even NASA. In fact, NASA even reached out to developers to collaborate on creating new content based on real missions.

This is rocket science, so naturally, learning how to send a spaceship into deep space is no piece of cake. However, this makes it that much more satisfying when you complete your first mission. Expect many failures and a lot of frustration before you achieve that.

At first, you might be fooled by the cute astronauts known as Kerbals. But you'll soon face reality once you experience the game's impressive mechanics. Moreover, it's not just about the science side of stuff – you also have to balance funding, scientific progression, and reputation in the game's Career mode. If you're not a fan of that, you can let your imagination run wild in the Sandbox mode, where everything is unlocked.

Kerbal Space Program makes learning space exploration, an incredibly complex subject, fun and rewarding – there's no other game like it.

PowerWash Simulator

Available on: PC (Windows), Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5
Release Date: July 14, 2022
Price: $17.49 (discounted from $24.99)

PowerWash Simulator is a bit of an oddball on this list, but I just had to include it. It might seem like nothing special, but that's until you try it.

Sometimes, simplicity is best. This offers an unmatched level of relaxation through cleaning, of all things. Just power up your pressure washer and eradicate the filth that coats the environment.

You have numerous adjustable nozzles, hoses, and pressure types to choose from. Friends can join your cleaning adventures via a co-op mode (up to five players), and you can experience more realism through VR.

You don't have a crazy level or progression variety, but the cathartic cleaning experience makes you forget that. You get a variety of buildings and vehicles to wash and a loose plot to follow.

Yes, monotony can set it, but this game is not about grinding and completing it as fast as possible but rather about unwinding and enjoying the pure powerwashing experience. Moreover, the level sometimes throws something different into the mix, such as turning a carousel on and off to get to every inch of dirt.

The game does a great job at making you feel relaxed while doing that, especially since it removes the irritation of real-life power washing, such as moving bulky items.

The lack of music and voice acting immerses you further in the game. All you get is the constant sound of water and a satisfying "ding" when you fully clean an object. Although it sounds counterintuitive, this game's simple yet repetitive nature will keep you glued to the screen.

As I already mentioned, there are so many simulators - these are just the ones that I feel are worth trying. If you want to go into even more niches, you'll find plenty of other titles, including Bee Simulator, PC Building Simulator, Border Control Simulator, and many, many more. Funnily enough, there's even a Drug Dealer Simulator.

Please let me know in the comment section below what your favorite simulator game is and what other titles deserve a spot on this list.