At a Glance

'Railroad Tycoon'. Those two words simply ooze excitement, joy and anticipation. In much the same way as, say, 'Party Election Broadcast', 'Antique Fair' and, er, 'Trouser Press'. In actual fact, those two words are rather misleading, as behind the literary veil that promises suicide-inducing boredom, lies a very intricate and involving strategy game. There's a lot more to managing a railway than you think - ask any of our prestigious rail companies... Set in the Golden Era of Railroading, Railroad Tycoon 3 starts players off with a modest sum of capital and charges them with the task of expanding their empire into major cities, purchasing the latest locomotives, forcing competitors into bankruptcy, and exploiting the stock market to become the ultimate Railroad Tycoon. The game features 25 challenging scenarios, which recreate a host of notable feats of railroading history from around the world. Embarking on one such challenge, you begin by laying down track, complete with tunnels, bridges and overpasses, then select from over 40 locomotives, which include the likes of the original Planet and Norris 4-2-0, the late steam engine the 4-6-6-4 Challenger, and the modern Eurostar bullet train. Throughout the game, there are more than 35 different cargos to be hauled between over 150 different buildings, amidst a dynamic and fluctuating economy. Another strategy required is the manipulation of the game's realistic stock market, which demands such action as margin buying, short selling, hostile takeovers and mergers. You can actually build up a massive fortune and even prosper by running your railroad into bankruptcy. If you want to play on a wider scale, then you can always take advantage of the game's online support, which allows you to play against other RT3 gamers across the Net, as well make use of integrated chat and matchmaking services. Railroad Tycoon 3 is a detailed, involving and entertaining management game, which should appeal to both PC strategy fans and train fanatics alike.