A-Train: All Aboard! Tourism

 Switch
Metascore
67

Mixed or average reviews - based on 14 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 14
  2. Mixed: 11 out of 14
  3. Negative: 0 out of 14
  1. Digitally Downloaded
    Mar 16, 2021
    90
    As I wrote in my review of A-Train on the 3DS: "I feel like sending a copy and a 3DS to our (then) Prime Minister, Tony Abbott, to point out to him that public transport grows cities, not the roads he is obsessed with building." A-Train: All! Aboard! Tourism is the same wonderful blend of genuinely enlightening and deeply rewarding simulation gameplay that will both make you realise the value of mass transit, and help you to understand just how hard it is to get all of it right. Even the cute anime aesthetic, which initially seems so out of place for something so complex, eventually makes sense, too. The Japanese have an understanding of the value of mass transport to a degree that perhaps eclipses any other nation. It's something that has become a source of pride to the Japanese culture, and the anime aesthetic simply solidifies the confidence that the developers have that the Japanese are the ones whose idea of public transport is most worth paying attention to.
  2. Multiplayer.it
    Mar 18, 2021
    80
    A great management game for Nintendo Switch.
  3. The Games Machine
    Mar 14, 2021
    77
    A-Train: All Aboard! Tourism might seem a lighthearted game suitable for beginners, instead the last of Artdink’s productions turns out to be the exact opposite. It’s a complex and articulated managerial title, full of micro-management elements and with a particularly steep (perhaps too much) learning curve. That’s because, despite the presence of two exhaustive tutorials, there’s always the risk of being disoriented by an unnecessarily confusing interface.
  5. Nintenderos
    Apr 20, 2021
    70
    A very complete simulation game for train lovers and fans of Japan. However, it is intended for a very specific type of player. This is something that we must take into account when we play it.
  6. Eurogamer Italy
    Mar 22, 2021
    70
    An old-fashioned railroad managerial with a solid and articulated gameplay.
  7. Siliconera
    Mar 22, 2021
    70
    A-Train: All Aboard! Tourism is definitely impressive. People have an extraordinary degree of control over all elements of transportation and the entire health of towns. It demands you pay attention, to be sure. There are some technical issues here, to be sure. (Patches were released as I was playing, so it seems Artdink is aware of problems.) People willing to give it a chance could find a simulation they could spend months playing. Though, I would recommend anyone interested sample the demo first to be certain it is something they can handle.
  8. Nintendo Life
    Mar 21, 2021
    70
    It’s hard to express how well a niche game fares with a numerical score. If train business minutiae are your niche, your heart will be all a-flutter; if not, you’ll be all a-bored. Setting the content on one side, there are significant balance, interface and performance issues – but they don’t derail the game entirely. While there are other options for management sims on Switch that are much more light-hearted and accessible, A-Train is something different that educated us and broadened our horizons in the genre. Fans, then, will be stoked to play the series on a new platform; for others with plenty of patience A-Train could be a sleeper hit. (We're really, really sorry about all the puns. Honest.)
  9. IGN Italia
    Mar 17, 2021
    65
    An interesting railroad management simulator that seems a little bit stuck in time.
  10. VG247
    Apr 7, 2021
    60
    A-Train: All Aboard! Tourism won’t be for everyone. That’s not just because it’s part of a niche genre – it’s also because of the way it’s structured and the time commitment to truly get into it and dig deep into the ‘good stuff’. It never quite goes off the rails, but sometimes you’ll wish the journey could be a little quicker – and not everyone will be able to stick it out. If you manage that – and more fervent fans of transport sims should be able to do that – there’s a bit of a hidden gem here.
  11. Switch Player
    Mar 31, 2021
    60
    A-Train: All Aboard! Tourism is just about as complex as management sims get, full of menus, variables, budgeting and countless other aspects that genre fanatics love. It’s far too complicated for your average player, though.
  12. NintendoWorldReport
    Mar 31, 2021
    60
    Overall, once you get past the issues, it can be an in-depth and fun game to play for a rail simulation enthusiast, but those issues can be tough to overcome and take a lot of trial and error if you want to build more complex routes. It has a tough learning curve even with the tutorials. Some of this may just be me coming from another style of play but I actually had to restart the tutorial a couple of times until I got the hang of how the routing and scheduling system worked so I could design my tracks properly, but now that I have the hang of it, I’ll probably continue playing it.
  13. IGN France
    Mar 21, 2021
    60
    A-Train goes very far into train management, and even beyond that, with gameplay elements that are not remotely close to its main topic, tourism. Still, it would be fun if not for the archaic and arid interface.
  14. Destructoid
    Mar 21, 2021
    60
    So much about A-Train: All Aboard! Tourism is neat that I wish I could more strongly recommend it. At the very least, I’d love to force people who don’t think public transportation is worth investing in to play it so they see what an adequate rail system can do for their community. Because this does make a good argument for expanding public transit, it's just that its antiquated user interface and woeful tutorial and manual mean very few people will bother listening to what it has to say.
  15. Hobby Consolas
    Mar 11, 2021
    60
    A-Train All Aboard! Tourism is a complex management simulation, based on a railroad company but not limited to it. Graphics are too simple, and control scheme needs some learning, but after some practice we enjoyed the Japanese setting in different periods.
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  1. 3DJuegos
    Mar 18, 2021
    A-Train All Aboard! Tourism is a game about making Japan great with trains, railroads, new buildings and with a lot of urbanism. It’s an ambitious game, but its controls and its way of providing you with information could be a lot better.

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
8.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 4 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 4
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 4
  3. Negative: 0 out of 4
  1. VibingcatReview
    Mar 16, 2021
    9
    Great surprise!

    As a newcommer to the A-Train series, I feel surprised. What a complete management game. It's a mix of Sim City and Transport    Great surprise!

    As a newcommer to the A-Train series, I feel surprised. What a complete management game. It's a mix of Sim City and Transport Fever. I recommand to everyone looking for a great japanese management game.

    + Well introtuced tutorial and some missions (some need you to be perfectionist)
    + Lot of management possibility (Train capacity, control Stock maket, sell lands, buy/sell/transport material...)
    + You can create your map/scenario
    + Lot of trains (you can even develop/customise your train)
    + Great character design (feel anime)
    + Lot of customisation in general + Infinite gameplay - Graphic (It's not WOW but it turn on switch and it focus on gameplay)
    - Can feel complex at first but it have all you need to continue (guide, tutorial)
    - The price, high but it's an import game. Rare on the market.

    9/10 !    … Full Review »
  2. marliec
    Nov 9, 2021
    8
    Visually it's not the best. but very fun and engaging to play with, requires carefully planning and clear tutorials. lots of detail andVisually it's not the best. but very fun and engaging to play with, requires carefully planning and clear tutorials. lots of detail and flexible. it's on top of my favorite strategy game.… Full Review »
  3. klscaras
    May 5, 2021
    9
    Behind a rather steep learning curve there is what is probably the most satisfying city management game I have ever played. The level ofBehind a rather steep learning curve there is what is probably the most satisfying city management game I have ever played. The level of planning and strategic decision is really unmatched in the genre.

    Unlike city builders like Sim City and City Skylines, on A-Train you aren't a god (government) capable of making the city grow out of nowhere, but the president of a train company that aims to work with the government to achieve development goals. It's the limitations that you have as a private company owner that make the gameplay so engaging and interesting.

    The simulation is quite complex but you don't need to understand in detail how it works to advance in the game (which can be surprisingly easy at certain times). However, there is enough depth for you to dive deep if you want and the higher difficulties will put your skills and knowledge to the test. It takes dozens and dozens of hours to start feeling familiar with the game and even after hundred of hours you will still be learning things and developing better ways to face the scenarios, build your lines, etc.

    The only problem is that the performance on the Switch is not the best. The game runs well on the isometric camera + low details + no shadows, but the lag in the menus is something that is impossible to get rid of and deteriorates the experience a lot. It is a small price to pay for such a complex and interesting game, however.

    It is a pity that this series is largely ignored in the West. There is nothing available on the market that offers a similar gameplay, as its focus is quite different from what you find in games like OpenTT, Sim City, City Skylines, etc. A-Train is a unique city management game, not only in terms of type of experience, but also in terms of the depth it offers to be explored.    … Full Review »
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