Take a trip through the golden era of steam engines in Sid Meier’s Railroads! To become a rich rail baron in this fast-paced simulation, you’ll lay tracks between towns and shuttle passengers, raw materials, and sought-after luxury goods. Build thriving rail empires in more than a dozen regions—like the American midwest and northern England—while fending off rivals eager to derail your plans.

What we love: Making a railroad network that runs like clockwork. When you’re done, you can zoom in and savor all the little details, like watching your railcars get loaded with crude oil and crates of fine wine. Or just blow a locomotive’s whistle as it chugs between stations!

Quick tip: To quickly score cash early on, lay a set of parallel tracks between your home base and the nearest large city, then immediately set up passenger and mail routes. You’ll be a millionaire in no time, and you can use that money to quickly expand your empire.

Meet the creator: The legendary Sid Meier has been in the conductor’s seat for some of gaming’s biggest blockbusters, including the Civilization series, Sid Meier’s Pirates!, and 1990’s Railroad Tycoon (a forerunner to Sid Meier’s Railroads!). London-based Feral Interactive has ported dozens of hit games to iPhone, iPad, and Mac.