Densha De Go 64 is the perfect way to unwind after having to endure reality

destructoid.com:

I don’t tend to play games for escapism. The whole “escape from the world’s problems by going to a fantasy world” doesn’t work for my brain. Finding a game that actually gets me to relax is difficult. Even some games that are intended to be relaxing seem to have the opposite effect on me. What I’ve found that works are games that don’t allow me to think about anything else, such as Doom Eternal, management games, and simulators like Densha De Go 64.

I actually picked up Densha De Go 64 because I love the N64 and saw the game’s special controller. I knew I needed it. What I didn’t realize at the time was that the sound of the rail joints and the shouts of oncoming signals were the perfect mix to get me to vegetate on the couch.

Densha De Go started in arcades in 1996. The games are simulators of real Japanese rail routes. If your first thought is of the strict rules and timetables that conductors must adhere to in the real world, they’re replicated here. You not only need to obey rail signs and arrive as close to the scheduled time as possible, but you’re also expected to come to a complete stop at the appropriate spot on the station platform. Don’t worry. There is some space for error as screwing up merely takes from an allotted number of points you start with.

The rules are numerous and complicated. Sometimes there’s a speed limit, while other times if you’ve been going too fast, it will abruptly ask you to cut your speed, so you don’t hit the train in front of you. Every so often, you have to toot your horn to let bridges know you’re going under them and tunnels know you’re sliding in. It’s quite a lot when you start out, and it’s maybe a good idea to have a reference nearby, especially if you’re not fluent in