Lightning Train (2025)

The reviewer highly praises Lightning Train as their top pick from 2025, highlighting its unique take on the train-themed genre through engaging bag-building mechanics and strategic regional contracts for laying tracks.

The reviewer expresses strong affection for Lightning Train, considering it a fun and fantastic game with only minor complaints, and highly recommends it as a solid train game for anyone who enjoys the genre.

The reviewer was intrigued by 'Lightning Train' due to its novel combination of cube-style rail game mechanics with bag-building, a feature she found unique and compelling despite not being a fervent fan of train games. The reputation of the designer, known for titles like Clank! and Dune Imperium, further heightened her anticipation for the game.

The reviewer highlights 'Lightning Train' as a promising bag-building, pick-up-and-deliver train game, noting its blend of mechanics similar to Ticket to Ride and On the Underground, with a focus on strategic chip purchasing and route optimization.

The reviewer included 'Lightning Train' in their tier ranking of games played in 2025, indicating it was a noteworthy title for the year.

The reviewer praises Lightning Train as a unique and exciting blend of train game and bag-building mechanics, highlighting its distinctive gameplay that offers thrilling push-your-luck moments while building routes and delivering goods.

The reviewer enthusiastically praises "Lightning Train" as a fantastic and fun game that they would always recommend and play. They particularly enjoy the game's mechanics and overall experience, though they prefer it with three or four players over solo or two-player games.

“Lightning Train is a tight game of railroad superiority where you can tangibly feel your company getting stronger as the game continues. Choices are plentiful and strategies are open-ended so that you can play the game in a way that makes the most sense for your personal enjoyment.”

“"Lightning Train" was announced as a finalist for GeekDad's 2025 Game of the Year, being lauded for combining traditional train line building with an innovative bag-building mechanic that appeals to both railfans and strategy gamers.”

“All Aboard! Lightning Train has left the station, and is now available for preorder! There's a fortune to be made by delivering goods to the cities that need them all across North America...”

The reviewer highly enjoys "Lightning Train," praising its solid, fun, and unique strategic gameplay, making it a game they intend to keep. While acknowledging its longer playtime and potential for brain-burn towards the end, the overall sentiment is very positive.

The reviewer found 'Lightning Train' to be a unique and interesting bag-building train game, particularly recommending it to fans of those genres who enjoy tight resource management and adaptability. While he personally prefers more plentiful resources, he believes the game is a worthwhile experience, especially for 3-4 players.