Train Simulator series

Train Simulator (トレインシミュレータ, "toreinshimyurēta" or abbreviated "TS") is a Japanese train simulation game series produced by Ongakukan. The game is significant as it is was one of the earliest of its kind since the series started in 1995. No versions were licensed outside of Asia, therefore all of Train Simulator games are only available in Japanese, except "" which is also translated in Traditional Chinese and English.

Each game contains Japanese lines and trains, with the exception of four episodes located overseas, in Germany, France, United States of America and Taiwan. Video shot from the cab of the train synchronised with the computer is used as a basis for simulation. Ongakukan have endeavoured to produce true to life simulation with much technical details, and since 2005, Ongakukan has started producing professional simulators for driver training [ [http://www.ongakukan.info/english/biz/advantage.html "Train Simulator for Pro-use" in Ongakukan website] ] .

Versions

Six distinct series of the game have been produced through a decade:

Train Simulator (1995~2000)

The original series, starting in 1995, these titles were all released on Windows and Macintosh systems.
*1995.XX: Train Simulator JR East Chūō Line 201 Series:(Nakano - Toyoda)
*1995.XX: Train Simulator JR East Tōkaidō Main Line 211 Series:(Kamonomiya - Totsuka)
*1995.XX: Train Simulator JR East Tōhoku Main Line 211 Series:(Toro - Mamada)
*1996.XX: Train Simulator Odakyu Railway Odawara Line 5000 Series:(Chitose Funabashi - Sagami Ono)
*1996.XX: Train Simulator Sagami Railway Main Line 9000 Series:(Yokohama - Ebina)
*1997.XX: Train Simulator German Railway Rhine River Left Bank Line:(Bingen - Koblenz)
*1997.XX: Train Simulator Nanbu Jukan Railway (Also released as a collectors edition):(Shichinohe - Noheji)
*1997.XX: Train Simulator Keihin Kyuko Railway Main Line, Kurihama Line:(Shinagawa - Misakiguchi)
*1997.XX: Train Simulator JR Shikoku 1:(Takamatsu - Kotohira, Takamatsu - Kojima)
*1997.XX: Train Simulator Seibu Railway Shinjuku Line:(Seibu Shinjuku - Honkawagoe)
*1998.XX: Train Simulator Nagoya Railway:Nagoya Main Line, Inuyama Line (Kanayama - Shin-Unuma), Hiromi Line (Inuyama - Shin-Kani), HSST-100 Test Track [http://www.jrtr.net/jrtr25/f58_tec2.html] (Ōe - Higashi-Nagoyakō)
*1998.XX: Train Simulator Hanshin Electric Railway:(Umeda - Kosoku Kobe)
*1998.XX: Train Simulator JR Hokkaidō (1):(Yoichi - Sapporo)
*1998.XX: Train Simulator JR East Yamanote Line (also released as Train Simulator DVD):(Osaki - Osaki, anti-clockwise)
*1999.XX: Train Simulator South France (also released as Train Simulator DVD):(Cannes - Nice - Monte Carlo - Menton)
*1999.XX: Train Simulator Kintetsu Minami-Osaka Line & Yoshino Line:(Abenobashi - Yoshino)
*2000.XX: Train Simulator JR East Keihin-Tohoku Line:(Kamata - Omiya)

Train Simulator Plus (2000~2001)

The Train Simulator Plus series was designed for the Windows system and its releases were limited to Japan. The first episodes were published by Pony Canyon while the last one was published by Ongakukan.
*2000.07: "Train Simulator PLUS: Keihan Electric Railway":(Yodoyabashi~Demachi Yanage)
*2000.10: "Train Simulator PLUS: East JR Chūō Line 2":(Tokyo~Otsuki)
*2001.02: "Train Simulator PLUS: Odakyu Electric Railway Odawara Line 2":(Shinjuku - Odawara)
*2001.12: "Train Simulator PLUS: Kyoto Municipal Subway Karasuma Line & Kintetsu Kyoto Line":(Kokusai Kaikan, Takeda, Kintetsu Nara)

Train Simulator Real (2001~2002)

Released on PlayStation 2 system.
*2001.10: "Train Simulator Real: THE Yamanote Line":(Osaki - Osaki, clockwise)
*2002.10: "Train Simulator Real: THE Keihin Electric Express Railway":(Misakiguichi~Shinagawa, Haneda Airport~Keikyu Kamata, Shinagawa)

Train Simulator (2003~2005)

Released on PlayStation 2 system.
*2003.10: "Train Simulator: Midosuji Line":Osaka Subway (Nakamozu - Senri Chūō)
*2003.12: "Train Simulator ＋ Densha de GO!: Tokyu Line":(Sakuragicho - Shibuya, Shibuya - Chūō Rinkan, Oimachi - Futako Tamagawa)
*2005.08: "Train Simulator: Keisei, Toei Asakusa, Keikyu Lines":(Haneda Airport or Ueno - Aoto - Narita Airport)
*2005.10: "Train Simulator: Kyūshū Shinkansen":JR Kyūshū (Shin-Yatsushiro - Kagoshima Chūō, Kumamoto - Minamata, Kumamoto - Shin-Yatsushiro)

Mobile Train Simulator (2005~2006)

Released on PlayStation Portable system from 2005 to 2006 and available in Japan and Asia (Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore). The first episode was co-developed with rival series "Densha de Go!" producer Taito.
*2005.02: "Mobile Train Simulator ＋ Densha de GO!: Tokyo Kyuko Line":(Sakuragicho~Shibuya, Shibuya~Chūō Rinkan, Oimachi~Futako Tamagawa)
*2006.02: "Mobile Train Simulator: Keisei, Toei Asakusa, Keikyu lines":(Haneda Airport~Aoto, Ueno~Narita Airport)

Railfan (2006~2007)

The latest series was renamed Railfan, it started in 2006 and was designed for the PlayStation 3 system. The first episode introduced in December 2006 was developed by Taito and published by Ongakukan in Japan, by Sony Computer Entertainment in Asia (Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore) and by Cyberfront Korea in South Korea. The second episode was designed by Taiwan-based developer Actainment and released in July 2007. It was first published in the Asian market by Sony Computer Entertainment, then it was later published in Japan by Ongakukan.
*2006.12: "":Chuo Main Line (Mitaka~Tokyo), Keihan Main Line (Demachiyanagi~Yodoyabashi), Chicago Brown Line (Fullerton,Loop, Fullerton)
*2007.07: "":(Zuoying~Taipei)

Controllers

A number of external controllers with realistic controls have been manufactured for use with the games:
* Train Mascon (uses serial port to connect to PC or Macintosh)
* Master Controller II for Trainsimulator (USB)
* Multi Train Controller (PlayStation 2)

References

External links

Official websites:
* [http://www.ongakukan.info/english/game/game_top.html Train Simulator series line-up official website]
* [http://www.ongakukan.info/english/game/beginner.html "What is "Train Simulator"?", official introduction to the franchise] Fan websites:
* [http://www.densha-de-go.com/ Railfan at densha-de-go.com forums]
* [http://www.softgrow.com/trainsim/ Enthusiast website dealing mainly with early Japanese train simulators ]