Game Reviews

Trucker: Parking Simulator

Star onStar onStar onStar halfStar off
Get
Trucker: Parking Simulator

Unless you failed your reverse park on your driving test on more than one occasion, leaving you with a bit of a chip on your shoulder, it's hard to imagine a game with the name Trucker: Parking Simulator keeping you awake, never mind enthralled.

But you overlook Hybrid Touch Games's driving sim at your peril. It's an oddly addictive title that mixes the best elements of mobile puzzlers with a look that's far more polished than the dust-cloaked rear of your typical heavy goods vehicle - and a challenge that's actually remarkably difficult.

Keeps on truckin'

The concept is as simple - and as dry - as the name suggests. It's up to you to drive your oil truck across 32 levels in Career mode, successfully wending it around right-ngle bends and hairpins, all without knocking over any traffic cones - and then gliding to a perfect stop in the designated area.

It's much more gripping than it sounds. Figuring out just how much gas you need to apply, and the sometimes unintuitive direction in which you need to turn a multi-ton lorry, is not easy.

For extra challenge, you can toggle a gear stick on and off, and several control options are supported, including simple left and right taps and pedals; an on-screen wheel; and even tilt turning.

And while it's no Real Racing 3 in the looks department, there's still a lot going on under the bonnet - it's very well presented, with multiple camera views supported, including a cabin view complete with rear-view mirrors.

Hybrid vehicle

What makes Trucker: Parking Simulator such a pleasant surprise is its hybrid approach, mixing a driving game with the more-ish elements of the best puzzle titles - there are three stars to earn on each level for time and execution, along with more than 50 Game Center achievements - and if you're quick enough you can even crash the world leaderboard.

Rather just figure out how driving a lorry works in the first place? No worries: there's a sandbox Free Drive mode for that, too. If you've ever struggled simply reversing into a large spot in a Fiat Punto, there's a surprising amount of fun to be had here.

Trucker: Parking Simulator has a slightly odd premise and an unprepossessing name, but don't let that deter you from picking up this oddly compelling casual game.

Trucker: Parking Simulator

Three-point turn failure in real life? Validate yourself with this clever, oddly gripping touchscreen parking sim. Just don't expect it to get you through HGV driver test
Score