Comparison

Backhoe! vs Train Simulator PRO 2018

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Backhoe!

An interactive illustration game designed for young children, featuring a backhoe with simple touch controls. Kids can explore, dig, and drive without any pressure or complex mechanics.

Highlights
  • Interactive backhoe controls
  • Simple touch-to-play mechanics
  • Watercolor illustration style
  • No ads or in-app purchases
  • Score tracking
  • Kid-friendly design
Features
Read full description

Backhoe! is a game built specifically for the youngest gamers in our lives. I built this game for my son and daughter who are 4 and 3, respectively. They have a lot of fun playing it and helped shape the game with their extensive playtesting and feedback, and I hope that a young truck lover in your life gets as much enjoyment out of it as they do. The game is fashioned as a sort of "interactive illustration", emulating a look of detailed watercolor truck illustrations in books of the 80s. The idea is to let kids play, touch anywhere on the screen, and not be accidentally booted out away from the fun. It's as easy and fun to use as a playground digger toy (you know, the ones with the two levers kids are always arguing over.) How to play: Touch anywhere on the screen to affect the game; touch the body of the backhoe to change the color of it, or tap the wheels to start and stop driving. Tap the back arm of the backhoe to work the digger scoop; press and hold anywhere on the screen and the bucket will follow your finger. Tap the front of the backhoe to work the loader bucket; press and hold anywhere on the screen and the bucket will follow your finger. Raise it high enough and dump out dirt, and collect more dirt by driving and scooping up dirt piles. Dig and make piles to their maximum size to score points. There is no wrong way to play the game, no way to fail, or convoluted steps too hard for the youngest players to understand. Scores are saved automatically and frequently, so you'll always have a running tally of all the fires you've extinguished. And best of all there are not, and will never be, any ads, in-app purchases, links to other apps, data collected by me, or links to take the player outside of the game. Have fun playing Backhoe! and feel free to contact me with feedback!

About

Train Simulator PRO 2018

Experience the thrill of being a train engineer by driving realistic locomotives across a vast US landscape. Manage freight or passenger trains, navigate complex routes, and build a successful railway company. Enjoy stunning graphics and interactive cab controls for an immersive simulation.

Highlights
  • Drive passenger or freight trains
  • Explore 1000 sq miles of terrain
  • 15 cities to visit
  • 6 unique locomotives
  • Interactive engineer's cabin
  • Realistic damage system
  • Dynamic weather and day/night cycle
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Have you ever dreamed of being a train engineer? Train Simulator PRO 2018 will let you drive carefully modeled locomotives leading passenger or freight trains across the eastern half of the US. Whether you like fast passenger locomotives or powerful freight movers able to pull dozens of cars, in our game you will find it all. Whatever you choose, you will have to watch out for speed limits, rail crossings, signals and other trains. Plan your route wisely to maximize profits and create the most powerful railway company in the US! During your travels, you can admire photo-realistic graphics including cities, suburbs, factories, countrysides and much more. Each locomotive includes a carefully-rendered engineer’s cabin with working levers and gauges for maximum realism. However, you have to be careful as driving recklessly or pushing the brakes for too long may damage the train. So put your engineer’s cap on, and let’s get rolling! Main features: ▶ Almost 1000 square miles of terrain ▶ 15 cities to explore and choose job from ▶ 6 unique locomotives ▶ 14 detailed cars (3 passenger and 11 freight) ▶ Locomotives and cars damage system ▶ Locomotive cabs with interactive levers and gauges ▶ Dynamic weather and day/night system ▶ Other trains and traffic on roads ▶ Photo-realistic graphics ▶Advanced signalling and speed limit systems

Screenshots

Backhoe!4 screens
Train Simulator PRO 20184 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Backhoe! at 4.5 against Train Simulator PRO 2018's 3.4. Backhoe! also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 5) and ads (none vs shown). Train Simulator PRO 2018's advantage is update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 53 months) and ratings volume (507 vs 2). On device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Backhoe! costs $1.99 and Train Simulator PRO 2018 $5.99 up front. Train Simulator PRO 2018 sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. Backhoe! asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Backhoe! holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Train Simulator PRO 2018 has 507 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Backhoe! ships an update every 53 months, Train Simulator PRO 2018 every 6 weeks. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

Scorecard9 real differences · 2 level
Backhoe! versus Train Simulator PRO 2018: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBackhoe!Train Simulator PRO 2018
Price$1.99 — better$5.99
Rating4.5 (2 ratings) — better3.4 (507 ratings)
Positive reviews—41.5% of reviews
Number of ratings2507 — better
Update frequencyEvery 53 monthsEvery 6 weeks — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
Best chart rank—#96 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS10.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size64 MB828 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAustin IvansmithMAGEEKS SC

Customer experience

Backhoe!

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Train Simulator PRO 2018

All ratings506 ratings
Positive57.1%
Neutral8.1%
Negative34.8%
Written reviews200 reviews
Positive41.5%
Neutral10.5%
Negative48.0%

Bugs and requests

Backhoe!

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Train Simulator PRO 2018

Reported bugs

6 issues
  • Long trains not recognized at grade crossings
  • Engine damage and repair costs too high
  • Inconsistent speed limit enforcement
  • Missions not starting/completing properly
  • Inability to unload cargo without crashing
Show 1 more
  • Money/coin issues (disappearing, unable to earn enough)

Requested features

10 requests
  • Expand map to include West Coast
  • Add more train models and types (e.g. steam engines)
  • Implement multiplayer functionality
  • Add more camera views and free roam mode
  • Allow customization of trains (colors, logos, etc.)
Show 5 more
  • Implement a creative mode
  • Add ability to sell/trade locomotives and railcars
  • Improve lighting and environment details
  • Implement interactive controls (levers, etc.)
  • Add grade crossing gates and signals

In-app purchases

None

Backhoe!

No in-app purchases

5 purchases

Train Simulator PRO 2018

One-time5
  • Handful of Gems$0.99
  • Pile of Gems$2.99
  • Sack of Gems$4.99
Show 2 more
  • Bucket of Gems$9.99
  • Chest of Gems$19.99

Questions

Is Backhoe! free?
Backhoe! costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Train Simulator PRO 2018 free?
Train Simulator PRO 2018 costs $5.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Backhoe! or Train Simulator PRO 2018?
Backhoe! is rated higher. Backhoe! averages 4.5 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Train Simulator PRO 2018 averages 3.4 from 507 ratings.
Do Backhoe! or Train Simulator PRO 2018 have ads?
Train Simulator PRO 2018 shows ads; Backhoe! does not.
Which is updated more often, Backhoe! or Train Simulator PRO 2018?
Backhoe! ships an update every 53 months, and Train Simulator PRO 2018 every 6 weeks. Most recently, Backhoe! was updated on October 24, 2026 and Train Simulator PRO 2018 on October 24, 2026.

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