Driving in real-life traffic? Terrible. It’s slow, stressful, and people don’t use turn signals.
Playing Traffic Jam 3D? Oddly satisfying.
This game takes the worst part of your day-being stuck on a highway-and turns it into a game. It is a car puzzle game disguised as a racer.
Here is the setup: You are in a car. The brakes barely work. The accelerator is stuck to the floor. And the road is full of slow trucks, buses, and sedans.
You aren’t trying to come in first place. You are trying not die.
I love this game because it rewards bad behavior. In real life, if you swerve inches away from another car at 100 mph, you go to jail. In Traffic Jam 3D, you get points.
They call them “Near Misses”. The closer you get to a crash without actually crashing, the more score you get. It gives you this rush of adrenaline. You weave left, right, squeeze through a gap that looks too small, and come out the other side unscathed.
It looks simple, but your brain has to work fast. You have to judge the speed of the car in front of you. Is that truck moving left? Can I fit between those two buses?
How to Play Traffic Jam 3D
This isn’t a complex simulator like Gran Turismo. It’s arcade chaos.
The Controls:
- Steer: Left and Right Arrow Keys.
- Gas: Up Arrow (Hold it down. Always).
- Brake: Down Arrow (Only use this if you are about to hit a truck).
Game Modes:
- Career: You have specific goals. “Reach the finish line in 40 seconds.” “Get 5 Near Misses.” This is great for unlocking new cars.
- Infinite: Just drive until you crash. This is the best way to kill time.
- Time Trial: You against the clock. No crashing allowed.
- Free Ride: Just cruising. No pressure.
Tips for Not Crashing:
- Look Far Ahead: Don’t look at your bumper. Look at the horizon. You need to see the traffic jams before you reach them.
- The Shoulder is Lava: You can drive on the emergency lane for a second, but it usually ends badly. Stick to the road.
- Buy Better Cars: The starter car is slow and handles like a boat. Use your points to upgrade handling first, then speed.
- Let Go of the Gas: You don’t always have to brake. Sometimes, just letting go of the Up Arrow gives you enough control to dodge a car.
If you love cars but want more freedom to drift, check out Drift Hunters. That game is all about the slide. Or, if you want to trade the asphalt for snow, Snow Rider 3D offers that same high-speed dodging experience. But for weaving through traffic like a maniac, Traffic Jam 3D is the one.