Islands & Trains has received a special updated winter demo, which is now available on PC via Steam. Developed by indie creators Akos Makovics and Fabi Smith, the game is being published with the help of Future Friends Games. This festive demo arrived just in time for Christmas, bringing some holiday cheer to the game.

The World in a Snowglobe

Islands & Trains is a cozy, relaxing sandbox builder where players create their own colorful little worlds. Whether you prefer crafting tiny dioramas with just a single shed or designing idyllic villages with lush forests and intricate train networks, the game encourages you to explore and find the perfect place for all the pieces. With no goals, timers, missions, or stress, the Islands & Trains offers a space for creative freedom and happy accidents.

Islands & Trains’ low-poly graphics have a cute, toy-like aesthetic. It feels a lot like what you imagine is happening when you played with blocks as a kid, except you can see your imaginary world coming to life. Its soothing soundtrack, filled with light piano melodies, just adds to the calm and relaxing atmosphere. The controls are fairly intuitive to use too, except perhaps the mirroring tool. You can use your mouse as a paintbrush, scattering tree variants across the land. Or, you can precisely pick out each model you want in its specific place. There is a great variety of objects to choose from as well, despite a number being locked for the demo. Truly, your imagination is your only limit.

Santa’s Little Helpers

The updated demo features a variety of magical winter-themed additions, including snow-covered landscapes, and new Christmas and winter-themed items. Rudolph can grace your towns, and you can build ice rinks and even ski lifts for your mountain slopes. It also includes a complete overhaul of the user interface, 12 new train engines and wagons, and 24 exclusive Christmas assets.

The demo is available now on Steam, offering an early taste of the game. However, it’s important to note that the demo is a limited preview. It features only a small portion of the content that will be available in the full version of Islands & Trains. Moreover, the planned release date for the full game has not yet been announced. The developers acknowledge that there may be some bugs left for them to find, and look forward to receiving feedback as they refine the game.