18 Wheels Of Steel

18 Wheels of Steel (sometimes abbreviated as 18 WoS) is a series of trucking simulators published by ValuSoft and developed by SCS Software. The series currently has 5 installments. Despite being released as budget games, the series has surprisingly high production values.

18 Wheels of Steel Across America

This installment is very similar to Hard Truck: 18 Wheels of Steel except that the graphics were updated, more trucks and cargo were added, and a new map was created that enables users to travel across the entire continental U.S., through 20 cities. Choose from 17 rigs and 30+ trailers. The game uses it's clock in the minutes which is a total of 24 minutes, it goes by really fast.

This game focuses on the delivery of cargo. Unlike in Hard Truck: 18 Wheels of Steel, the sleep timer was removed from the simulation. There is an improved traffic model as well as planes, helicopters, and trains with authentic sounds.

18 Wheels of Steel: Pedal to the Metal

In this installment, released in 2004, the user can travel across the entire continental US, and also northern Mexico and southern Canada, through 30 cities.

The sleep timer was brought back in this version. It has an improved traffic model. 18 Wheels of Steel: Pedal to the Metal requires OpenGL.

18 Wheels of Steel: Convoy

In this updated installment, you can travel through the United States, as well as southern Canada, though it differs from 18 Wheels of Steel: Pedal to the Metal in that Mexican cities are not present. You can travel through 30+ cities and choose from 35+ rigs, 45+ cargos and 47+ trailers. You have to use your mouse to look outside of the cab for your mirrors, really aggravating.

The graphics are also much improved in this version, and you can see drivers in other vehicles. However, other graphical features such as dynamic dashboard gauges were replaced with simple textures.

18 Wheels of Steel: Haulin'

This installment adds more cities and has more realistic graphics, but Mexico is gone from this installment, as in Convoy. The ability to use custom soundtracks and save games during deliveries was added also. Choose from 35+ rigs, 45+ cargos and 47+ trailers.

The game requires a very powerful computer to operate properly and it also requires an up-to-date graphics card. 18 Wheels of Steel: Haulin' may be one of the most realistic trucking games on the market. Prism 3D may not respond on older graphic cards resulting in a game crash on the games startup.

18 Wheels of Steel: American Long Haul

In this new installment, you can travel through the United States, southern Canada and northern Mexico. The game is same as Haulin except for 2 new trucks and Mexico added.