SnowRunner new player guide: Steam, Nintendo Switch & Xbox Game Pass basics

In my SnowRunner new player guide, I provide basic tips for those on Steam, Nintendo Switch and Xbox Gamepass who just started playing.

As someone who never played MudRunner or Spin Tires, SnowRunner was confusing at first. In fact, I mainly got myself stuck in caravans and tipped over. A lot. If you just bought the game on Steam or Nintendo Switch or are playing via Xbox Gamepass, maybe you have been doing the same.

So here we are with my SnowRunner new player guide that will hopefully help reduce frustration. Once done with this video, feel free to check out my original 10 best trucks guide and my 25 useful tips and 25 advanced tips videos. Maybe even subscribe and like (optional).

And, of course, those of you who have been playing the game since before the Steam and Nintendo Switch release date can add your own SnowRunner wisdom in the comments. I’m sure the newbies will appreciate it. Or join the official or my own Discord channels – always happy to help. All links in the video description.

Learn the controls

First, the controls. The most essential buttons for a SnowRunner new player are the accelerator and brake. You can go into settings to see what controls are assigned by default. Holding brake initiates reverse when in auto. Speaking of which…

There is no manual gear change in SnowRunner. However, you can control the gear mode by pressing clutch then moving the gear selector where you want it to go.

Auto is for general driving and changes up and down itself, H for high (if available) is a constant gear with a medium to high speed. L for low is for maximum control and grip.

Pro tip: Pressing the clutch button in auto changes the gears faster so you have better acceleration. This will not work so well when pulling cargo or in thick mud and snow.

Some gearbox upgrades give you multiple L gears, each with a different speed. Other alternatives give you an H gear and more gears for a higher top speed, but less control when off-road.

Generally, the best gearbox for SnowRunner is the one with multiple L gears – Advanced Special, Offroad, SnowRunner or Fine-Tune as they are known, depending on the truck. More on upgrades later. Check out my gears guide in the video description.

Then we have the winch. This is used for pulling yourself out of mud or whenever your truck is struggling. It has a certain range and can be manually connected to a nearby object using the ‘functions panel’ or you can rely on luck and use the ‘fast winch’ that selects something nearby.

If a truck tips over, the winch cannot be used except for when you have the ‘autonomous winch’ upgrade fitted. Usually this is reserved for scout trucks such as the Chevrolet CK1500 you start with, but some bigger mod trucks can also use it.

Another pro winch tip: You can attach the winch to other points on your truck – not just the front. Attaching to the very back, for instance, allows you to get more pulling range than you would otherwise have if you only used the front.

The aforementioned ‘functions panel’ is another key thing. Here you can manually winch, switch the engine on or off, refuel or repair other trucks if the truck has the functionality, operate cranes, extend the crane support legs, recover and more. If in doubt, use the functions panel.

Recover takes you back to the garage and fully repairs and refuels your truck unless on hard mode. So if really stuck and you don’t fancy doing a rescue, recover is your friend. In hard mode it costs money.

Steering has two modes. One centres the wheels quickly while the other does not. If using a controller or keyboard, as opposed to a steering wheel accessory, it can be beneficial to try both and see what you prefer. It can depend on the truck too.

Meanwhile the handbrake stops you from rolling back on a hill and for when loading cargo manually via a crane. Also look up the buttons for turning on your headlights. Unless you want to drive in the dark.

Embrace the tutorial

It can be tempting to resent SnowRunner’s tutorial in Michigan and Alaska, but it gives you a free truck, helps you learn to drive, shows you the process of cargo delivery and how to repair bridges. You will repair lot of them in your SnowRunner career.

With that said, I would suggest you make a return to Michigan once the tutorial is done. More on that tip later.

Master the map

Whether a SnowRunner new player or veteran, a lot of map use is required so get used to using it. Control functions can be found in the bottom right corner. Setting a waypoint or waypoints is a great way of plotting and following a route. You can also ‘skip time’ so that you can drive at night, morning, lunchtime or afternoon.

It is also possible to use the ‘local map’ to jump between vehicles and garages by clicking or double clicking on said truck or garage in the ‘objects’ tab.

For taking a vehicle from one map to another, you need to find the tunnel and drive up to it, then press the button on screen. Sometimes there will be a task to clear the path.

For taking a truck to a new region, you need the ‘global map’ and to press retain on the truck when in the garage. Now travel to the new region using the menu and then redeploy the truck from truck storage. Garages have multiple parking spaces if you wish to deploy multiple trucks.

The second tab in the map is ‘contracts’. Here you can see contracts you can do, have done and what needs to be done to unlock more difficult contracts. You can also see the reward, which is usually money but can also be access to a building or new area.

Tasks, meanwhile, are jobs you can find in the wild that give you money or trucks and experience. This is the next tab along. To do them, you need to find and activate them by driving into the yellow box and pressing the relevant button.

Some tasks known as contests are timed and can be done over and over such as Container Delivery in the Drowned Lands of Taymyr, Russia. Repeat for lucrative money and experience gains. Except on hard mode, in which case you get a finite number of goes.

Whether looking for an object, contract or task, you can click on the delivery location to show where it is on a map. The location might be on a different map, which means it will show you where the tunnel is to get there.

You can also click on the cargo or trailer you need to deliver to see where you can get it from. Some resources are infinite, some are finite so try not to waste the latter. If you do, a truck with a crane can come to the rescue.

Cargo can be loaded onto a trailer or bed automatically. You can use the on-screen buttons to choose where the cargo goes if there is more than one option. You can also toggle between the cargo types available.

In hard mode where auto delivery costs money or if you want to make life more realistic, you can do manual cargo deliveries. At this point, you will need to use a crane to pick up and drop the cargo onto your truck or trailer.

Buildings with different cargo types will display all the cargo types you can get on the map under the objects tab. The number in brackets after a cargo type represents the total amount from this vendor. No number means unlimited.

Later tasks and contracts will require you to gather materials at a location to create another item, adding to the complexity but ultimately the same A to B method applies.

Another important element of SnowRunner is not running out of fuel. So use the map to look for fuel stations and abandoned fuel trailers, both of which let you top up for free. The former never runs out, while the latter is limited by its total reserve. Fuel does, however, cost money in the hard mode.

Watch out for watchtowers

Each map starts out life covered in shroud. To speed up discovery, you can drive to watchtowers. Once discovered, these give you a better view of the map and can also reveal upgrade and task locations.

Given that watchtowers are usually found in remote and hard to reach areas, a compact scout truck is usually best but some of the medium-sized trucks offer better off-road ability.

The first thing I do on a new map is to visit all watchtowers. Doing so helps you plan routes, find useful upgrades and also locate trucks you can sometimes rescue.

Upgrade your trucks

It may seem like the starter trucks are not good, but that Chevrolet CK1500 can be made into a powerful scout. Same with the Fleetstar and most but not all trucks you find or buy along the way. Some, however, are just a bit rubbish for off-roading and that’s 99 per cent of SnowRunner.

Some upgrades can be found while others require you to reach a certain level before purchase. This is done by earning experience to level-up to the required level. When customising a truck, you can see potential upgrades and what you need to do to get them.

Those who want to cheat a bit to find upgrades, trucks and other useful stuff can use a website called MapRunner.info. Everything in SnowRunner can be found using this tool. I would recommend you avoid MapRunner initially as you will have a more rewarding time.

Some upgrades such as the offroad gearbox can be used for a number of trucks. I would highly recommend prioritising the gearbox, suspension, tire and engine upgrades as these make your truck more capable at off-roading.

Unlocking and buying all-terrain, off-road and mud tyres should be done as early as possible. Highway tyres are fine on tarmac but will get you stuck elsewhere.

Also important are frame addons. These affect the overall purpose of your truck, whether that’s adding a crane for cargo or truck rescues, flatbed or sideboard bed for cargo carrying or fuel tank and repair addons for refuelling and repairing the truck you are driving or find in the wild.

Use the trailer store

Outside most garages and elsewhere on the map you can find a trailer store. Here you can buy various trailers, funnily enough. Most give you extra cargo carrying potential. The smallest cargo takes up one slot, while some later items can require far more.

The biggest trailers will be harder to pull and negotiate certain terrain and routes, so sometimes it might be best to do two trips.

The biggest trailers require a high or low saddle, which not all trucks can equip. If you do not choose one or the other saddle type, SnowRunner will do it automatically at the point you try to attach the trailer.

If you would rather turn up prepared, the map will show you what type of saddle or other equipment is needed under the task or contract tabs.

If you plan on doing a long trip or need to rescue a truck, it is worth bringing along a maintenance or fuel trailer. For some maps without a garage this is especially important. You could also tow a second truck using the winch for similar effect. Or leave trailers in tactical locations.

Sell trucks, trailers and upgrades

Got a truck you no longer use or upgrades you have a lot of? Then sell for extra money. To sell a truck, you need to put it in the garage then click ‘retain’. Once retained, go to ‘truck storage’ and then you can click sell. If you have upgrades fitted these will be added to the sale total.

Selling upgrades is done by going into the garage then ‘customise’. Browse the upgrades list, looking for anything with x1 that you are not using. Click sell. You cannot sell whatever is equipped so swap to or buy another upgrade and swap to sell the previously equipped upgrade.

It’s worth making sure that if you buy a new truck, you are not buying a truck you can get for free. Such as the Tayga 6436, DAN 96320 or KRS 58 ‘Bandit’. You may also want to rescue a truck or two and sell for a nice cash injection. The same value as the truck when brand new. Note that not all vehicles you see can be claimed – a task is required.

Rather cheekily, unless on hard mode you can use a trailer store to buy a repair or refuel trailer, use it to refuel or repair a truck, then sell it back for the same price. All trailers can be rescued and sold for extra money – the same price as if new.

Never rush

This is one many SnowRunner veterans will agree is essential: Avoid the temptation to rush and take shortcuts. Because that temptation to save a few seconds can ruin hours of careful progress, which is frustrating and inefficient. It’s better to be late than never to arrive at all.

Return to Michigan

Now I know it is tempting to disappear off to other maps. I went to Alaska away because I wanted the Caterpillar 745C and then I visited Russia for the mighty Tayga King. Or the Tanga King, as it is now known.

However, Michigan has its own trucking treasures such as the Pacific P16. Plus there are lucrative tasks and contracts and more tarmac, which will make life easier when you are stuck with inferior tyres, gearboxes, engines and suspensions.

Also bear in mind that some trucks let you unlock upgrades earlier than others. The starter trucks are a good example of this. So easier missions will mean a shorter and easier time to make your trucks more effective.

Once you have the basics down and have delivered some cargo, got a feel for the maps and controls, then go wherever you want.

If you have the Year 1 Pass, which is great value for money, it is possible to delve into Kola Peninsula, Canada, Wisconsin or even Amur Oblast DLC Phase 1 to Phase 4 content. Just don’t expect an easy ride – these can require more powerful trucks and more advanced techniques.

Buddy-up

And last but not least, ignoring the fact you should watch all my videos, let the adverts run and donate huge quantities of money, Bitcoin and tea, is to play SnowRunner co-op. Because two, three or four players are usually better than one.

Seriously, SnowRunner has its repetitive moments and it can really reduce the grind by bringing along a friend. I mean if your friend is a liability who tips over a lot perhaps not. But then that can be highly amusing. Up to four player co-op is supported.

And that’s it for my SnowRunner new player guide for Steam, Nintendo Switch and Xbox Gamepass newbies. Thank you for watching. Check out my SnowRunner playlist for a year’s worth of videos about the game. Maybe some will help. Until next time! Take care, bye.