The 10 BEST Fast Travel Systems In Video Games

The 10 Best Fast Travel Systems In Video Games

Welcome to MojoPlays, and today we’re counting down our picks for the ten best fast travel systems and mechanics from a variety of games. These fast travel systems are special because they manage to tie the fast travel into the game’s lore, world, or history.

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Cardboard Box Delivery

“Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain” (2015)

Yep, you heard that right. Instead of generic, boring fast travel, why not toss a cardboard box on yourself to be shipped to a new destination? Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain offers other means of travel (like the helicopter or horse), but, for our money, seeing Snake don a cardboard box while sitting on an orange delivery platform, waiting to be picked up and delivered, is simply sublime. Just locate the various orange delivery platforms, pick up the delivery invoice, and choose your next destination. A truck will pick you up and drop you off; it’s as simple as silly as that.

Anvils

“Atlas Fallen” (2023)

It’s always a pleasant surprise when an open-world/open-zone game ties its fast travel mechanics into the game’s lore. Such is the case with the excellent AA game Atlas Fallen. Strewn all across the various maps are these magical anvils that must be discovered. The anvils are where the benevolent deity (although he’s known as the God of Chaos), Nyaal, hangs out while you, the protagonist, air dash and sand slide around. Nyaal is infused into your magical gauntlet, so it makes sense that in order to upgrade it (and your armor) as well as traverse across the worlds, you’d have to visit these anvils. Once at an anvil, you can freely fast travel between any other discovered anvil around the game’s various maps.

Ride The Train

“Red Dead Redemption 2” (2018)

Okay, many players will obviously skip out on any fast travel in RDR2 given how immersive and enjoyable it can be to either walk or ride horseback across the beautiful American West that Rockstar created. However, for those looking to fast travel in style while still ensuring a modicum of immersiveness, then be sure to buy a train ticket from a post office, hop aboard, and fast travel to your next destination. While the actual travel itself just takes place over a couple of brief cutscenes, it’s still a really cool way to traverse this vast world more quickly. Plus, you can always just ride the trains for fun and relaxation as a sort of touristic way to explore the West.

Hailing a Taxi

“The Yakuza Series” (2020)

Many of the Yakuza games, while having smaller open-worlds, offer up a simple fast travel system involving taxis. Yep, you can call a taxi from your smartphone or just find one waiting for a customer and then have it whisk you away to your desired location. Taking a taxi fits in perfectly with the games’ various cityscape locales. While they really only just serve as fancier loading screens, it’s still a cool way to immerse yourself into this living, breathing, world. Plus, taxis just play a part in many Yakuza games with the likes of the taxi races or the taxi mission such as in Yakuza 5.

Fragile Jump

“Death Stranding” (2019)

Alright, so it should be stated upfront that Death Stranding’s fast travel mechanic doesn’t actually open up to you until Chapter 3, once you get to the Central Region. However, once you are at this part of the game, you are able to utilize the Fragile Jump mechanic via Fragile’s Umbrella. It’s located in your private room. Sam can then Fragile Jump to any previously visited room. It’s a fantastic little in-universe way to provide for quicker traversal across the game’s regions. However, it’s worth noting that the Fragile Jump can only be used to transport Sam, not any cargo, supplies, and the like.

Setting Up Camp For the Night

“GreedFall” (2019)

Ah yes, nothing beats the great outdoors, especially when De Sardet and pals are out adventuring the alternate fantasy Americas lands. GreedFall’s take on fast travel comes in the form of setting up camp. Instead of just letting you fast travel around with no in-game reason, you must seek out campfires that denote locations where camp can be set up. Now, setting up camp in GreedFall does more than just offer the ability to fast travel. Your camp allows you and your team to interact, swap out party members, craft items, upgrade gear, and generally rest, away from the cares of the outside world. Now, if only we had some smores to cook up over the fire…

Utilizing Sign Posts

“The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt” (2015)

Probably one of the most immersive examples of an in-universe fast travel system, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt only lets Geralt move about this sprawling game world via fast travel once he has discovered relevant sign post markers. Yep, in order to actually fast travel around in The Witcher 3, you must take the time to find sign post markers. These in-game markers not only guide you to local spots such as villages and cities, but they also serve as unlocked fast travel points. When you are ready to fast travel, simply head to one of the myriad signs posts in the world and choose your next destination.

The Stagways

“Hollow Knight” (2017)

Hollow Knight has its very own fast travel network in the form of the Stagways. Littered all across Hallownest are various Stag Stations. Finding each station allows the Knight to ring a bell and hop aboard these gentle giants to zip you across the game’s expansive map. They really come in handy as you continue to open up new areas or backtrack to previously inaccessible parts, given that this game is a deeply rewarding Metroidvania. The Stags are there to help you get around Hallownest and it’s in your best interest to seek out each station. Plus, the Stags provide extra lore and narrative context if you take the time to listen to each of them.

Exploring NYC’s Boroughs

“Marvel’s Spider-Man 2” (2023)

Much like The Witcher 3’s take on fast travel where you must actually get to know a region before fast traveling, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 only lets Peter Parker and Miles Morales swifty zip around New York City’s varied boroughs by actually first visiting them. Once you have visited a part of the sprawling cityscape, you can then instantaneously fast travel at will. Seriously, it’s crazy how darn fast this fast travel works. However, it's tempered by the fact that you actually need to discover a part of the map first which helps build immersion. Sure, web swinging and web gliding through NYC is an utter blast, meaning you might opt to skip fast travel altogether; but, for those who just need to get to their destination, then you can get there near instantaneously via fast travel.

Floo Flames

“Hogwarts Legacy” (2023)

I guess it’s really no surprise that one of the best games of 2023 just so happens to also feature an incredibly immersive and enjoyable fast travel system; namely, Floo Flames. This in-universe fast travel mechanic is spot-on, ensuring Harry Potter fans are treated to some lovely fan service given the whole Floo Powder/Floor Travel/Floo Flame thing we are used to from the Potter universe. In Hogwarts Legacy, there are a sheer smorgasbord of Floo Flame locations all across this gorgeously detailed open-world. Once you have discovered a new one, it then acts as a fast travel beacon to utilize when necessary. I mean you might not want to use them since flying around on your broom is an utter delight. But hey, it’s still always a treat to stumble across one in this top-notch, detailed game world.


So, do you agree with our picks for this list? Fast traveling in open world games is often divisive since it can break immersion; however, these games showcase that these mechanics can be tied to great in-world reasons. Are there any awesome fast travel systems that we missed? Be sure to let us know down in the comments. Thank you for watching this video from MojoPlays. If you want to see more from us then be sure to press that subscribe button and ring that notification bell so you never miss out on our daily gaming videos.