TICKET TO RIDE (2004)

PLAYERS	TIME	DESIGNER	PUBLISHER
2-5	60 mins	Alan R. Moon	Days Of Wonder

Let’s travell by rail across North America in . . . TICKET TO RIDE.

In this game, affectionately known as ‘The Train Game’, players are collecting sets of matching coloured cards to lay their trains between American cities.

Each player has a couple of routes they need to complete before the end of the game, or lose points if they fail.

TICKET TO RIDE is one of the most popular ‘Gateway Games’. It’s easy to teach and simple to play. Each player’s turn is a choice of three actions; take cards, lay trains, gain routes. This makes choices limited and turns fast.

But what starts out looking like a relaxing and fun family game hides a dark edge beneath its vintage aesthetic.

While players routes remain hidden, you only have to pay a little attention to a rival’s train placement to get an idea of where they are headed. And in one move, you could block part of their route and force them to take an unwanted detour.

Now some players prefer to play without this kind of aggression, and that’s okay. For my group, this is part of the fun, and I’ve seen my friends ‘derail’ their own plans to make my game more difficult.

But that’s personal taste. As I mentioned, this game is just as much fun when players stick to their own travels and it plays as a straight race to who can cover the most distance in the least moves.

Something else great about TICKET TO RIDE is that the base game released in 2004 is just the tip of the iceberg.

Not only is there the equally great European version, there are maps you can buy for other countries, as well as smaller versions of the game like London or New York. There is also a kids version, and even a World Map version that includes boats too.

TICKET TO RIDE is a Gateway Game for a reason. It is great for newcomers to the hobby, but also fun enough for long term gamers to go back too.