She's Got a Ticket to Ride

Welcome to what will be a reoccurring segment here that shall be called Board Game Fridays in which I talk about whatever games I happen to have in my collection. And what better way to start off this segment then with the one that started it all... Ticket to Ride.

This game is a classic now, it's so simple and easy to teach, on your turn you do one of three things, draw train cards, claim a route, or draw more tickets. You need train cards to claim routes to fulfill the ticket cards to gain the most points by the end of the game. It's simple, elegant, and just satisfying. My favorite board game critic Quintin Smith said "if board games have one secret it's that it's sometimes enough to touch a really nice component and put it in it's place."* The joy I've had with this game was in scoping out the board and painting routes my color. I still use this game to infect people with the gaming bug, it bottles up every possible thing that board games have to offer. And sadly this would become it's down fall for me.

While the game is simple and fun, the depth slowly disappears over time and you start to realize that there are 'obviously correct moves.' This becomes the death knell for any board game. Board games are about choices and puzzles, the joy of any game no matter what is putting thought in and getting a solution out and having an 'Ah Ha!' moment. Ticket to Ride doesn't offer that after a while, you start to know things like, 'always claim the shortest routes first.' And 'Complete tickets running in the same direction.' And 'block other players if it's convenient.' And when there is a definite strategy, one that works 95% of the time, the game disappears and it all comes down to luck.

What we have here is a sort of Schrödinger's game. On one hand it's exemplary of modern game design and is even a joy to play. But it becomes predictable after a long while if you really get into the hobby. And that's why in spite of it's flaws I keep it in my collection. I can use it to get other people into the hobby and show what it could offer. But will you see me playing it with of my own volition these days? Not really. Buy this game if you haven't already and see what this hobby can offer you.

(And now some consumer advocacy real quick. If you do buy the game buy the 1910 expansion as well (trust me you'll need it.) Or if you would prefer a more interesting challenge that's a little more rulsy Ticket to Ride: Europe is the more challenging version of the game.)




*[citation needed]