Ticket to Ride - (by the devs of 'Small World for iPad')

[crunc]

Originally Posted by CzarCastic

I'm pretty sure this game is a direct iOS version of the Ticket to Ride card game that you're referring to. In fact, you can see the retail boxes in the promo images.

No, this is the boardgame, not the card game. Well, if there is a card game. I don't actually know. The board game does have cards in it too, but clearly this is the boardgame Ticket to Ride.

The more I think about it, the more I hope this game does have local (one ipad) multiplayer. I'm going to be a bit disappointed if it doesn't. Hopefully it does.

EDIT: looking at the screenshots again, it sure doesn't look like it does. I see "Solo" and "Online" as the only play options.

[djflippy]

Originally Posted by badmanj

Is this similar to the boardgame "Railway Rivals"?

Jamie

There are some similarities, but it also differs in several key ways. I would say that Ticket to Ride is more approachable than Railway Rivals and is quite popular with families. It's a "gateway game" that is known to get people interested in the hobby.

Railway Rivals consists of the building phase and the racing phase, which is purely luck-driven, and the two are interwoven by the cash proceeds. The rails are drawn on the board by the players, much like Empire Builder.

In Ticket to Ride, the track locations are pre-drawn on the map and players draw cards of varying rail colors that match certain sections of the rails. Players then attempt to create contiguous routes between cities to score points. Viable city routes are dictated by cards drawn at the beginning of the game and are different for each player.

Both are good games, but if I had to choose between the two, I would get Ticket to Ride. Of course, I prefer Age of Steam to either of those rail games.

[clarsonx]

Originally Posted by thevagrant

For players of the board game, how does it compare to the Ticket to ride Card game (which is not bad, but got me bored quite quickly)?

In boardgaming circles the Ticket To Ride Card Game is not liked due to a focus on memorization.

The Ticket To Ride board games, however, are universally loved and usually mentioned as one of the best "gateway" board games. I think it is the best "gateway" game, better than Catan as an intro to Eruo style board games.

Days Of Wonder has had a PC version of TTR out for years, including online play. The PC version plays great, they have been hosting tons of online games, and the single player AI is good but beatable. I have every confidence that the iOS version will be fantastic.

I would also get the expansions when you get the main game. The expansions are worth the purchase, especially at a buck a piece:

Europe map -- A more balanced map than the USA map provided in the main game. Generally thought of as the best of the TTR maps. If you only get one expansion this is the one to get.

USA 1910 expansion -- A new set of victory point tickets for the main USA map that corrects some of the balance issues with the original map.

Switzerland -- A map intended for 2-3 player games. A fun map that plays differently than the USA and Europe map. The game often comes down to a rush over who can draw the most route cards.

[bgribin]

Instabuy. Hells yes.

[bgribin]

I'm astonished it doesn't have local multiplayer. That's what made Small World on the iPad so great.

:/

[funambulist]

Originally Posted by bgribin

I'm astonished it doesn't have local multiplayer. That's what made Small World on the iPad so great.

It seems to fly in the face of the spirit of (face to face) board gaming doesn't it?

[bgribin]

Originally Posted by funambulist

It seems to fly in the face of the spirit of (face to face) board gaming doesn't it?

Yes.

The only reason I can think this doesn't have local multiplayer is because the existing online version does not. But still, this is revamped for the iPad, and it's all Small World has. I'd like to say I hope they add it in but Days of Wonder hasn't been great about updating Small World.

[bgribin]

Originally Posted by TheDukester

It could always be added down the road ...

TtR is kind of an odd beast when it comes to multiplayer, because the game already has an established online multiplayer feature. Literally hundreds of thousands of games have been played by PC/Mac users in the last few years. So I can sort of see DoW's thinking here: "Hey, let's just add the iPad to the community we've already got, then worry about other stuff at a later date."

Not ideal, perhaps. But the good news is that online multiplayer will work splendidly from Day One. You won't be seeing too many "multiplayer bug report" threads ... unlike some other games I could mention, but won't.

All true. It'd just be even better if I could play at home with my wife. Ah well, I guess one of us will play from a computer...?

[SirAwesome]

Originally Posted by Shatner's hairpiece

I'll wait for reviews. Probably would have been an insta buy for me if we didn't have such a bad experience with their last conversion, 'small world'. Let's hope it has a better interface: one that doesn't involve ridiculous forced upside down views along with iPad spinning. (a first in two years of app gaming)

You spin me right round, baby right round like a record, baby.

[Shatner's hairpiece]

Originally Posted by bgribin

All true. It'd just be even better if I could play at home with my wife. Ah well, I guess one of us will play from a computer...?

What? There's no hotseat? A board game that forces you to play online?

WINNING!

Insta ignore!

I will give credit though to 'pirate's cove'. It's a DOW board game, not an app, and it's great. One day, I hope to see it as an app that you can view upside down and spin and only play online. It's a whole new category!