The comfort food of board gaming

There is something magical about a train journey which is perhaps why railways have provided designers such fertile ground for game design. While very few of us have battled demons in the depths of Hell or dodged xenomorphs in a doomed interstellar spacecraft, the humble train ride is something most people have experienced and enjoyed, a touchstone for players entering the labyrinth world of the board gaming hobby. 

Ticket to Ride: Europeis a bedstone of board gaming. The release of Alan R. Moon’s masterpiece in 2005 coincided with a surge in popularity in the hobby which continues to this day. The relatively short play time, colourful, stylish table presence and straightforward teach with just enough crunch to give players something to think about combines to create an experience that can be appreciated by those new to board gaming as well as veterans. 

And it’s a game that wants to be played. The tactility of those little plastic trains, the vibrant colours of the train cards, those stackable wee wooden player-score discs and the intricate map of Europe - Ticket to Ride: Europe is a game that is perennially easy to grab off the shelf, setup and play. It is the comfort food of board gaming - sure you might have something better to partake in instead but you know where you are with TTR. It’s safe, dependable, joyous and welcoming. 

Components

Ticket to Ride: Europeis a game in which players try to claim as many European train routes as possible with the resources available to them in an attempt to outscore their opponents. To do so, players will draw potential routes and use train cards in an attempt to wrest ownership of sections of the line between the two destinations, placing plastic trains on the board to designate control.

The board itself is rich and colourful with enough detail to draw interest but not so much as to prove intimating. It’s incredibly satisfying to fold out onto the table, providing a centrepiece that is immediately inviting. Card quality is excellent but being a game we get to the table frequently in our household, we invested in sleeves to ensure the game lasts a lifetime.

The trains themselves are glorious miniature interpretations of the steam locomotives that would have been seen on rail lines throughout Europe at the turn of the 20th century. They have a wonderful tactility that makes them satisfying to place out on the board when claiming a section of track but also fun to mess around with during other players turns.

The instructions are simple, clear and well laid out providing gameplay examples where necessary. 

Gameplay

In Ticket to Ride: Europe players are attempting to outscore opponents by claiming sections of rail line between the major cities of Europe. By having a continuous path of routes between two cities as indicated on their own personal destination cards, players not only inch closer to victory but can block other players from doing the same.

On their turn, players take one of four actions - draw train car cards, claim a specific route between two cities using those train car cards, draw destination tickets to supplement the ones they have at the start of the game or place a train station in an attempt to piggyback on another player’s rail network.

Gameplay is simple and quick, allowing players to plan out what they want to do during their opponents’ turns and ensuring that the downtime is kept to a minimum. Iconography throughout is clear and obvious, everything well explained without any ambiguity. This is a game that knows exactly what it is, has been honed and hewn into a perfect gateway experience. 

Conclusion

Ticket to Ride: Europe is simultaneously simple but tense, smooth but crunchy, detailed but intuitive. There is a wonderful blend of race gameplay with just enough player interaction to lend an edge of competitiveness (it is wonderful to watch a new player’s face the very first time a route they absolutely need is taken or blocked by someone else). And it can be taught to anyone in five minutes.

The entire package is something special. It is a perennial inclusion in any game collection because it bridges the gap so smoothly between those of us already engaged in the hobby and those yet to delve into the deeper world of board gaming. Very few board games are absolute definitive must-haves but Ticket to Ride: Europe is as close as it will ever get.