Boredgame

If you like trains, locomotives, and board games, Ticket to Ride is a must have. Ticket to Ride: Europe is a fast paced game that is very easy to learn with games ranging from 30 mins to 1 hour (Depending on the audience and experience of the players)

Overall Gameplay

The game can be learned in less than 10 minutes as the instructions are very clear and the design of the game is clean and simple. The game requires players to think and plan ahead in order to map out the best route possible to complete their destination tickets. As players gain knowledge of the game and the possible ticket routes, intensity level rises (players will begin blocking each other, etc).

The Game

1. Initial board setup
2. Tickets are randomly distributed (3 short routes, 1 long route)
3. Randomize player order
4. Players can do one of the following on their turn.
.Draw train cards
.Build one segment of a route
.Construct a train station
.Draw 3 new tickets (must keep atleast 1)
5. Players record their points based on the segments they build
6. Players strive to complete tickets in order to gain points

Game continues until one person has 2 or less trains remaining at any given time which triggers the last turn ending with the person who triggered the end game sequence. Then points are tallied and player with the most points win.

Strengths

-game is easy to setup and learn
-games are quick
-fast paced (turns don’t take forever)
-colourful board and components
-random element in drawing train/tickets (if you like luck!)
-up to 5 players
-has expansions

Weaknesses

-limited strategies available
-train cards are subject to wear and tear
-luck based on drawing
-the game does not promote interaction or communication between players

Conclusion

Ticket to Ride is one of the most played board game in my collection as it is easy to setup and is light on the brain (just the right balance if you don’t want to think too hard). The game is a great addition to anyone’s board game collection as it is suitable for all ages due to its simple and clean game mechanics. This game is also an excellent game to introduce to non-gamers as I will guarantee that they will be asking for more which is why many people consider Ticket to Ride games as a gateway board game. In my opinion, I find the Europe version more fun than the USA version due to a more clustered map and the implementation of the tunnels which gives it a challenging kick. Definitely a good investment!

Catan is one of the first board games I’ve ever played aside from the classics such as monopoly, hotel, etc. Playing Catan changed my world of board games as it became one of my favourites and here is why.

Board Game Components

Exceptional workmanship – the individual pieces were identical and had no flaws and the quality of the cards were very good. However, expect wear and tear over time (my cards are starting to get dirty and grimy due to countless hours of catan fun)

Overall Gameplay

Easy to learn, involves everyone every turn.
-instructions are easy and not confusing
-games can be quick or long depending on the board and players (30 mins to 1.5 hrs)
-every board setup is random (different map every time!)

The game

1. Outside sea frame is assembled (takes like 30 secs)
2. Resource tiles are shuffled randomly and placed on the board
3. Number tokens are placed accordingly as per instructions
4. Players randomize play order
5. Players place starting settlements and roads
6. Collect starting resources
7. Let the game begin!

The “pros” and “cons” of the game

Pros
-the map is always different
-can play up to 6 players with expansion (only 4 for the base game)
-countless hours of fun
-clever and organized design
-easy to learn and pick up
-trading 🙂
-players are engaged and involved throughout

Cons
-dice rolls (all up to chance)
-robber (players may pick on one person)
-avid gamers may prefer more challenging games

Conclusion

Overall, you don’t really need to be a gamer to enjoy this game. But I’ll guarantee you will have lots of fun. Gamers who enjoy more challenging games may find Catan to be lacking in strategy-gameplay or tied in with chance too much. However, most will find Catan to be a staple in their collection