Ticket to Ride: USA 1910
Ticket to Ride: USA 1910
From: Days of Wonder
Reviewed by: Ron McClung
Ticket to Ride: USA 1910 is a new Board Game Expansion from Days of Wonder.
Ticket to Ride is without a doubt one of the more popular games in the industry. Illustrating the flexibility and expandability of a great game, Days of Wonder has released the USA 1910 expansion.
From the back cover :
“The USA 1910 expansion will fundamentally alter your strategies and tactics; surprise even long-time veteran railroaders; and bring hundreds of hours of new fun to your family and friends.”
Contained in a smaller tin, the three decks of nearly two-hundred cards and 1 page rulebook (in 9 languages) make up the sum total of this expansion. It is meant to be used with the original Ticket to Ride (T2R) board game. All the cards from the original T2R game are reprinted, which is handy if your older set needs replacing. Also included are four cards from the out-of-print Mystery Train expansion. What this expansion brings to the game is thirty-six completely new cards. These are the 35 new Destination cards as well as a new bonus card – the Globetrotter card.
All the cards are in a larger 3.5″x2.25″ format. This is a relief to those that have issues with the smaller cards. I have found that there are some in the board game community that hate the smaller cards, but I do not join them in that. However it is nice to have larger cards for the base game. It also makes it easy for you to switch between the game versions. It should be noted, however, that some of the reprints have changes to the point values. There are 4 Destination Ticket cards that have had their point values “revised downward.”
Along with the original rules, this expansion has three new ways to play: 1910, Mega Game, and Big Cities.
In 1910, you simply play with only the tickets with the 1910 logo and replace the Longest Route Bonus card with the Globetrotter card. Other than changing a few routes, this is simply a rearranging of the original game. For those that perhaps are tired of the same old routes, this refreshes the game a little.
In the Mega Game, you use all the cards given in the set, including both bonus cards. This is probably the most attractive way as it gives each player a chance to have a little of the old and a little of the new. Each player gets 5 Destination Ticket cards at the start and keeps at least 3 but can keep all 5 if he wants to risk it. In game, when you decide to draw tickets, draw 4 and keep at least one. This is a version that makes a good game better.
In the Big Cities game, you only use the ticket cards that feature at least one Big City – denoted in red text. There are only seven big cities – Chicago, Dallas, Houston, LA, Miami, New York City, and Seattle. This limits the routes and ensures the players will be stepping all over each other in the game. This makes for a much more competitive and interactive game. Some might say it is more cutthroat.
In conclusion, if you are an old T2R veteran – those who might have memorized all the cards and the routes – I would dare say this is a must have. This is an expansion that simply makes a good game better all around. I like the additional variety and playability. The larger cards are also very nice, and after playing with them, I felt more inclined to use them than the smaller ones.
For more details on Days of Wonder and their new Board Game Expansion “Ticket to Ride: USA 1910” check them out at their website http://www.daysofwonder.com, and at all of your local game stores.
Ticket to Ride: USA 1910
From: Days of Wonder
Type of Game: Board Game Expansion
Game Design by: Alan R Moons
Number of Pages: 1 page rules
Game Components Included: 181 new large format cards including 35 new “Destination Tickets,” a new “GlobeTrotter” bonus card for completing the most tickets, plus a complete replacement deck for all the cards from the original game deck.
Game Components Not Included: Game board and game pieces from Ticket to Ride
Retail Price: $ Type Dollar Value (US)
Retail Price: $ Type Dollar Value (Can)
Players: 2 – 5
Time: 30 – 60 minutes
Ages: 8 and up
Website: www.daysofwonder.com
Reviewed by: Ron McClung