Title:
Ticket To Ride: Mystery Expansion
Description:
Cross-country train adventure - Expansion Tickets
Mystery Train - A Ticket to Ride Expansion adds some cards to the Ticket deck. Four of these are routes the other additions aren’t actual tickets, though. Instead, they are special cards that allow you to get bonus points at the end of the game, with the exception of one card that allows you to, in lieu of a turn, look through the entire deck of tickets and take any card you want.
One card lets you double the value of any ticket that you make (only for cards worth 10 or less), one gives you bonus points for making a cross-country route, one gives you bonus points for a west coast route and one gives you bonus points for connecting to the most cities.
This expansion is available as a free giveaway at Essen in October ’04, and in the December ’04 Game Trade Magazine. It should also be available to distributors, retailers, and through the daysofwonder web site when it’s in print.
8 to 10 cards.
Part of Ticket to Ride series.
Ticket to Ride: Mystery Train is a small 10-card expansion for Alan R. Moon’s Ticket to Ride game.
The Components
Mystery Train comes with 12 cards total. These include: 2 rules cards; 9 destination ticket cards; and 1 blank destination ticket. All of the cards are half-size, printed on the same high-quality linen-textured cardstock as the original destination tickets. These tickets, however, have a distinct purple back, so that it’s easy to tell them apart from the originals.
4 of the cards are regular routes, while the other 5 are "character cards”, which have various powers in- and out-of-game. Each character card is simply described, and has attractive new artwork.
Mystery Train comes with 12 cards total. These include: 2 rules cards; 9 destination ticket cards; and 1 blank destination ticket. All of the cards are half-size, printed on the same high-quality linen-textured cardstock as the original destination tickets. These tickets, however, have a distinct purple back, so that it’s easy to tell them apart from the originals.
4 of the cards are regular routes, while the other 5 are "character cards”, which have various powers in- and out-of-game. Each character card is simply described, and has attractive new artwork.
The blank card is lined so that you can actually fill it in.
This supplement is a free give-away, but unlike other giveaways I’ve reviewed it’s been distributed via a method that makes it very easy for players to get a copy; if you like Ticket to Ride, you will be able to get this supplement if you want it. You can: get it in Game Trade Magazine, or get it from some local stores (Endgame Oakland had it on Saturday when I was there), or get it free with an online purchase from Days of Wonder, or get it just by paying S&H if you’ve already registered your copy of Ticket to Ride. There’s more info here if you want your own copy.
Given the usual high quality of the components, the fact that the game is free, and also that it’s easy to get, I’ve let this supplement eke in a "5” out of "5” for Style.
The Gameplay
Mystery Train introduces a number of easier destination tickets, including special characters, to the Ticket to Ride game.
Setup: A game of Ticket to Ride is setup as usual, but after initial tickets have been taken the 9 (or 10) Mystery Train tickets are shuffled into the destination ticket deck.
The Cards: There are two types of cards: 4 new destinations & 5 characters.
The Destinations. The destinations are all short 2-hop tickets: Vancouver-Portland (2); Boston-Washington (4); Winnipeg-Omaha (6); and Montreal-Chicago (7).
The Engineers. Two of the character cards are Engineers. In lieu of a turn you may play an Engineer to choose a destination ticket from the draw pile.
End-Game Characters. Three of the character cards may give bonus scores at the end of the game. They are: Tycoon (gives you 10 points if you have a coast-to-coast route); Station Agent (gives you 10 points if you have visited the most cities by game’s end); and Inspector (doubles the value of a ticket worth 10 points or less).
The Blank Card. You can fill in whatever you want on your blank card. My top suggestions thus far are: Switch Operator (usable only in a 2- or 3-player game. Allows you to build on the second line of a double-track after an opponent has taken the first. This one was suggested by a player at Endgame on Saturday); and European Tourist (collect 10 points if you have visited the most East Coast cities by game’s end. This one was my own suggestion, intended to help the East, which is generally too weak).
Relationships to Other Games
Mystery Train is, of course, an expansion for the original Ticket to Ride game.
The Game Design
For supplements, I think the central game design question is usually, "How does change the game?” Here’s some thoughts on Mystery Train.
Makes Ticket Taking More Likely: This supplement makes players much more likely to draw tickets, even late in the game, particularly if they can see that the top card is a Mystery Train ticket. This is because you’re never penalized by the characters, and the routes are so short that you can often either make them or else take just a few points’ loss. The end result is a more dynamic game, where players are willing to struggle with new routes until the bitter end.
Slightly Decreases Randomness: The above slightly decreases randomness as well, because you’re not taking as big a chance when you draw destinations. The engineers in the deck also decrease randomness, since they allow you to select a destination.
Slightly Benefits Shorter Routes: I’ve always felt like the original game of Ticket to Ride was a little too off-balanced toward the longer routes: they tend to score a lot of points, and also allow you to take the longer single-hop routes. In this new expansion this is one card that benefits the longer routes (Tycoon, which is +10 for coast-to-coast) and two which benefit the shorter routes (Station Agent, which gives you +10 for most cities, and Inspector, which doubles a low-value ticket). In addition, the new, short destinations might cause players to take tracks desired by those going for longer routes, which can make them slightly more dangerous. None of this is a big deal, but it all pushes things in a good direction.
Overall, I’m pleased with this expansion. It’s elegant, and when it causes changes in gameplay, they’re good changes. I give it a "4” out of "5” in Substance, and think I’m likely to use these cards whenever I play the US map of Ticket to Ride.
Conclusion
Mystery Train is a nice little expansion to Ticket to Ride; it’s not earth-shattering (or essential), but it’s worth going to the trouble to pick up, as it’ll cause some slight changes in your Ticket to Ride games.
PRODUCT SUMMARY
Name: Ticket to Ride: Mystery Train
Publisher: Days of Wonder
Line: Ticket to Ride
Author: Alan R. Moon
Category: Board/Tactical Game
Year: 2004
View [ Printable Review ]
REVIEW SUMMARY
Comped Playtest Review
Written Review
November 17, 2004
by: Shannon Appelcline
Style: 5 (Excellent!)
Substance: 4 (Meaty)
A cute little expansion to Days of Wonder’s superb train game, well worth picking up while it’s available.
Shannon Appelcline has written 740 reviews, with average style of 4.02 and average substance of 3.84 The reviewer’s previous review was of Creatures & Cultists!.
This review has been read 14416 times.
MORE REVIEWS (1)
12/04: by Tom Vasel (4/4)
In 1 reviews, average style rating is 4.00 and average substance rating is 4.00.
TICKET TO RIDE
Alvin & Dexter
Ticket to Ride
Ticket to Ride Europe
Ticket to Ride Europe
Ticket to Ride for iPad
Ticket to Ride Map Collection 1: Asia
Ticket to Ride Map Collection 2: India + Switzerland
Ticket to Ride Map Collection 3: The Heart of Africa
Ticket to Ride Map Collection 4: Nederland
Ticket to Ride Marklin
( all related reviews )
Downloadable RPGs:
DTRPG
The GURPS RPG:
GURPS
Visit our Sponsors!
Mystery Train - A Ticket to Ride Expansion adds some cards to the Ticket deck. Four of these are routes the other additions aren’t actual tickets, though. Instead, they are special cards that allow you to get bonus points at the end of the game, with the exception of one card that allows you to, in lieu of a turn, look through the entire deck of tickets and take any card you want.
One card lets you double the value of any ticket that you make (only for cards worth 10 or less), one gives you bonus points for making a cross-country route, one gives you bonus points for a west coast route and one gives you bonus points for connecting to the most cities.
This expansion is available as a free giveaway at Essen in October ’04, and in the December ’04 Game Trade Magazine. It should also be available to distributors, retailers, and through the daysofwonder web site when it’s in print.
8 to 10 cards.
Part of Ticket to Ride series.
Ticket to Ride: Mystery Train is a small 10-card expansion for Alan R. Moon’s Ticket to Ride game.
The Components
Mystery Train comes with 12 cards total. These include: 2 rules cards; 9 destination ticket cards; and 1 blank destination ticket. All of the cards are half-size, printed on the same high-quality linen-textured cardstock as the original destination tickets. These tickets, however, have a distinct purple back, so that it’s easy to tell them apart from the originals.
4 of the cards are regular routes, while the other 5 are "character cards”, which have various powers in- and out-of-game. Each character card is simply described, and has attractive new artwork.
Mystery Train comes with 12 cards total. These include: 2 rules cards; 9 destination ticket cards; and 1 blank destination ticket. All of the cards are half-size, printed on the same high-quality linen-textured cardstock as the original destination tickets. These tickets, however, have a distinct purple back, so that it’s easy to tell them apart from the originals.
4 of the cards are regular routes, while the other 5 are "character cards”, which have various powers in- and out-of-game. Each character card is simply described, and has attractive new artwork.
The blank card is lined so that you can actually fill it in.
This supplement is a free give-away, but unlike other giveaways I’ve reviewed it’s been distributed via a method that makes it very easy for players to get a copy; if you like Ticket to Ride, you will be able to get this supplement if you want it. You can: get it in Game Trade Magazine, or get it from some local stores (Endgame Oakland had it on Saturday when I was there), or get it free with an online purchase from Days of Wonder, or get it just by paying S&H if you’ve already registered your copy of Ticket to Ride. There’s more info here if you want your own copy.
Given the usual high quality of the components, the fact that the game is free, and also that it’s easy to get, I’ve let this supplement eke in a "5” out of "5” for Style.
The Gameplay
Mystery Train introduces a number of easier destination tickets, including special characters, to the Ticket to Ride game.
Setup: A game of Ticket to Ride is setup as usual, but after initial tickets have been taken the 9 (or 10) Mystery Train tickets are shuffled into the destination ticket deck.
The Cards: There are two types of cards: 4 new destinations & 5 characters.
The Destinations. The destinations are all short 2-hop tickets: Vancouver-Portland (2); Boston-Washington (4); Winnipeg-Omaha (6); and Montreal-Chicago (7).
The Engineers. Two of the character cards are Engineers. In lieu of a turn you may play an Engineer to choose a destination ticket from the draw pile.
End-Game Characters. Three of the character cards may give bonus scores at the end of the game. They are: Tycoon (gives you 10 points if you have a coast-to-coast route); Station Agent (gives you 10 points if you have visited the most cities by game’s end); and Inspector (doubles the value of a ticket worth 10 points or less).
The Blank Card. You can fill in whatever you want on your blank card. My top suggestions thus far are: Switch Operator (usable only in a 2- or 3-player game. Allows you to build on the second line of a double-track after an opponent has taken the first. This one was suggested by a player at Endgame on Saturday); and European Tourist (collect 10 points if you have visited the most East Coast cities by game’s end. This one was my own suggestion, intended to help the East, which is generally too weak).
Relationships to Other Games
Mystery Train is, of course, an expansion for the original Ticket to Ride game.
The Game Design
For supplements, I think the central game design question is usually, "How does change the game?” Here’s some thoughts on Mystery Train.
Makes Ticket Taking More Likely: This supplement makes players much more likely to draw tickets, even late in the game, particularly if they can see that the top card is a Mystery Train ticket. This is because you’re never penalized by the characters, and the routes are so short that you can often either make them or else take just a few points’ loss. The end result is a more dynamic game, where players are willing to struggle with new routes until the bitter end.
Slightly Decreases Randomness: The above slightly decreases randomness as well, because you’re not taking as big a chance when you draw destinations. The engineers in the deck also decrease randomness, since they allow you to select a destination.
Slightly Benefits Shorter Routes: I’ve always felt like the original game of Ticket to Ride was a little too off-balanced toward the longer routes: they tend to score a lot of points, and also allow you to take the longer single-hop routes. In this new expansion this is one card that benefits the longer routes (Tycoon, which is +10 for coast-to-coast) and two which benefit the shorter routes (Station Agent, which gives you +10 for most cities, and Inspector, which doubles a low-value ticket). In addition, the new, short destinations might cause players to take tracks desired by those going for longer routes, which can make them slightly more dangerous. None of this is a big deal, but it all pushes things in a good direction.
Overall, I’m pleased with this expansion. It’s elegant, and when it causes changes in gameplay, they’re good changes. I give it a "4” out of "5” in Substance, and think I’m likely to use these cards whenever I play the US map of Ticket to Ride.
Conclusion
Mystery Train is a nice little expansion to Ticket to Ride; it’s not earth-shattering (or essential), but it’s worth going to the trouble to pick up, as it’ll cause some slight changes in your Ticket to Ride games.
PRODUCT SUMMARY
Name: Ticket to Ride: Mystery Train
Publisher: Days of Wonder
Line: Ticket to Ride
Author: Alan R. Moon
Category: Board/Tactical Game
Year: 2004
View [ Printable Review ]
REVIEW SUMMARY
Comped Playtest Review
Written Review
November 17, 2004
by: Shannon Appelcline
Style: 5 (Excellent!)
Substance: 4 (Meaty)
A cute little expansion to Days of Wonder’s superb train game, well worth picking up while it’s available.
Shannon Appelcline has written 740 reviews, with average style of 4.02 and average substance of 3.84 The reviewer’s previous review was of Creatures & Cultists!.
This review has been read 14416 times.
MORE REVIEWS (1)
12/04: by Tom Vasel (4/4)
In 1 reviews, average style rating is 4.00 and average substance rating is 4.00.
TICKET TO RIDE
Alvin & Dexter
Ticket to Ride
Ticket to Ride Europe
Ticket to Ride Europe
Ticket to Ride for iPad
Ticket to Ride Map Collection 1: Asia
Ticket to Ride Map Collection 2: India + Switzerland
Ticket to Ride Map Collection 3: The Heart of Africa
Ticket to Ride Map Collection 4: Nederland
Ticket to Ride Marklin
( all related reviews )
Downloadable RPGs:
DTRPG
The GURPS RPG:
GURPS
Visit our Sponsors!
Number of Players:
2-5
Category:
Strategy
Trains
Show More
Publisher:
Days of Wonder
Playing Time:
30
Year Published:
2004
Designer:
Alan R.
Show More
Artist:
Cyrille Daujean
Show More
Suggested Ages:
8+
Family:
Ticket To Ride
Date Added:
2018-06-21 11:58:28