I mean it.
I am not exaggerating when I say Ticket to Ride is one of my favorite games of all time, and probably the game that I've played the most. I've decided to dedicate my first game suggestion for those Married with Board Games to Ticket to Ride because it is beloved in my home and in the gamer world in general. You will likely have to search far and wide for a gamer who has not heard of or played Ticket to Ride. That sounds like a poem.
You will likely search far and wide
For a gamer who has not played Ticket to Ride
Okay, someone else finish it. I'm no poet.
But, seriously. TTR is the best option for couples, families, friends, new gamers, light gamers, Euro gamers, and non-hipster gamers. I include that last one because the more popular certain games get, the more hipster gamers feel they have to shun it, i.e. Settler's of Catan (or is it just Catan now?).
So why should you choose TTR as your first board game? Shall we do this David Letterman style?
10. It's quick to teach. With simple rules, turn actions, and winning conditions there is very little confusion around the rules (though I bet you'll still have the one person that whines "Well you didn't tell me that. That changes my whole strategy").
9. It's quick to play. There's nothing worse than being halfway through a game night and someone suggests playing a game that takes 2-3 hours at best. TTR can save you from said painful moments. Depending on the size of the group you're playing with and the number of newbies, it usually takes about 45 minutes to an hour. Wham, bam, thank you ma'am.
8. You can play it with the family. As seen at any board game convention, kids LOVE TTR. It's simple enough to grasp, short enough to hold interest, and fun enough to pull out every weekend. Publisher Days of Wonder suggests anyone ages 8+ will be able to enjoy the game.
7.You can play it with grown-ups. And of course TTR is still an incredible option to pull out at any adult game night. It really never loses its draw, this game.
6. People will want to hang out with you now. Which I'm sure they did before...but they will have a much better excuse to come over now. Introduce TTR to your group of friends and you will be a savior, a godsend, and a requirement at gatherings. Until they buy a copy for themselves...then you have to come up with a new plan.
5. I have never met a gamer who doesn't like it (hipsters don't count). Yes, I've met people who have played it hundreds of times (not an exaggeration) who might prefer to play something new, but I've also met people who've played it hundreds of times (still not an exaggeration) who can't get enough of it. One thing that they can all agree on is that it's a great game.
4. There are multiple versions. Days of Wonder really took this success and ran with it. There are several different maps and expansions for TTR: USA, Europe, India, Switzerland, Asia, Africa, and Germany to name a few. Each map usually has a unique rule or addition to it as well such as train stations, country-to-country bonuses, and tunneling.
3. You can choose high-conflict or diplomatic. There are many ways to turn a nice quiet game of TTR into a fierce game where strategy and sabotage prevail. Couples can choose a nice game on the big USA map or a more conflict-ridden map like Switzerland that can only play up to 3 people it is so small.
2.You can get TTR in board game, card game, online game, and podcast form. TTR is so addicting it's not enough for some people to just play the board game. They must eat, sleep, and breath it! Days of Wonder has released a Ticket to Ride card game that can be easily packed and played on the go and an online version of the board game that can be downloaded on Steam, Apple's App Store, Google Play, and many other platforms. Geek culture has also embraced the game and featured it on many video blogs, web series, and podcasts.
And finally.
1. It is the epitome of a gateway game. This reason deserves to be number one because TTR is the sole reason hundreds of people joined the board game hobby. My personal gateway game was probably Settler's of Catan, but TTR was a very close second (and only because I played Catan much earlier). Some people are intimidated by board games or they don't have an accurate picture of what board games are like today. Ticket to Ride is a great way to introduce them to the hobby without scaring them off with a four hour game and it will keep them coming back for more.
Let me know if you have a different suggestion for the first game that must be added to any board game collection. Until then -- Play more games. Do more things.
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