Experienced board gamers are always on the look-out for a simple “gateway game” that can introduce new players to more-strategic, less luck-based gaming. Many keep a copy of Ticket to Ride available for just such an occasion, as the game’s simple mechanics are easy to teach and quick to play. It has also won numerous awards since its 2004 release, including the prestigious Spiel des Jahres (a Germany-based Game of the Year award). Ticket to Ride is in many ways considered to be the archetypical “rail game”. Players compete to connect various American cities via train routes that criss-cross the country (as well as spilling over into some neighboring Canadian provinces). To complete a route, you simply need to collect the corresponding number of colored cards. The length of the route determines how many points it is worth. Additional points are available at the end of the game for completing Destination Tickets; any uncompleted Tickets in your possession are deducted from your score, so plan accordingly. There is also a one-time bonus of ten points for the player with the longest continuous chain of routes. Each player begins the game by being dealt four Tickets and keeping at least two; they also start with four route cards. On your turn, you have three choices: 1) draw two route cards from the face-up array or from the top of the deck (if you want to take a Wild card, you may only take one card that turn); 2) draw four Tickets and keep at least one (returning the rest to the bottom of the deck); or 3) complete a route using the cards in your hand. The final round begins once one player has used at least forty-three of his forty-five train cars (each car represents one segment of a route), at which point each player receives one more turn.
The game’s strategy comes from planning your routes and balancing your choices each turn. Only one player may claim a given route, so you might find your plans crushed to pieces if you take an extra turn to draw cards, allowing one of your rivals to claim that route instead. Some cities are connected by multiple routes (except in a 3-player game), and you can usually arrange for a detour, but that doesn’t change the fact that many of the cards you’ve spent precious time collecting may now be less useful to your designs. The other main strategic decision involves whether you want to attempt one continuous series of routes to connect as many Destinations as possible or to simply claim as many high-scoring Routes as possible and grab Destinations as they become convenient. As mentioned, Ticket to Ride is easy to play, with its core gameplay centering around collecting sets of colored cards. It may actually border on being too simple for more experienced players, who will have passed through this particular gateway a long time ago. Outside of a more casual group/setting, Ticket to Ride is unlikely to feature prominently in an evening’s festivities, but for those times when it is approrpriate, it will definitely hold its own.
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Images courtesy of BoardGameGeek.com
It’s hard to put out a product that’s just more of the same when you’ve recently acquired the rights to a hit franchise and the original developer is off making what should have been the next logical step in the franchise. That’s not to say that Guitar Hero III doesn’t change things up and feel like its own game – because it does. The interface is updated, the graphics have been overhauled, and the difference in note charts between Harmonix and Neversoft is astounding.
At its core Guitar Hero III is the same game that Guitar Hero and Guitar Hero II were before it. You’ve got a plastic guitar and a note chart that scrolls across the screen. Hold down a fret and strum as the note passes the line to play it properly. The feel, however, is different between prior versions and the newest iteration. Note charts feel less like fun and more like work this time around, sections of songs that should be full of hammer-ons and pull-offs are full of individually strummed notes, and hammer-ons and pull-offs about in sections where they feel unneccessary and inappropriate.
When Activision bought the Guitar Hero franchise they didn’t get the Guitar Hero engine. Their replica is passable, but the whole thing just feels off – almost like Guitar Hero merged with the Tony Hawk series in terms of art style. Judy Nails’ new look, in particular, is off-putting. She used to be a cute little rocker with skull barettes; now she’s some sort of harlot relying on her physical assets instead of her musical talent. Hammer-ons and pull-offs are markedly easier now as well. While I appreciate the help (never was any good at pull-offs) Neversoft went a bit too far; it’s not satisfying to earn five stars on a song when you know that you didn’t perform several of the pull-offs correctly but were given credit for them anyway. Guitar Hero has always counted notes and reported the highest streak at the end of the performance. Now, progress is reported to the player at 50 notes, 100 notes, and every 100 note interval thereafter. The counter beneath the multiplier is enough; everything else is just distracting.
Also added to the Guitar Hero experience are boss battles and combative multiplayer. Previously, versus play was a contest of skill. Now versus play is a toss-up depending on which player receives the more powerful battle power-up (broken whammy bar, snapped string, lefty flip, double notes, amp overload, and difficulty up) first. Double notes, lefty flip, and difficulty up and particularly damaging while broken whammy bar, amp overload, and snapped string are easy to fix or deal with. Boss battles are played out in this new versus mode. When I’m competing with somebody I don’t consider it a victory when my opponent fails; I consider it a victory when I perform better in a skill-based competition. That isn’t what this is; the computer will never miss a note unless you hit it with a battle power-up. You haven’t beaten Slash; you’ve gotten lucky and hit him with lefty flip, amp overload, and difficulty up forcing him to fail the song instead of proving that you’re the better musician. There is some strategy involved in determining when to deploy battle power-ups, but the emphasis on failure leaves a sour taste in the mouth.
The set list is varied and appropriate for the game, featuring favorites like A
FedEx just dropped off a thick metallic package that had the following items inside: a flight patch and a printed note on metallic paper. The note read:
“Congratulations! You’ve been selected to join Mario’s flight team and encounter a new set of enemies on planets and in galaxies you’ve never seen before. So, dust off your space suit and get ready for Super Mario Galaxy, the must-have game of the year for Wii, landing on your desk soon!”
Pics of the Super Mario Galaxy Flight Patch and letter are below.
Gamecock Media Group just announced that the upcoming title from Blazing Lizard, Pirates vs. Ninjas Dodgeball, would be headed to Xbox Live Arcade in early 2008.
“It is no secret that Pirates and Ninjas have beef,” stated Chris Stockman, Studio Director of Blazing Lizard. “But it turns out both have a great love for dodgeball and unique skills when it comes to playing the game. We are bringing together sworn enemies for what I can guarantee will be explosive dodgeball action.”
PvND is one of my more anticipated titles for the next year despite it’s simple concept. It’ll make a perfect XLA title.
The podcast for November is now online and Pretz and Pic get down with a look forward to 2008 as well as a Holiday Wishlist for this holiday season. Check it out here.
Experienced board gamers are always on the look-out for a simple “gateway game” that can introduce new players to more-strategic, less luck-based gaming. Many keep a copy of Ticket to Ride available for just such an occasion, as the game’s simple mechanics are easy to teach and quick to play. It has also won numerous awards since its 2004 release, including the prestigious Spiel des Jahres (a Germany-based Game of the Year award). Ticket to Ride is in many ways considered to be the archetypical “rail game”. Players compete to connect various American cities via train routes that criss-cross the country (as well as spilling over into some neighboring Canadian provinces). To complete a route, you simply need to collect the corresponding number of colored cards. The length of the route determines how many points it is worth. Additional points are available at the end of the game for completing Destination Tickets; any uncompleted Tickets in your possession are deducted from your score, so plan accordingly. There is also a one-time bonus of ten points for the player with the longest continuous chain of routes. Each player begins the game by being dealt four Tickets and keeping at least two; they also start with four route cards. On your turn, you have three choices: 1) draw two route cards from the face-up array or from the top of the deck (if you want to take a Wild card, you may only take one card that turn); 2) draw four Tickets and keep at least one (returning the rest to the bottom of the deck); or 3) complete a route using the cards in your hand. The final round begins once one player has used at least forty-three of his forty-five train cars (each car represents one segment of a route), at which point each player receives one more turn.
