Start spreading the news! I’m leaving today! I want to be a part of it!
New York, New York!

This tiny game plays just like the original? Fuhgeddaboudit!

It’s true! Despite it’s small, portable package, Ticket to Ride: New York (New York) plays nearly exactly like the original game! 

On their turn, players will have one of three options. They can either draw two cards, draw new tickets, or play cards from their hand to place trains. Except in this game, the train cars are actually taxis which is very fun! 

Some key differences include the scoring. Unlike in the original game where players keep score around the board during play, in New York scoring is done on a score sheet at the end of the game. Because the board is so small this is easily and quickly done.

Just as in the original, players will score for each route they claimed, with longer routes scoring higher than shorter routes. Destination Tickets that players were able to complete will count towards their score. Tickets they failed to complete will count against. 

Where the game deviates from the original is in the Tourist Attraction scoring. 

This is a fun addition for the theming. You’re in New York City after all! You’ll want to see some sites while you’re there. 

Throughout the board are tourist attractions designated with a penny icon rather than the standard red dot. Players will score one additional point for every tourist attraction that is connected to one or more of the routes that they claimed. 

After that, totals are added up and the player with the most points wins.

Does a smaller package mean poor component quality?

These are the top notch components that you’d expect from Days of Wonder.

I want to take a moment to talk about the theming of this game. It is so well done! When you open the box you are greeted not with a rules sheet, but rather a travel brochure. That is a rules sheet disguised as a New York City travel brochure! So clever! The travel brochure also fits in nicely with the “sight seeing” point aspect as well which I also enjoyed. 

The board sits nicely on top of the taxis and game cards in an insert that is perfectly designed. Loving a game insert or caring how it looks might seem silly, but a well designed insert really helps not only in putting the game away, but being able to quickly and easily set it up for play the next time. This is a great insert with a spot for everything.

The taxis all come bagged and they even added a few extras just in case. A lovely bonus. The taxis are just as nice as the trains, have a good amount of detail on them, and come in fun colors. I really appreciate the colors that they chose because all four of them are very different and you will have no trouble telling them apart once placed on the board. 

The colors all really pop on this board. Everything seems just a touch more vibrant and saturated. The only thing I wish they would have done was to make the board fold with the play side in rather than out. Our board just slightly sits off the table in the middle. This issue was also seen in another board we played with. It does settle down after a little bit of playtime and hasn’t impacted gameplay as the taxis stay put on their routes. I just think this issue could have been avoided if the board would have folded the other way. 

What is the play experience like?

It’s the city that never sleeps and you won’t want to doze off in this game either! This game takes approximately 10-15 minutes to play. That’s roughly 30-45 minutes less than the original! That means you won’t be able to sit back and take your time constructing your strategy. You’ll have to think fast and move decisively because every turn matters. You only have 15 taxis to claim routes with in the game so if you relax too much your opponents will end it before you’re ready. 

Personally, I love the fast pace! It’s addicting and you’ll definitely be playing a couple of rounds in a row!

We have the original along with a whole bunch of expansion maps which each add something unique and exciting to the play experience. I was concerned that the smaller board wouldn’t really feel like the classic does but those concerns were unwarranted.

This little game completely captures the feel and fun of the original, larger games. The faster play time means that players will have to change up their strategies or act on them quicker and brings its own unique feel to this version, much like the various maps do for the original.

How long can you see yourself playing this game?

I love Ticket to Ride, but for some reason, we don’t get it to the table very often. This could be because if we have the time to play a game for an hour or more we tend to gravitate towards the heavier games on our shelves. 

I think that New York will see the table a lot more often than some of the larger maps in the TTR family. 

When it comes to that quick game category, New York is easily one of the best we have on our shelves. It’s that shortened play time without skimping on game mechanics that will give it a bump in table time in the near future. It also makes it a great filler game!

We did discuss whether or not it would hold up over time like the classic does. Because the board is so small and the route options so few, Adam worried that it may get to the point that after multiple plays the strategy options are exhausted. 

This could be true, but only time will tell. I don’t see this concern unique to New York but rather a natural consequence of any game played multiple times. The original has been played so often in our home that when I look at my ticket cards, I already know the best way to get to the destinations. We also know each other’s strategies and can guess based on placements where the other is headed, allowing us to block each other early if we wish. 

Will it top the original Ticket to Ride? 

There’s been a lot of hype about this version and I see why. It really is fun and while I think we might play it more often in the future, it definitely doesn’t replace the original game for me. While it is a stand-alone game, it also feels like an expansion map as well. It’s a new, unique spin on the original game.

One of the things I love most about it is that it’s a great game to grab and introduce to new players.

Yes the original is at the top of every “gateway boardgames” list. Being able to condense it down into a 15 minute experience gives newbies a great taste of the game to see if they like it. Perhaps it’s something that you pull out when you have a couple friends over that don’t play a lot of games and you don’t really have the time or table space to set up and play the original. 

How does it fair for younger players?

We have yet to try the physical version of Ticket to Ride: First Journey, the stand-alone version marketed towards younger players in that 5-6 age range. We have the iPhone app and have let our daughter (6yrs) play that, but we have been hesitant to purchase the board game.

Why? Well, it’s nothing against Days of Wonder. The game itself looks nice and inviting for children. We just typically side step the kid versions of adult games. 

With Ticket to Ride, she’s really already capable of playing the full game, its just a longer game and the issue becomes a combination of finding the hour needed to play, attention span on her end, and patience on ours. (Just keeping it real folks!)

New York was actually a Christmas present for our daughter. (Okay, we benefited, but it was for her! We swear!) It perfectly shortens all of the routes, most are just one or two spaces, with only a handful of longer 3 and 4 car routes available. The 15 minute play time is perfect for younger attention spans, too. While she can read very well, reading isn’t really required as the iconography does a great job of helping players find what they’re looking for. 

She was easily able to pick the mechanics up on her first play and nearly beat me! So proud! This could be a great option for families looking to introduce their kids to the game without going the First Journey route. 

Let’s close this out, I’ve got a taxi to catch!

Ticket to Ride: New York works well because it feels just like the original modern classic game. I view New York like I do any of the additional maps you can purchase. It’s a different way to play the classic game that you love. For some it’ll be their favorite. For other’s they’ll still prefer the larger maps and longer game play. But if you are a fan of the Ticket to Ride games, I think there is no reason that you won’t enjoy playing Ticket to Ride: New York. It really is so well done. 

Game Credits:
Ticket to Ride New York
2-4 Players, 10-15 min, Ages 8+
Published 2018
Publisher: Days of Wonder
Designer: Alan R. Moon

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