It's time to post an update on the ongoing scores of "Steve vs. Amy" Ticket to Ride games!  Whenever we play a head-to-head game, we update the ongoing results table on our guest bathroom wall, which features chalkboard paint.  Our guests are always quite amused when they take a look!

We posted Round 1 results last October, with an update on Round 2 in April.  Well, we've finished another column of games, so it's time to post the latest results:

Round 3: Steve vs. Amy Game Results

Round 3: Steve vs. Amy Game Results

To be honest, we haven't been playing Ticket to Ride at the same pace that we had previously.  Our passion for the game hasn't subsided, but rather with Amy being pregnant and frequently tired, we just haven't had the time in the evenings to play like we used to.

Other Gaming Distractions

Other Gaming Distractions

That said, we also recently picked up the game Dominion, which we really enjoy.  It plays quite fast, so when time is an issue, we tend to play this instead.  We're also experimenting with Small World and Carcassone a bit, albeit in their digital iterations.

But let's get back to Ticket to Ride.  In our last update, based on the number of appearances in the list, it was obvious that we picked up the Alvin & Dexter Monster Expansion, which is still very excellent.  This time around you can see the trend of playing a lot of the currently out-of-print Switzerland map (which will be returning with the new release of Ticket to Ride Map Collection: Volume 2 – India & Switzerland).  Of all the Ticket to Ride maps, I find the Swiss version to be the most "broken" in how it works (though Alvin & Dexter can fix some of that).

We also recently picked up Ticket to Ride Marklin, which is the Germany map, and probably the most complex in the series.  We are liking it quite a bit!

iOS versions of Ticket to Ride

iOS versions of Ticket to Ride

The last entries on the chart are digital interpretations of the game, Ticket to Ride for the iPad and Ticket to Ride Pocket (for iPhone & iPod Touch).  I recently was issued an iPad for work use, so we've been able to test out these iOS versions.  Both are impressive!

In this latest round, we played a total of 15 games, with Amy winning 9, and myself the victor in 6.  Amy continues to dominate Europe, while I tend to have the advantage when playing Switzerland.  Factoring all rounds since we started keeping track of these statistics, Amy leads the series with 25 wins to my 22.

One reason we log all our plays on the wall is to keep track of the many different ways to enjoy the game.  With different maps, expansions, and rule sets, it's never the same experience twice, which keeps Ticket to Ride quite fresh.  When you look at the investment in the game along with replayability, it's actually a great value vs. other forms of entertainment!  For those trying to decipher some of the acronyms used in this latest results photo, here's a quick guide:

  • US – The original version of Ticket to Ride, which features a United States map.
  • Europe – The 2nd game in the series, Ticket to Ride Europe.
  • Swiss – As previously mentioned, the out-of-print Ticket to Ride Switzerland map.
  • Nordic – One of our favorite maps, Ticket to Ride Nordic Countries, which covers Scandinavia.
  • Marklin – Basically, Ticket to Ride Germany.  This version of the game was released in conjunction with largest model railroad company in the world, Marklin.
  • Mega Game – This refers to an expansion that adds additional Destination Tickets.  When used in conjunction with the US acronym, it refers to the USA 1910 Expansion.  If you see it mentioned with Europe, it refers to the Europa 1912 Expansion.
  • Europe Exp – Short for "Europe Expanded", a subset of Destination Tickets that are part of the Europa 1912 Expansion
  • Mystery Train – The very first expansion to Ticket to Ride, which can only be used with the original US map.  Now out-of-print, but you can download and print it for free.
  • W&D – Short for "Warehouses & Depots", part of the Europa 1912 Expansion, but a feature that can be added to ANY Ticket to Ride map.  Allows you to create a stockpile of Train Cards that you can access later in the game.
  • A&D – The Alvin & Dexter Monster Expansion, which can be added to ANY Ticket to Ride map.  It's an affordable must-have.
  • Ghost/Ghost 2 – A fan-created set of rules called the Ghost Train, designed to tighten up the USA map for a 2-player game.  The number refers to how many Ghost Trains were in play at the time.
  • Pocket – Ticket to Ride Pocket, a stripped down version of the game for the iPhone and iPod Touch.  Currently, just the USA map exists in this digital version.
  • iPad – Ticket to Ride for iPad, which comes with the default US map (though allows you to purchase the 1910 expansions, Europe, and Swiss maps).
  • PHP – Short for "Pass 'n Play", the idea of playing a game on a mobile device where you pay it back and forth between players as you each take your turn.
  • Local – Multiplayer for an electronic version of the game enabled via a local Wifi network.  In our case, we played a game with one of us using the iPad and the other using the iPhone, thus you didn't need to take turns with the device (in contrast to Pass 'n Play mode).

Let Round 4 begin!