Recently, Amy & I purchased Ticket to Ride Marklin, the German map version in the Ticket to Ride boardgame series.

Ticket to Ride Marklin

Compared to other versions of the game, Marklin is considered to have the most advanced play, namely because it introduces the concept of "Passengers" who travel along the routes you build, picking up cargo points along the way.  (FYI, Marklin is the name the largest model railroad company in the world, based in Germany.)

Is this passenger traveling light due to TSA restrictions?

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Back in February, Days of Wonder – the makers of Ticket to Ride – announced a Map Design Contest.  Per the contest information, the winning fan-created map would join other maps and be released as part of a new product, the Ticket to Ride Map Collection, slated for October 2011 availability.

Ticket to Ride Map Collection #1 Asia

The company received 612 entries from 40 countries… but has been pretty tight-lipped about the winning map or what might be contained in the "Map Collection."  Fans have been hoping for the unpublished "Japan" map that creator Alan R. Moon previously noted was the inspiration for the Alvin & Dexter expansion.  Leaked information from a game event website seemed to indicate that this "Map Collection" concept was actually part of a series, with many releases planned.

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Back in February, I wrote a review for the Ticket to Ride Alvin & Dexter Monster Expansion.  Frankly, Amy & I really like this tiny expansion because it adds more depth to any TtR game.

100 Thumbs on BoardGameGeek.com

At the time, I cross-posted my review to the highest-traffic boardgame website, BoardGameGeek.com.  There's an internal "karma" system there that allows members to give "Thumbs Up" to posts they like or recommend.

Small expansion, but very fun!

I'm happy to say that my review has reached "100 Thumbs" on that site, which is sort of a big deal (well, I'd like to think so!)  I hope that my writing at least helped steer some folks towards checking out Alvin & Dexter; it's a goofy expansion idea, but I think it's a hidden treasure!

We got together with some friends last night to play Monopoly.  Amy & I are not huge fans of the game, but they are.  Plus, you can only play Ticket to Ride so many times, right?

Steve is a hotel maniac!

We used a standard board, but for a nice twist added in the "Speed Die" and "Bus Tickets" from 2006's Monopoly: The Mega Edition.  This accelerates the game a bit by allowing the player to advance to the next unowned property during the beginning game rolls, thus enabling you to quickly buy these locations.  As the game progresses and the properties are all owned, this same die forces to you advance to the next property you owe rent on… so that's painful.

In the end, I had hotels on half the board and ended up victorious!  Just call me Rich Uncle Pennybags (or Mr. Monopoly if you prefer a retconned name)!

It's pretty well established that Amy & I are fans of the boardgame Clue, as well as the 1985 movie adaptation. The film has become a cult classic, but it has unfortunately not been given an appropriate DVD special edition or other supporting releases to capitalize on this niche.

Clue Movie Soundtrack on CD

One of the unique elements of the film is the instrumental soundtrack composted by John Morris. It's performed in a style that completely fits the mystery theme. Unfortunately this music has never been released for purchase…

… until now.

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If you follow Amy & I via social media like Facebook, or even keep up with our activities here on the blog, you know that we're big fans of the boardgame Ticket to Ride. Since first picking up the original game in the fall of 2009, we've added the Mystery Train and USA 1910 Expansions, Ticket to Ride Europe and its companion Europa 1912 Expansion, Ticket to Ride Nordic Countries, and Ticket to Ride Switzerland.

Ticket to Ride: Alvin & Dexter Monster Expansion

There are still other games in the series that we haven't explored, but our minds were sort of blown when back in December rumors started leaking about another expansion… involving aliens and monsters? Surely this wasn't the case of completely throwing the theme of a turn-of-the-century railroad game out the window. But in fact, it was true!

And you know what? It's a great idea!

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Today I went to get our mail and…

Look what just arrived in the mail!

It would appear some new Ticket to Ride fun is in order!  (More about Alvin & Dexter)

Over the weekend, some friends joined us for an impromptu get-together to play Ticket to Ride.  After all, it's January, it's cold, it's full of doldrums… why not play a boardgame which takes you to exotic cities… like Duluth?

Amy, Megan, Branden, & Sarah take on TtR Europe

The 11 of us played every one of our TtR games, including the original USA version (with the USA 1910 Expansion), Europe (with the Europa 1912 Expansion featuring Warehouses & Depots), Switzerland, and Nordic Countries.

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Not sure this is real or a hoax (Update: It's real!), but what if you added monsters to the world of Ticket to Ride? Either the folks at Days of Wonder have a screw loose or this idea for this "Alvin & Dexter" expansion might actually be brilliant!

Ticket to Ride - Alvin & Dexter Expansion

A forum user at BoardGameGeek.com discovered this product being listed on Japanese site AmiAmi.jp, an online retailer for miniature figures. If this does play out to be a real expansion, it's quite an unexpected twist for the TtR world created by Days of Wonder. However, given that I'm a huge fan of the series, any expansion is welcomed these days.

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Back in October, we hosted our 5th "Clue Night", where we welcomed 13 friends to join us in playing multiple versions of the boardgame Clue, while enjoying some good food, conversation, and laughter watching the 1985 film of the same name.

Anyone for a game of Clue?

This fall tradition is something we started shortly after getting married, hosting a "beta test" followed by events in 2006, 2007, and 2009.  It was a way to tie into the "mystery" element of the Halloween season in a unique way.  And even though our boardgame affections have strayed heavily towards Ticket to Ride, we still have a warm place in our hearts for Clue.

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