For years Ticket to Ride has been a best selling strategy board game based on – you guessed it – trains. It’s long been available as a video game on PC, Mac, and the web in addition to iOS. There is a pocket version for small screens (which is not expected to get the new map yet) and the full award winning iPad game.

Today, Days of Wonder is releasing an all new digital map pack called Legendary Asia. The new in-app purchase also celebrates the Ticket to Ride franchise’s over 1 million downloads.The map will cost $3.99 and appear after you update the app. When you do you’ll also notice across-the-rails Retina display support and 45 new achievements for the different game variants.

The physical map may be familiar to board game players, since it was released last year after winning a worldwide design contest. For digital players on all platforms tomorrow will be the first look and if the advance screen shots are any indication it will add both beauty and replay value to what is already an iPad classic. You can check the new map out in the gallery below.

$6.99

Ticket to Ride

iPad Only App - Designed for the iPad
Released: 2011-05-18 :: Category: Games

Today marks the launch of the first paid expansion for the acclaimed iOS version of the railroad building board game, Ticket to Ride. The Ticket to Ride Pocket: 1910 expansion includes three brand new game modes for players to enjoy and adds 35 new destinations to the game’s US map.

The 1910 Classic mode brings updated route tickets and a slight change to the rules that makes completing the most tickets crucial to winning. The 1910 Mega mode starts each player with 5 route cards instead of 3, doubles the number of available route tickets, and awards bonus points to the most completed routes. Finally, the 1910 Cities mode is a faster game mode in which players contend over a few specific routes, all starting and ending with major cities. Ten new achievements, most of which are from the 1910 pack, are also included.

The Ticket to Ride Pocket: 1910 expansion is available via in-app purchase now for $0.99, so get ready to ride the rails again.

$1.99

Ticket to Ride Pocket

iPhone App - Designed for the iPhone, compatible with the iPad
Released: 2011-11-16 :: Category: Games

I make no secret of the fact that I am seriously addicted to Ticket to Ride on iOS. Of all the designer board games currently rushing to the App Store, none is as polished in presentation and gameplay as TtR. Unbelievably, the translation from analogue to digital is seamless.

Yet, something has been missing from the iPhone version of the game, Ticket to Ride Pocket.

Until now, that is.

Version 1.1 has just be released to the App Store and it contains what many fans (including me) have been waiting for: Multi Mode. Is Multi Mode true online play or something more akin to Words With Friends-style asynchronous play? From my experience, the answer is both.

Multi Mode is designed primarily to be played in asynchronous mode, with players taking turns at their whim over the course of hours, days, or even weeks. However, my experience has shown that many online players prefer to simply play their game online in real time, and Multi Mode easily accommodates that choice. So, it’s the best of both worlds: head-to-head play when time permits, and asynchronous play for when it doesn’t.

In fact, the straight-up multiplayer version of the game is preferable, as turns in Ticket to Ride can be very short indeed. While I don’t want to imply that there are no strategic choices to be made in the game (quite the opposite, actually), the time it takes to play a turn is miniscule compared to a turn in Scrabble or Words with Friends. Asynchronous play is a welcome addition, but you may find yourself playing more than one game in real time.

If you’ve never heard of Ticket to Ride (gasp!) or never played TtR Pocket, I urge you to take a moment and read our glowing review of the game when it was released. Then, take the plunge and start building your railroad empire. I’ll meet you online. My Gamecenter user name is Skinnerbox. Challenge me to a game anytime!

$1.99

Ticket to Ride Pocket

iPhone App - Designed for the iPhone, compatible with the iPad
Released: 2011-11-16 :: Category: Games