We’re going to the Reichstag! – review of the board game “Take the Train: Berlin”

The Take the Train series has been known in Poland for over a dozen years, during which time a lot of expansions have appeared, as well as many stand-alone versions of this iconic board game. Is it worth taking a look at a book on public transport in Berlin?

 

It’s time to change from the train to the trams

Board the Train: Europa is, in my opinion, one of the best family games, and an excellent title for introducing new people to the world of board games. I’m always happy to sit down and play any title in this series because I know I’ll have fun. That’s why I also wanted to check whether this rule also applies to the smaller and faster version. In the case of the simplified Pandemic , or Hot Zone , I have mixed feelings. The game is clearly too short, there is no time to get going, and therefore you don’t feel much emotion. When I sat down for the first game in Berlin , I was afraid that it might be similar here, but it turned out to be quite the opposite. I had just as much fun making connections and redeeming ticket cards as I did withEurope . It’s true that sometimes I had to spend more time to find the place I was looking for on the board. However, German names are especially difficult to learn at the beginning. Nevertheless, the dynamic gameplay and variety of subways made me want to play Take the Train more often !

The joys of traveling by subway

What new things is Berlin introducing ? In fact, only one, i.e. a new type of carriages, and that is the metro. Each player has eleven standard train cars, which are used in the same way as in any version of Ride on the Train . However, the subway is always displayed as one figure on the board. A connection between locations may cost one, two or three cards, but only one train is deployed. Therefore, the game takes a little longer, because getting out of five subway cars may take longer than getting rid of eleven regular trams.

It is also worth adding that subway connections offer more victory points. Both types of figures differ in size and shape, so no one will make a mistake when placing them on the board. The workmanship, as with all games in the series, is of a high standard. It is worth mentioning that the Rebel publishing house added a few spare wagons to the box. I would give one minus for the board, because the subway connecting two points always consists of two lines, but for some reason the same color is required on both lines anyway.

Is it worth introducing public transport to Berlin?

In my opinion, it is worth having at least one item from the Get on the Train series in your collection . It will be perfect for introducing new players to our hobby. Moreover, even experienced players will have a great time playing with trains, because it is a relaxing and enjoyable game. I recommend Berlin to those who play with a maximum of four people and prefer faster games. This game is also worth checking out because of the subway variety. On the one hand, this means that the game doesn’t end too quickly, and on the other hand, the planning is a bit different. You need to pay attention to the number of carriages of each type, because you can only get to the center by tram. I recommend the Get on the Train series to everyone , especially its latest installment.