TransAmerica

Name: TransAmerica

Publisher: Rio Grande Games

Designer: Franz-Benno Delonge

Players: 2-6

Ages: 8+

Playing Time: 30 Minutes

Download Rules

The year is 1863, industry is exploding, and efforts are underway to construct a vast network of railways, the greatest technological achievement known to man! You are a wealthy entrepreneur who strives to link major industrial hubs across the United States, and you hope to be the first to complete it. But you are not alone: others are also in the business to get rich, and they can benefit from the rails you build. Will you be able to strategically utilize new and existing railways to be the first to complete your railway network?

TransAmerica is played in a series of rounds, in which the players each draw five (of 32) city cards, one from each of the five colored regions of the United States. The players then secretly determine the best route to connect all of their cities by rail, and take turns placing rails on the board. As soon as two players' rail networks touch, they can use both networks to further their development, which adds an interesting twist to the game. The first person to connect all five of their cities wins the round, and the other players collect negative points in proportion to how many railway sections they are lacking. These short rounds continue until one player's score triggers the game end, which is usually after two to four rounds.

I found TransAmerica while rummaging through a pile of undesirable games at a local thrift shop--and undesirable is an understatement! My mother spotted a small orange box that read, “TransAmerica Eine Spur schneller, $2.99.” It looked interesting, but the entire game was in German, including the directions. We called up my husband, and he was able to find the directions online and in English. We were very excited to learn that the English version of the game is published by Rio Grande Games, one of our favorite game publishers. After reading through the rules, and carefully tallying up all the pieces to ensure that the set was complete, we decided that TransAmerica was worth a shot. And what a bargain find it was! TransAmerica has frequented many of our community game days and has been a hit with our friends due to its simplicity and fast pace. Not only is it one of the easiest German board games to learn (even young children can enjoy this one), it is also a really quick game, which makes it very convenient to play.

One thing I love about TransAmerica is that it can accommodate any number from 2 up to 6 people. Many of the games I love to play cap out at 4 or 5 players, so it is nice to have a 6-player game on hand. Although its strategy is of only mild intensity, particularly with more players, it can be a great bridge to introduce people to more strategic German games.

I recommend TransAmerica as a fast-paced track laying game with a great group charm. It's simplicity and length make it a wonderful pick for many settings, and it can be played by the whole family. If you are looking for a complex strategy game, TransAmerica may not be for you. But, if you are looking for a crowd-pleasing game with mild depth, TransAmerica is certainly a great pick. Good luck in your railroad ambitions!