WBG Score: 8
Player Count: 2-5
You’ll like this if you like: Unmatched, Funkoverse, Smash Up
Published by: IELLO
Designed by: Saashi
This is a free review copy. See our review policy here.
Back in 2022 Get On Board: London & New York was released to critical acclaim, winning awards and fans all over the board gaming world. Most most notable, gaining a score of 8/10 on WBG! Right!? I know. Well, unconfirmed and most probably made up reports suggest that spurned on by the glowing review we gave, designer Saashi decided to make a sequel, this time moving from the bustling metropolises of London and New York, to the more tranquil cities of Paris and Rome. Is it very different? Is it any better? Let's get it to the table and find out.
How To Set Up Get On Board: Paris & Roma
Much like the first game, the first thing you need to decide is choose the correct side of the board to play with. If you have 1-3 players, then use the Rome map. For a 4 or 5 player game use the Paris side. This is clearly labelled on the top left of each map.
The main difference is that the Rome side (below) has coloured speedy Connection sections. The burgundy and yellow markings seen below. These are used in the one to three player mode as detailed below.
Next, give each person a player sheet and pencil. Check that the markings below the tickets on the top of each players sheet are different. The rest of the sheet will be identical but these to be unique for each player. if not, just swap it out for another sheet. Each player will then take their 32 route markers and departure pawn in their chosen colour. The six common objective cards will then be shuffled and two are placed yellow side up on the space on the top of the board. Place three in a solo game. Then shuffle the five personal objective cards and deal one face up to each player. Next, shuffle the 12 metro ticket cards and deal two to each player. Use cards one to six for the Paris map and less players. Each player will then chose to start their game from one of the two locations, placing their departure pawn at their chosen location.
These Metro tickets are then gathered back into one deck and shuffled again and placed onto the top section of the board. In a solo game, add the two rush hour cards and place them after the 9th and 11th card. The oldest player takes the Inspector pawn and becomes the first player. You are now ready to play.
How to Play Get On Board: Paris & Roma.
The first player, the inspector, now reveals the top card from the metro ticket deck, placing it face up on the discard space for all to see. Each player will now cross off the space for the matching ticket value on their player sheet. This shows them what shape they will be making in the next phase, and what shapes are still to come. In a 1-3 player game note the colour of the border of this first metro card. Either burgundy or yellow. Mark the corresponding colour on your player sheet on the bottom left. This will dictate which coloured connection areas will be in affect this game.
When this is done, all players move to the next phase, where they will place coloured markers from their personal pool, starting at their departure pawn, in the shape as dictated by the metro ticket crossed off in the previous phase. You cannot double back on your route, there can be no more than one marker per colour on each section, and you must copy the shape as dictated by that rounds metro ticket completely and exactly. If you ever reach the same intersection for the second time, your game is over and you can no longer score any points. You are eliminated. Harsh huh? Have they not heard of the circle line? You can increase or reduce the size of any shape you have to place by one marker if you want to, by marking off one space in the red top right area on your player sheet. You can do this a maximum of five times and each time, you will incur a penalty of minus one, two or three.
Each time your route moves through an area where there are other players coloured markers, and in a 1-3 player game, when you move through the chosen coloured routes, you can cross off one space in the connection zone on the bottom left of your player sheet. The further you go on this route, the more points you will get, as shown by the green boxed numbers. This is an adapted feature from the traffic in the previous game.
If you pass through any Metro spaces then you must circle one of the corresponding symbols on the top left of your player sheet. Then at the end of that round, you can cross off any of the spaces circled that round to place an extra marker down. Or, if you choose to leave a circled space uncrossed and unused, it will give you an extra two points at the end of the game. This is a new feature not seen in the previous game and essentially replaces the chance to name your map.
When you have finished adding your shape and marking off any related areas on your player sheet, the next step is to score any passengers or places that were moved through this turn.
The Grannies are the most simple. For each one moved through, cross off one space on the red area on your player sheet. At the end of the game you will score the points shown in the green boxes next to all crossed off spaces. The Students and Cinemas work a little differently. At the end of the game you will multiply the number of students marked off by the number of cinemas across two lines for a maximum of 24 points. This is all quite similar to the last game.
When you pass a Flirt, note the colour of the background, there are two types. The face type doesn't matter, just note the background colour. Mark off the corresponding space on your player sheet and then later, if you pass a restaurant note how many flirts are crossed off on either of the three rows and score two points for one crossed off face or six points for a crossed off couple; for a maximum of 12 per row. Any uncrossed faces must be crossed out, they cannot be scored. There are three opportunities to visit restaurants in each game. This is a slight change from the last game.
The final person you can pick up are the tourists. They want to go to the Opera or the Theatre. When you pick one up, mark them off, and then later when you go by either one of these two buildings you will score the points underneath the right most crossed off tourist at that point. Any unmarked tourists are crossed off in the row you just scored and can no longer be used. This is all similar to the last game but now with a simplified scoring mechanic.
As you move around the board you will need to focus on all the passenger and building scoring options as well as your own personal objective card and the common objectives. Each common objective can be achieved by multiple players but the first to do this will get ten points, and all subsequent players will only get six. After each round, check if anyone has achieved any of the common objectives then move the inspector pawn one space clockwise, Then move to the next round. There are twelve rounds in a game. When done, score your total points, and the player with the most points unsurprisingly wins the game. In the solo game, at certain points when flipping the next metro card, you will reveal one of the rush hour cards. This means you need to flip over an objective card. If you have not completed it yet you can now only score six points for this one. At the end, you can compare your score to a table on the rule sheet.
Is this Fun? - Get On Board: Paris & Roma Board Game Review
There is not a huge amount different to the original game. I have marked the changes above in bold. The speedy connection areas being the main difference, other than some slight changes to the way each character scores. As such, if you have the London & New York version already then you may not want to add this to your collection. But if you loved it and want to try the different maps then you will not be disappointed. If you do not have the original game I would recommend getting this one instead as I think it is a fraction better. But if you have the first game and were not a fan, then I cannot imagine you have got this far in the review!
So, to answer the question about the two editions, there is not a lot different. It is a little better. But for me, it is more of the same but the same is great! I like the idea of this eventually being dozens of maps across multiple cities around the world. It may make more sense to just sell the maps as expansion rather than a new box each time. But the thought of playing one of these cities before I visit them, or better yet, whilst there, is a thing of board game beauty to me. The more maps the better. I want every city!
I would recommend this game to anyone who enjoys the flip and write genre and is looking for a new game that works in a short amount of time, plays well in different player counts, but still offers a game experience of substance. If you like this theme of course. There is a lot in this sector. Get On Board is an exciting series of games. I hope they continue with this. Either with new expansion maps or more full box sequels. I think any subsequent full game will need a few more developments and changes to justify its existence. But right now we have two great versions. Both excellent fun. I am delighted to own both. Although, that may be somewhat of an extravagance.
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