Feb 12, 20233 min read

Get on Board (2022 Top 20) - Number 19

Get on Board has so much to like about it. It's one of those games that I would always be up for playing as it doesn't take a huge mental load, but it has plenty of interesting choices. The artwork is especially cute, and it scales well at different player counts. As a flip and write, it didn't have to do a lot of heavy lifting to get me to like it. The game is by Saashi and the artwork is by Monsieur Z on this version of the game; the game is a reimplementation of a highly sought after Saashi game - Let's Make a Bus Route.

The Get on Board box depicts a New York skyline in animation style with people boarding a red bus on bus line #1

The game plays 2-5 people in about 20-25 minutes, and is designed for ages 8 plus. My 10 year old really enjoyed it when we played too as the artwork and gameplay is light while still rewarding. Each player starts in a similar way, but the difference in choice comes from how the players will lay out their bus routes with small wooden pieces.

The New York side of the board with purple pieces on two darker road sections which mean the player must mark off some buses in the negative portion of their sheet due to traffic jams.

The players must balance out objectives with making a route that doesn't circle back on itself. If a player ever ends their route in such a way that they could only traverse a route they have already placed pieces, then they are eliminated from the game. I've never really found this to be a problem though.

There is nothing especially clever about the game and it doesn't make any particular statements about anything - it's just a really solid game to play. Most people will find this type of puzzle relaxing and enjoyable without being too complex in the world of pencil and paper games. Furthermore, you can try the game out on Board Game Arena as of the moment I write this.

The 5 personal objective cards for New York can get a little staid if you play the game a lot.

If I were to come up with a complaint for the game, it would be that the game probably could have included double the number of personal objective cards to add just a bit more variety to repeated plays. That's not a major disappointment though, just a thought as someone who has played the game multiple times.

One of my favorite things about this version of the game is the bus tickets which guide the randomness of the flip and write. These are small cards with holes punched through them, and it's an especially nice aesthetic touch to a very pleasant game.

A pink number 6 bus ticket shows 4 holes punched in the ticket.

I can highly recommend this game to those looking for something to help grow the world of "X" and write. The rules are simple and the sheet for writing down your choices makes sense. I think even newcomers to the genre will see the appeal of a game like this.

Marking off the 12 ticket with a pencil. It shows the legal shape of pieces to played underneath the ticket, a single straight line piece.

The friendly, familiar art style alongside the simple game play makes for a game that feels like like an old standard without being dated or cloy. It's like reading a good book on your grandparents' couch, just a comfortable place to be, which is a good thing for a game not trying to ruffle any feathers.

The following images show the Inspector Pawn which tracks turn order and looks like the silhouette of a bus driver cap, then a setup of common Objective cards, followed by the New York map for 2-3 players on Long Island and the London map for 4-5 players which is more of a square.