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Game Info
Year
2006
Players
2-5
Age
14+
Playtime
60 min
Collection
Your Tier
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Description
Aim of the game from the rulebook:
The goal of the game is to build the most successful Underground lines and in doing so gain the most points. You can gain points by connecting your lines to various destinations on the board, and by having the passenger use your lines to travel from station to station.
The player who has best balanced the demands by the time that the deck of destinations is exhausted will be declared the winner.
Gameplay overview:
In On the Underground, the players represent companies building underground lines in London. Each player controls 2-4 different lines (based on the number of players).
On each turn, a player can build four pieces of track on the map in any of their color. All track pieces must extend the color. Alternatively, a player may decide to use two branch tokens (acquired by extending lines to the terminus stations or skipping building turns) to branch out of the line.
During the track building part, the active player can score in four different ways:
Connect their line to a station with a National Rail symbol (1p)
Connect their line to a terminus station (2p + a branch token)
Connect two connection tokens of the same type (3p)
Building a circular line (1p for each station "inside" the line)
After each turn, the passenger moves to one or two of the four face up destination cards; first to one express destination and then to a regular destination. If there are no cards face up in either type, the passenger only moves once. The passenger always uses the shortest route from their current position, avoiding walking and line changes. The passenger scores one point for each line they used to get to their destination.
When there is not enough destination cards to turn face up from the deck, the passenger marker is removed from the game. Players get equal turns, but after the passenger marker is removed, no more points are awarded from passenger movement and players can only build track. The player with the highest amount of points wins.
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All mentions
Browse transcript mentions, sentiments, pros/cons, mechanics, topics, quotes, and references.
Total mentions: 10
This page: 10
Sentiment:
pos 10 ·
mix 0 ·
neu 0 ·
neg 0
Showing 1–10 of 10
Video pZzMa4MkdFE
Actualol Top List at 4:58 sentiment: positive
video_pk 91341 · mention_pk 245018
Click to watch at 4:58 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Easy to get into
- A 'brain burner'
- Direct competition between players
- Love the London theme
Cons
- Couldn't get a copy in time for the video
Thematic elements
- Building the London Underground
- London
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Objective Fulfillment — The goal is to win the favor of passengers by having them travel on your lines.
- Route Building — Players build track to allow AI-controlled passengers to travel to their destinations.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- This week is essence filled 2019 the biggest board game convention in Europe and I've told through the thousand plus games that are being released they're found the interesting ones looked at rule books dismissed the rubbish ones and created a list of ten games that I'm really excited about
- I won't be going to Essen this year because the channel isn't making enough money for me to afford it but I will be covering games release there so make sure to subscribe to the channel to see those videos
- if you find this video useful please support the channel on patreon
- hurly-burly is Rhino hero with catapults and if that doesn't get you excited you have no soul
- those are my top 10 anticipated games at Essen this year
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 0UPokmEm5VI
Meeple University Analysis at 17:54 sentiment: positive
video_pk 91009 · mention_pk 243858
Click to watch at 17:54 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Provides enough time to set up strategy without being able to solve every puzzle.
- Actions are not invalidated by the time they come around again.
Cons
none
Thematic elements
- Route Building/Network Building
- London Underground
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Action Point Allowance — Players typically have four action points to use for placing trains and performing other actions.
- Route Building — Actions include placing trains to build routes.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- For me it's quite important let's say you find out about the game or somebody suggests it to you a game you know that you know just like in this game have you heard this my automatic response would be to go to war game get calm page and then look at it and in my eyes guys from the title do the I remember it's on the on the desktop anyway I think on on the mobile phone or mobile the fastest different the title and obviously the picture make sure it's the right game and then my eyes go to the right down for mechanics first thing every time before going through the description
- Mechanics for me it's the quickest one of the quickest way to find out what's the game's about
- The mechanics are less important than the the tightness of the game
- A giant tableau eventually breaks my brain
- I think the perfect engine builder is is the one where you're basically winning or losing not on the quality of your engine but when
- Mechanics for me it's the quickest one of the quickest way to find out what's the game's about.
- I think overall for me the mechanics are less important than the the tightness of the game.
- You want the actions that other players are taking to have a significant impact on your options or the profitability in your options.
- Simultaneous action and turn order drafting.
- Colome is another one I can see up there on the shelf with simultaneous oh yes he's got that same happy pigs thing yeah where you don't want to pick the most popular action and you've got a look at what around what people can do because again you can you can get yourself stuck in a situation where there's only one obvious thing for you to do and if that happens it's that's it I don't want to lose that for nobody so you gotta feed that into your strategy.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video z6rSzxd5JEI
Game Night Picks - Pair Of Dice Paradise Top 10 List at 17:39 sentiment: positive
video_pk 83334 · mention_pk 209685
Click to watch at 17:39 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- clever urban planning theme
- strong playability and replayability
Cons
- may be niche to those who enjoy transit/urban themes
Thematic elements
- infrastructure planning and route optimization
- urban transit network (London Underground)
- geography and transport-centric gameplay
Comparison games
- Pillars of the Earth
- Command & Colors: Ancients
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- network-building — players build a network of underground lines across a map
- Network/Route Building — players build a network of underground lines across a map
- Tile Placement — placing route segments to connect destinations efficiently
- tile/route placement — placing route segments to connect destinations efficiently
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- This is definitive. It is not just our opinions, okay? This is now this is it.
- We will debate in a healthy manner to whittle down and come to our shared agreement of our top 10.
- Pillars of the Earth is out of print and yet I know all about it.
- Through the Ages: A Story of Civilization. Boom. Mutual pick. Instant classic.
- Niroshima Hex has had three different iterations of it.
- On the Underground was made and then reprinted again as On the Underground.
- Battle Lore is fully on my list. This absolutely, I think, should be a classic from 2006.
- This has to be on the list.
- Mass market darling Bananagrams.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video XNp6_Syfjwc
The Dice Tower Top List at 28:30 sentiment: positive
video_pk 81632 · mention_pk 203652
Click to watch at 28:30 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
Positive
Pros
- Fun and simple, but strategic
- Visually appealing result (subway map)
- Excellent cover art
- Best at 2-3 players
Cons
- Not recommended for more than three players
Thematic elements
- Building subway tracks.
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Area Movement — A passenger moves around the board.
- network building — Connecting different points on the map with subway lines.
- Route Building — Players build subway lines.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Um I like this one a lot. It's a very It's It's It's a relaxing game. You You got a few minutes, you don't know what to do while you're waiting for such and such thing to come around, shuffle up the deck and start playing.
- I will say I absolutely hate the cover. That is one of my least favorite covers from last year, period.
- This game manages to feel cozy to me because of the theme, but very not cozy in the gameplay. It's very thinky.
- And no matter who I play it with, we always find ourselves getting into the theme and talking about the family like, 'Oh, my mom's going to go play play um Whist over here with my, you know, sister.' Or whatever.
- I think if either side holds back, especially the heroes because you're you're you've been kind of conditioned to do that um by playing other games. If you hold back, you get steamrolled and I think this game got a lot of pushback for that.
- I just the Mancala thing, I wish more games did it. And this one does it in such a very satisfying way.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video g8RWJJol16w
The Dice Tower Top List at 52:17 sentiment: positive
video_pk 81444 · mention_pk 202301
Click to watch at 52:17 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
Positive
Pros
- Works well with two or three players.
- More competition and interaction with three players.
- The lazy subway passenger mechanic is engaging.
Cons
- Game gets muddled with four or five players.
Thematic elements
- Building subway lines
- Subway system
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Action Point Allowance System — you get points every time he travels on your thing.
- player count scaling — the more players, the fewer subway lines that you have. So, I think in three, you have three each. Uh when you go to four, you have two each.
- Route Building — you have a certain number of subway lines that you're putting out on the board.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- with three, there's that more player interaction, and there's more stuff happening from turn to turn.
- But this one is just tailor-made for three people, I think.
- So, I I like the combat in this game quite a bit.
- I really dislike this at four. I think it's too long.
- I In fact, I will not teach this to four players even. That's I'm so snobby about that.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video zRqi-5kGrTA
Rules Teach at 0:05 sentiment: positive
video_pk 79770 · mention_pk 193329
Click to watch at 0:05 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
none
Cons
none
Thematic elements
- Railway development and expansion
- London or Berlin underground maps
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Action Point Allowance System — Players take four actions per turn, which can be placing track or taking a branch tile, with variations in the first round.
- Pattern Building (Loops) — Players can score points by creating complete loops with their railway lines.
- Route Building — Players build and expand their railway lines across the game board.
- Set Collection (Berlin variant) — In the Berlin variant, players collect landmark tokens and score points for completing sets of landmarks.
- Variable Player Powers (First Round Actions) — In the first round, players have a varying number of actions depending on player order and the number of players.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
No quotes stored for this video.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 6GiScjIPwdc
Review at 0:00 sentiment: positive
video_pk 67003 · mention_pk 162915
Click to watch at 0:00 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Competitive venture
- Ingenious moles
- Clever use of tiles to distract opponents
Cons
- No open-ended tunnels allowed for mining
Thematic elements
- Moles mining for crystals
- The underground world, caverns
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Action Point Allowance — You'll then be able to move your mole one to three spaces along the track.
- Area Control — Because all of the players are building a shared map, this is a very competitive venture.
- Set Collection — They're looking for crystals of different variations of color and clarity.
- Tile-laying — This is a mining tile-laying game where you'll be taking the role of a mole. As you expand the caverns, uncover crystals, and gather points along the way. On your turn, you'll place a tile.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- The underground world is uncharted territory, but not for these ingenious moles.
- This is a mining tile-laying game where you'll be taking the role of a mole.
- Because all of the players are building a shared map, this is a very competitive venture. One might say it's a race.
- The twist of this game is that crystals can only be mined if they're in a contained loop. So, no open-ended tunnels here.
- Players can also play tiles that have food on them, which forces nearby players to move to those spaces to, I guess, distract them from their main goal.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video GrajuEsakUw
The Broken Meeple Top List at 8:16 sentiment: positive
video_pk 11539 · mention_pk 33930
Click to watch at 8:16 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- clean streamlined reimplementation
- one of the best solo modes in gaming
- clever passenger steering mechanic
- tight scoring throughout game
- beautiful table presence with white board and colored routes
- very different from other games
- different maps available (London, Berlin, Paris, New York)
Cons
- four players becomes long and chaotic
- five players doesn't work well
- expansion took too long to release
Thematic elements
- subway networks
- London Underground
- passenger transportation
- urban planning
Comparison games
- Ticket to Ride
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- all these factors that go into this list and the games that I enjoy at any particular time
- I like deck builders, it's a good fun mechanic
- watch their brains click and then you're like yes got you hook line and singer
- it's only a game
- these people should not touch card games - hate those people
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video qDW92bXKY-w
Actualol Discussion at 0:18 sentiment: positive
video_pk 6935 · mention_pk 20538
Click to watch at 0:18 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- engaging route-building
- Berlin map on the reverse side adds replayability
- tactical planning with variable passenger cards
Cons
- prototype status; final production may adjust rules/components
- iconography and map readability could be tricky for new players
Thematic elements
- underground transportation planning and passenger routing
- London map reflecting the Tube network
- puzzle-driven route-building with dynamic passenger movement
Comparison games
- Ticket to Ride
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Network/Route Building — place train lines on a map to connect locations
- passenger routing/pointing — points are earned when a passenger uses your line
- route-building — place train lines on a map to connect locations
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- it's a pro Chabal strategy game that feels very different to anything I've played
- the Berlin map on the other side is a great bonus
- it's a cooperative word building game where you can't see your own letters
- it's a murder deduction game
- it's very simple in terms of rules but it has twists
- I can't wait to play this one again properly when it comes out
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video gNutufJOv4Q
Board Game Coffee Discussion at 0:00 sentiment: positive
video_pk 4630 · mention_pk 13572
Click to watch at 0:00 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- well-designed by known designer
- fun gameplay
- interesting mechanics
Cons
- slightly more complex than some alternatives
Thematic elements
- transportation
- underground_transit
- urban_planning
Comparison games
- Ticket to Ride
- Ticket to Ride with passengers
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- it's the Grand Puba of like Gateway Games it's how you get your people from your Monopoly people in to playing everything else that we play
- it's so good that we're giving it the board game coffee seal of approval
- Catan hasn't played a big part in my board game history - Marvel Legendary and Pandemic got me into the hobby
- I think you're gonna like this [about Taverns of Tiefenthal] and then she played and played like three times back to back
- it's weird how I can like a game so much and forget so much about how it plays
- they're so freaking clever they're so cool [about Exit Games]
- I don't think I've a game has ever made me feel as stupid as these games
- dice Throne is a fun battle Yahtzee
- if people like Ticket to Ride and they're looking for something a little bit more complicated... I think this is like the upgrade
- everybody always talked about gunshot clever I had no interest and then... I played this and I was like gunshot clever is so good
- you have to trust the people you're with because it's blind [Quacks of Quedlinburg]
- we're all just happy Canadian people just hugging each other saying sorry apologizing all the time and drinking coffee and donuts
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Transcript Navigation
Showing 1–10 of 10