Metro (1997)

Metro is a strategic tile-laying game in which players take turns placing square track tiles to build an expanding underground railway network. Each tile contains pre-connected rail segments, and players must carefully position them to extend the routes that begin at their assigned stations.

What sets Metro apart is its scoring objective. Rather than aiming for short or direct connections, players are encouraged to create the longest possible rail lines. Whenever a route is completed by connecting a starting station to any destination station on the board, it immediately scores points equal to the number of tiles the line travels through. If a route loops and crosses the same tile multiple times, each pass is counted. Routes that terminate at central city stations are especially valuable, as they score double points.

From a design perspective, Metro ensures that every route will ultimately lead from a starting station to an unoccupied destination station, never directly into another starting station. The tiles are designed so that any tile can be placed on any open space, as long as alignment and connection rules are followed. This guarantees smooth gameplay and prevents dead ends, ensuring that all routes will score by the end of the game—even if they do not reach the length a player hoped for.