18XX Addiction

Entertainment > Leisure;
Games > Board

Description

18XX is the generic term for a series of board games that, with a few exceptions, recreate the building of railroad corporations during the 19th century; individual games within the series use particular years in the 19th century as their title (usually the date of the start of railway development in the area of the world they cover), or "18" plus a two-letter geographical designator (such as 18EU for a game set in the European Union). The games 2038, set in the future, and Ur, 1830 BC, set in ancient history, are also regarded as 18XX titles as their game mechanics and titling nomenclature are similar despite variance from the common railroad/stock-market theme.

The 18XX series has its origins in the game 1829, first produced by Francis Tresham in the mid 1970s. 1829 was chosen as it was the year of the Rainhill Trials.

With the exception of 2038, 18XX titles are multiplayer board games without random variables.