Spiel des Jahres Award Nominees Announced

The nominees for the Spiel des Jahres Award and two other prestigious board game awards have been announced. This week, the jury for the Spiel des Jahres Awards announced the nominees for the German “game of the year” award, considered to be one of the most prestigious prizes in tabletop gaming. As in previous years, there are three award categories – the Spiel des Jahres Award, the Kennerspiel des Jahres Award (for games of higher complexity) and the Kinderspiel des Jahres Award (for games made specifically for children.) Also included with the nominees were several “recommended games” that were also honored as being top games of the year.  

The Spiel des Jahres Awards are considered one of the top honors in tabletop gaming and the award has been credited for boosting the profile of several games, turning them into prolific hits. Past winners include Carcassonne, CATAN, Azul, and Dominion.

The nominees are as follows: 

Spiel des Jahres Award Nominees

In the Footsteps of Darwin by Grégory Grard and Matthieu Verdier

Publisher: Sorry We Are French

Illustration: Maud Briand and David Sitbon

Captain Flip by Paolo Mori and Remo Conzadori

Publisher: PlayPunk

Illustration: Jonathan Aucomte

Sky Team by Luc Rémond

Publisher: Kosmos / Scorpion Masqué

Illustration: Eric Hibbeler and Adrien Rives

Recommendations

Ghost Writer (Phantom Ink) by Mary Flanagan and Max Seidman (Pegasus Spiele / Resonym)
Harmonies by Johan Benvenuto (Libellud)
Passt nicht! by Thomas Weber (Schmidt)
Schätz it if you can by Ralf zur Linde (Moses)
Trekking – Reise durch die Zeit (Trekking Through History) by Charlie Bink (Game Factory / Underdog Games)
Trio by Kaya Miyano (Cocktail Games)

Kinderspiel des Jahres Nominees

Big little gems by Wolfgang Warsch

Publisher: Schmidt

Illustration: Mariana Zuaneti

The Magic Keys by Markus Slawitschek and Arno Steinwender

Publisher: Game Factory / Happy Baobab

Illustration: Camillia Peyroux

Taco Kitten Pizza Junior (Taco Kitten Pizza) by Dave Campbell and Thierry Denoual

Publisher: Blue Orange

Recommendations

Fluffy Valley by Maxime Rambourg and Théo Rivière (Loki)
Delicious Lava by Sophia Wagner (Three Magicians)
The Needle in the Haystack by Thomas Sellner (Schmidt)

Kennerspiel des Jahres Nominees

e-Mission (Daybreak) by Matt Leacock and Matteo Menapace

Publisher: Schmidt / CMYK

Illustration: Mads Berg

The Guild of Traveling Merchants by Matthew Dunstan and Brett J. Gilbert

Publisher: Skellig Games / AEG

Illustration: Gerralt Landman

Ticket to Ride Legacy–Legends of the West by Rob Daviau, Matt Leacock and Alan R. Moon

Days of Wonder

Illustration: Cyrille Daujean and Julien Delval

Recommendations Kennerspiel

Botanicus by Vieri Masseini and Samuele Tabellini (Hans im Glück)
Mischwald (Forest Shuffle) by Kosch (Lookout Games)
Ritual by Tomás Tarragón (Strohmann Games / T-Tower Games)
Bier Pioniere by Thomas Spitzer (Spielefaible)