Spiel des Jahres
Encyclopedia
The Spiel des Jahres is an award for board
and card game
s, created in 1978 with the stated purpose of rewarding excellence in game design, and promoting top-quality games in the German market. It is thought that the existence and popularity of the award is one of the major drivers of the quality of games coming out of Germany
. A Spiel des Jahres nomination can increase the typical sales of a game from 500-3000 copies to around 10,000; and the winner can usually expect to sell 300,000 to 500,000 copies.
critics (from Germany, Austria, Switzerland), who review games released in Germany
in the preceding twelve months. The games considered for the award are family-style games; war games
, role-playing games, collectible card games, and other complicated, highly-competitive, or hobbyist games are outside the scope of the award. Since 1989, there has been a separate award for children's games.
On occasion, the jury has awarded a special prize for more complex games, such as Agricola
in 2008 or World Without End in 2010. Prior to 2011, this award was an exceptional award, not necessarily awarded annually. In 2011, however, this practice was formalized when the jury created a new category for more complex games entitled "Kennerspiel des Jahres". Along with the nominations, the jury also gives a list of recommended games, and occasionally gives out special prizes for games which will not be considered for the main award.
The criteria on which a game is evaluated are,:
Qwirkle
was announced as the winner on June 27, 2011.
This year, an additional category "Kennerspiel des Jahres" (roughly "Connoisseur
-Enthusiast Game of the Year") was also introduced for more complex games. The three nominated games for this category were
7 Wonders
was announced as the winner on June 27, 2011.
Dixit was announced as the winner on June 28, 2010.
Dominion was announced as winner on 29 June 2009.
Along with the nominations, the jury also awarded two special prizes:
Keltis was announced as winner on 30 June 2008.
Along with the nominations, the jury also awarded a special prize:
Zooloretto was announced as winner on 25 June 2007.
Thurn and Taxis was announced as winner on 17 July 2006.
Along with the nominations, the jury also assigned two special prizes for games which it felt were too demanding to count as 'family style' games.
Niagara was announced to be the winner on 27 June 2005.
Board game
A board game is a game which involves counters or pieces being moved on a pre-marked surface or "board", according to a set of rules. Games may be based on pure strategy, chance or a mixture of the two, and usually have a goal which a player aims to achieve...
and card game
Card game
A card game is any game using playing cards as the primary device with which the game is played, be they traditional or game-specific. Countless card games exist, including families of related games...
s, created in 1978 with the stated purpose of rewarding excellence in game design, and promoting top-quality games in the German market. It is thought that the existence and popularity of the award is one of the major drivers of the quality of games coming out of Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. A Spiel des Jahres nomination can increase the typical sales of a game from 500-3000 copies to around 10,000; and the winner can usually expect to sell 300,000 to 500,000 copies.
Award criteria
The award is given by a jury of German-speaking board gameBoard game
A board game is a game which involves counters or pieces being moved on a pre-marked surface or "board", according to a set of rules. Games may be based on pure strategy, chance or a mixture of the two, and usually have a goal which a player aims to achieve...
critics (from Germany, Austria, Switzerland), who review games released in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
in the preceding twelve months. The games considered for the award are family-style games; war games
Wargaming
A wargame is a strategy game that deals with military operations of various types, real or fictional. Wargaming is the hobby dedicated to the play of such games, which can also be called conflict simulations, or consims for short. When used professionally to study warfare, it is generally known as...
, role-playing games, collectible card games, and other complicated, highly-competitive, or hobbyist games are outside the scope of the award. Since 1989, there has been a separate award for children's games.
On occasion, the jury has awarded a special prize for more complex games, such as Agricola
Agricola (board game)
Agricola is a German-style board game created by Uwe Rosenberg, and published by Lookout Games in Europe and Z-Man Games in the US. The goal of the game is to build the most well-balanced farm at the end of 14 rounds, consisting of plowed fields for crops and fenced pastures for livestock. The...
in 2008 or World Without End in 2010. Prior to 2011, this award was an exceptional award, not necessarily awarded annually. In 2011, however, this practice was formalized when the jury created a new category for more complex games entitled "Kennerspiel des Jahres". Along with the nominations, the jury also gives a list of recommended games, and occasionally gives out special prizes for games which will not be considered for the main award.
The criteria on which a game is evaluated are,:
- game concept (originality, playability, game value)
- rule structure (composition, clearness, comprehensibility)
- layout (box, board, rules),
- design (functionality, workmanship)
2011 awards
The nominations for the 2011 award were released on 23 May 2011. The three games nominated were- QwirkleQwirkleQwirkle is a tile-based game for 2-4 players. It was designed by Susan McKinley Ross and published by MindWare. Qwirkle shares some characteristics with the games Rummikub and Scrabble. It is distributed in Canada by game and puzzle company, Outset Media. Qwirkle is considered by MindWare to be...
- Susan McKinley Ross, Schmidt SpieleSchmidt SpieleSchmidt Spiele is a German games publisher for a wide variety of games, most notably board games .Founder Josef Friedrich Schmidt developed Mensch ärgere dich nicht in 1907/1908, based on antique forerunners. Five years later his new publishing firm began the game's serial production... - AsaraAsaraAsara is a city in and the capital of Asara District, in Karaj County, Alborz Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 1,030, in 282 families; Asara village alone had a population of 430, in 125 families....
- Wolfgang KramerWolfgang KramerWolfgang Kramer is a German board game designer.Kramer formerly worked as an operations manager and computer scientist, but since 1989 he has worked full-time on game design. He has designed over 100 games, many which have been nominated for or have won the Spiel des Jahres...
and Michael KieslingMichael KieslingMichael Kiesling is a German board game designer. Many of his games have been nominated for or have won the Spiel des Jahres, a German games award.He is best known for co-authoring the board game trilogy Tikal, Java and Mexica with Wolfgang Kramer....
- RavensburgerRavensburgerRavensburger Spieleverlag GmbH is a German game company. It is a leader in the European puzzle market.-History:The company was founded by Otto Robert Maier with seat in Ravensburg, a town in Upper Swabia in southern Germany. He began publishing in 1883 with his first author contract... - Forbidden Island - Matt Leacock - Schmidt SpieleSchmidt SpieleSchmidt Spiele is a German games publisher for a wide variety of games, most notably board games .Founder Josef Friedrich Schmidt developed Mensch ärgere dich nicht in 1907/1908, based on antique forerunners. Five years later his new publishing firm began the game's serial production...
Qwirkle
Qwirkle
Qwirkle is a tile-based game for 2-4 players. It was designed by Susan McKinley Ross and published by MindWare. Qwirkle shares some characteristics with the games Rummikub and Scrabble. It is distributed in Canada by game and puzzle company, Outset Media. Qwirkle is considered by MindWare to be...
was announced as the winner on June 27, 2011.
This year, an additional category "Kennerspiel des Jahres" (roughly "Connoisseur
Connoisseur
A connoisseur is a person who has a great deal of knowledge about the fine arts, cuisines, or an expert judge in matters of taste.Modern connoisseurship must be seen along with museums, art galleries and "the cult of originality"...
-Enthusiast Game of the Year") was also introduced for more complex games. The three nominated games for this category were
- 7 Wonders7 Wonders (board game)7 Wonders is a board game created by Antoine Bauza in 2010 and published by Repos Production in English and by Κάισσα in Greek, that won the prestigious Kennerspiel des Jahres in 2011. It is the first game to receive this prize...
- Antoine Bauza - Repos Production - Strasbourg - Stefan Feld - Pegasus Spiele
- Lancaster - Matthias Cramer - Queen GamesQueen GamesQueen Games is a German publisher of tabletop games, based in Troisdorf and founded in 1992 by head Rajive Gupta, which specialises primarily in German-style, family-level games but has also published smaller numbers of both simpler, children's games and more complex, gamers' games.They have shown...
7 Wonders
7 Wonders (board game)
7 Wonders is a board game created by Antoine Bauza in 2010 and published by Repos Production in English and by Κάισσα in Greek, that won the prestigious Kennerspiel des Jahres in 2011. It is the first game to receive this prize...
was announced as the winner on June 27, 2011.
2010 awards
The nominations for the 2010 award were released on 31 May 2010. The five games nominated were:- DixitDixit (card game)Dixit is a card game created by Jean-Louis Roubira, and published by Libellud. In 2010, it won the prestigious Spiel des Jahres award.-Gameplay:...
- Jean-Louis Roubira, Libellud - Identik - William P. Jacobson and Amanda A. Kohout - Asmodee
- A la Carte - Karl-Heinz Schmiel - Moskito/Heidelberger
- Roll Through the Ages: The Bronze Age - Matt Leacock - Pegasus Spiele
- FrescoFresco (board game)Fresco is a 2010 designer board game by Marco Ruskowski and Marcel Süßelbeck. It was nominated for the 2010 Spiel des Jahres award and won the 2010 Deutscher Spiele Preis....
- Marco Ruskowski and Marcel Süßelbeck - Queen GamesQueen GamesQueen Games is a German publisher of tabletop games, based in Troisdorf and founded in 1992 by head Rajive Gupta, which specialises primarily in German-style, family-level games but has also published smaller numbers of both simpler, children's games and more complex, gamers' games.They have shown...
Dixit was announced as the winner on June 28, 2010.
2009 awards
The nominations for the 2009 award were released on 24 May 2009. The five games nominated were:- FITSFITS (board game)FITS is a board game designed by Reiner Knizia that was nominated for the Spiel des Jahres for best game of the year in 2009....
- Reiner KniziaReiner KniziaReiner Knizia is a prolific German-style board game designer. Born in Germany, he developed his first game at the age of eight. He has a PhD in mathematics, and has been a full-time game designer since 1997, when he quit his job from the board of a large international bank...
, RavensburgerRavensburgerRavensburger Spieleverlag GmbH is a German game company. It is a leader in the European puzzle market.-History:The company was founded by Otto Robert Maier with seat in Ravensburg, a town in Upper Swabia in southern Germany. He began publishing in 1883 with his first author contract... - DominionDominion (game)Dominion is a designer card game created by Donald X. Vaccarino, and published by Rio Grande Games. The game was released at Spiel 2008 in multiple languages, and voted best game of the fair by the Fairplay polls with a rating of 1.75 from 147 votes. Within two months of its release, Dominion was...
- Donald X. Vaccarino, Hans im GlückHans im GlückHans im Glück Verlags-GmbH is a German board and card game publisher. Though many of their own games are language-independent they themselves publish only printings for the domestic market which include only German-language rules; English-language printings of their games have been published... - Finca - Ralf zur Linde, Wolfgang Sentker, Hans im GlückHans im GlückHans im Glück Verlags-GmbH is a German board and card game publisher. Though many of their own games are language-independent they themselves publish only printings for the domestic market which include only German-language rules; English-language printings of their games have been published...
- Fauna - Friedemann FrieseFriedemann FrieseFriedemann Friese is a German board game designer, currently residing and working in Bremen. His trademarks are his green-colored hair and games whose titles begin with the letter "F". The majority of his games, self-published by his company 2F-Spiele, also sport a green color scheme...
, HUCH & Friends - PandemicPandemic (board game)Pandemic is a cooperative board game designed by Matt Leacock and published by Z-Man Games in 2008.Pandemic is based on the premise that four diseases have broken out in the world, each threatening to wipe out a region. The game accommodates 2 to 4 players, each playing one of five possible...
- Matt Leacock, Pegasus Spiele
Dominion was announced as winner on 29 June 2009.
Along with the nominations, the jury also awarded two special prizes:
- Party game: GiftTRAPGiftTRAPGift Trap is an indie party board game, invented by Nick Kellet . Gift Trap is billed as "The hilarious gift-exchange party game". Gift Trap relies on the players' personal knowledge of each other.Madhouse Creative created the packaging and brand identity for the game...
- Nick Kellet, GiftTRAP Enterprises - New Game Worlds: Space Alert - Vlaada Chvatil, Czech Games Edition
2008 awards
The nominations for the 2008 award were released on 25 May 2008. The five games nominated were:- Stone AgeStone Age (board game)Stone Age is a 2008 designer board game by Michael Tummelhofer. It was nominated for the 2008 Spiel des Jahres award and came 2nd in the 2008 Deutscher Spiele Preis....
- Michael Tummelhofer, Hans im GlückHans im GlückHans im Glück Verlags-GmbH is a German board and card game publisher. Though many of their own games are language-independent they themselves publish only printings for the domestic market which include only German-language rules; English-language printings of their games have been published... - KeltisKeltisKeltis is a board game designed by Reiner Knizia that won the Spiel des Jahres for best game of the year in 2008. In the US, it has been marketed as Lost Cities: The Board Game, though there are some subtle rules differences....
- Reiner KniziaReiner KniziaReiner Knizia is a prolific German-style board game designer. Born in Germany, he developed his first game at the age of eight. He has a PhD in mathematics, and has been a full-time game designer since 1997, when he quit his job from the board of a large international bank...
, KosmosKosmos (game publisher)Franckh-Kosmos Verlags-GmbH & Co. is a media publishing house based in Stuttgart, Germany, founded in 1822 by Johann Friedrich Franckh. In the nineteenth century the company published the fairy tales of Wilhelm Hauff as well as works by Wilhelm Waiblinger and Eduard Mörike.The "Friends of Nature... - Witch's Brew - Andreas Pelikan, alea/RavensburgerRavensburgerRavensburger Spieleverlag GmbH is a German game company. It is a leader in the European puzzle market.-History:The company was founded by Otto Robert Maier with seat in Ravensburg, a town in Upper Swabia in southern Germany. He began publishing in 1883 with his first author contract...
- Blox - Wolfgang KramerWolfgang KramerWolfgang Kramer is a German board game designer.Kramer formerly worked as an operations manager and computer scientist, but since 1989 he has worked full-time on game design. He has designed over 100 games, many which have been nominated for or have won the Spiel des Jahres...
, Jürgen P.K. Grunau, Hans Raggan, Ravensburger - Suleika - Dominique Ehrhard, Zoch Spiele
Keltis was announced as winner on 30 June 2008.
Along with the nominations, the jury also awarded a special prize:
- Complex game: AgricolaAgricola (board game)Agricola is a German-style board game created by Uwe Rosenberg, and published by Lookout Games in Europe and Z-Man Games in the US. The goal of the game is to build the most well-balanced farm at the end of 14 rounds, consisting of plowed fields for crops and fenced pastures for livestock. The...
- Uwe RosenbergUwe RosenbergUwe Rosenberg is a German game designer. He has become known mainly for his card game Bohnanza, which is successful both in Germany and internationally...
, Lookout GamesLookout GamesLookout Games is a German board and card game publisher. The company published, among other games, the board game Agricola, which was honored with the Complex Game award by the German Game of the Year jury in 2008.-History:...
2007 awards
The nominations for the 2007 award were released on 20 May 2007. The five games nominated were:- The Thief of Baghdad - Thorsten Gimmler, Queen GamesQueen GamesQueen Games is a German publisher of tabletop games, based in Troisdorf and founded in 1992 by head Rajive Gupta, which specialises primarily in German-style, family-level games but has also published smaller numbers of both simpler, children's games and more complex, gamers' games.They have shown...
- ZoolorettoZoolorettoZooloretto is a board game designed by Michael Schacht, published in 2007 by Abacus Spiele and in English by Rio Grande Games. The premise of the game is that each player is the owner of a zoo, and must collect animals in order to attract visitors to their zoo . Having full, or nearly full,...
- Michael SchachtMichael SchachtMichael Schacht is a German game designer, graphician and owner of the small publishing company Spiele aus Timbuktu.- Life and work :...
, Abacus Spiele - Jenseits von Theben - Peter Prinz, Queen Games
- Arkadia - Rüdiger DornRüdiger DornRüdiger Dorn is a German-style board game designer. He was nominated for the 2005 Spiel des Jahres award for his game Jambo, which also placed 8th for the Deutscher Spiele Preis award...
, RavensburgerRavensburgerRavensburger Spieleverlag GmbH is a German game company. It is a leader in the European puzzle market.-History:The company was founded by Otto Robert Maier with seat in Ravensburg, a town in Upper Swabia in southern Germany. He began publishing in 1883 with his first author contract... - YspahanYspahanYspahan is a 2006 designer board game by Sébastien Pauchon. It won the Meeples' Choice Award in 2006, came fourth in the 2007 Deutscher Spiele Preis, and was nominated for the 2007 Spiel des Jahres .-External links:...
- Sébastien Pauchon,
Zooloretto was announced as winner on 25 June 2007.
2006 awards
The nominations for the 2006 award were released on 28 May, 2006. The five games nominated were:- Seeräuber - Stefan Dorra, Queen Games
- Aqua Romana - Martin Schlegel, Queen Games
- Just 4 Fun - Jürgen P.K. Grunau, KosmosKosmos (game publisher)Franckh-Kosmos Verlags-GmbH & Co. is a media publishing house based in Stuttgart, Germany, founded in 1822 by Johann Friedrich Franckh. In the nineteenth century the company published the fairy tales of Wilhelm Hauff as well as works by Wilhelm Waiblinger and Eduard Mörike.The "Friends of Nature...
- Thurn and TaxisThurn and Taxis (board game)Thurn and Taxis is a board game designed by Karen and Andreas Seyfarth and published in 2006 by Hans im Glück in German and by Rio Grande Games in English. In the game, players seek to build postal networks and post offices in Bavaria and surrounding areas, as did the house of Thurn und Taxis in...
- Karen & Andreas SeyfarthAndreas SeyfarthAndreas Seyfarth is a German-style board game designer, who is most famous for creating Puerto Rico, which is rated #2 on BoardGameGeek. In 2002, the game was awarded first place for the prestigious Deutscher Spiele Preis...
, Hans im GlückHans im GlückHans im Glück Verlags-GmbH is a German board and card game publisher. Though many of their own games are language-independent they themselves publish only printings for the domestic market which include only German-language rules; English-language printings of their games have been published... - Blue Moon CityBlue Moon CityBlue Moon City is a 2006 designer board game by Reiner Knizia. The game has similar artwork to, and some thematic connections with, the Blue Moon card game, also designed by Knizia.-Awards and rankings:* Winner, Meeples' Choice Award 2006...
- Reiner KniziaReiner KniziaReiner Knizia is a prolific German-style board game designer. Born in Germany, he developed his first game at the age of eight. He has a PhD in mathematics, and has been a full-time game designer since 1997, when he quit his job from the board of a large international bank...
, Kosmos
Thurn and Taxis was announced as winner on 17 July 2006.
Along with the nominations, the jury also assigned two special prizes for games which it felt were too demanding to count as 'family style' games.
- Fantasy game: Shadows over CamelotShadows Over CamelotShadows Over Camelot is an Arthurian-themed board game designed by Serge Laget and Bruno Cathala. The game was also published in French as Les Chevaliers de la Table Ronde and in German as Schatten über Camelot. Players take on the roles of Knights of the Round Table and play the game by...
- Serge Laget and Bruno Cathala, Days of WonderDays of WonderDays of Wonder is a board game publisher based in the United States and France. Founded in 2002, Days of Wonder distributes its games to 25 countries. It specialises in German-style board games and have branched out to include some online games. Days of Wonder has published games in English,... - Complex game: Caylus - William Attia,
2005 awards
The nominations for the 2005 award were released on 8 May, 2005. The five games nominated were:- NiagaraNiagara (board game)Niagara is a German-style board game designed by Thomas Liesching and published in 2004 by Zoch zum Spielen and Rio Grande Games.- Gameplay :...
- Thomas Liesching, Zoch Verlag - Verflixxt - Wolfgang KramerWolfgang KramerWolfgang Kramer is a German board game designer.Kramer formerly worked as an operations manager and computer scientist, but since 1989 he has worked full-time on game design. He has designed over 100 games, many which have been nominated for or have won the Spiel des Jahres...
and Michael KieslingMichael KieslingMichael Kiesling is a German board game designer. Many of his games have been nominated for or have won the Spiel des Jahres, a German games award.He is best known for co-authoring the board game trilogy Tikal, Java and Mexica with Wolfgang Kramer....
, RavensburgerRavensburgerRavensburger Spieleverlag GmbH is a German game company. It is a leader in the European puzzle market.-History:The company was founded by Otto Robert Maier with seat in Ravensburg, a town in Upper Swabia in southern Germany. He began publishing in 1883 with his first author contract... - Around the World in 80 DaysAround the World in 80 Days (game)Around the World in 80 Days is a 2004 designer board game by Michael Rieneck. The theme is derived from the classic novel.Around the World in 80 Days was nominated for the 2005 Spiel des Jahres award and came 6th in the 2005 Deutscher Spiele Preis....
- Michael Rieneck, KosmosKosmos (game publisher)Franckh-Kosmos Verlags-GmbH & Co. is a media publishing house based in Stuttgart, Germany, founded in 1822 by Johann Friedrich Franckh. In the nineteenth century the company published the fairy tales of Wilhelm Hauff as well as works by Wilhelm Waiblinger and Eduard Mörike.The "Friends of Nature... - JamboJambo (board game)Jambo is a board game designed by Rüdiger Dorn and published in 2004 by Kosmos in German and by Rio Grande Games in English. In the game, players are African traders before colonisation buying and selling market wares. The game was nominated for the 2005 Spiel des Jahres award and also placed 8th...
- Rüdiger DornRüdiger DornRüdiger Dorn is a German-style board game designer. He was nominated for the 2005 Spiel des Jahres award for his game Jambo, which also placed 8th for the Deutscher Spiele Preis award...
, Kosmos - Himalaya - Régis Bonnessée, Tilsit EditionsTilsit EditionsTilsit Éditions is a French game publisher started in 1997 by Didier Jacobée. It makes board games, strategy games, games for kids, and other such games.Tilsit also distributed a number of French versions of Kosmos games, but the collaboration ended in 2006...
Niagara was announced to be the winner on 27 June 2005.
Game of the year
| Year | Winner | Designer | Publisher |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Qwirkle Qwirkle Qwirkle is a tile-based game for 2-4 players. It was designed by Susan McKinley Ross and published by MindWare. Qwirkle shares some characteristics with the games Rummikub and Scrabble. It is distributed in Canada by game and puzzle company, Outset Media. Qwirkle is considered by MindWare to be... |
Susan McKinley Ross | Schmidt Spiele |
| 2010 2010 in games This page lists board and card games, wargames, miniatures games, and table-top role-playing games published in 2010. For video and console games, see 2010 in video gaming.-Game awards given in 2010:... |
Dixit Dixit (card game) Dixit is a card game created by Jean-Louis Roubira, and published by Libellud. In 2010, it won the prestigious Spiel des Jahres award.-Gameplay:... |
Jean-Louis Roubira | Libellud |
| 2009 2009 in games This page lists board and card games, wargames, miniatures games, and table-top role-playing games published in 2009. For video and console games, see 2009 in video gaming.-Game awards given in 2009:... |
Dominion Dominion (game) Dominion is a designer card game created by Donald X. Vaccarino, and published by Rio Grande Games. The game was released at Spiel 2008 in multiple languages, and voted best game of the fair by the Fairplay polls with a rating of 1.75 from 147 votes. Within two months of its release, Dominion was... |
Donald X. Vaccarino | Rio Grande Games Rio Grande Games Rio Grande Games is a board game publisher based in Rio Rancho, New Mexico. The company primarily imports and localizes foreign language German-style board games.-History:... |
| 2008 2008 in games This page lists board and card games, wargames, miniatures games, and table-top role-playing games published in 2008. For video and console games, see 2008 in video gaming.-Game awards given in 2008:*Spiel des Jahres: Keltis... |
Keltis Keltis Keltis is a board game designed by Reiner Knizia that won the Spiel des Jahres for best game of the year in 2008. In the US, it has been marketed as Lost Cities: The Board Game, though there are some subtle rules differences.... |
Reiner Knizia Reiner Knizia Reiner Knizia is a prolific German-style board game designer. Born in Germany, he developed his first game at the age of eight. He has a PhD in mathematics, and has been a full-time game designer since 1997, when he quit his job from the board of a large international bank... |
Kosmos Kosmos (game publisher) Franckh-Kosmos Verlags-GmbH & Co. is a media publishing house based in Stuttgart, Germany, founded in 1822 by Johann Friedrich Franckh. In the nineteenth century the company published the fairy tales of Wilhelm Hauff as well as works by Wilhelm Waiblinger and Eduard Mörike.The "Friends of Nature... |
| 2007 2007 in games This page lists board and card games, wargames, miniatures games, and table-top role-playing games published in 2007. For video and console games, see 2007 in video gaming.... |
Zooloretto Zooloretto Zooloretto is a board game designed by Michael Schacht, published in 2007 by Abacus Spiele and in English by Rio Grande Games. The premise of the game is that each player is the owner of a zoo, and must collect animals in order to attract visitors to their zoo . Having full, or nearly full,... |
Michael Schacht Michael Schacht Michael Schacht is a German game designer, graphician and owner of the small publishing company Spiele aus Timbuktu.- Life and work :... |
Abacus Spiele |
| 2006 2006 in games This page lists board and card games, wargames, miniatures games, and table-top role-playing games published in 2006. For video and console games, see 2006 in video gaming.... |
Thurn and Taxis Thurn and Taxis (board game) Thurn and Taxis is a board game designed by Karen and Andreas Seyfarth and published in 2006 by Hans im Glück in German and by Rio Grande Games in English. In the game, players seek to build postal networks and post offices in Bavaria and surrounding areas, as did the house of Thurn und Taxis in... |
Andreas Seyfarth Andreas Seyfarth Andreas Seyfarth is a German-style board game designer, who is most famous for creating Puerto Rico, which is rated #2 on BoardGameGeek. In 2002, the game was awarded first place for the prestigious Deutscher Spiele Preis... and Karen Seyfarth |
Hans im Glück Hans im Glück Hans im Glück Verlags-GmbH is a German board and card game publisher. Though many of their own games are language-independent they themselves publish only printings for the domestic market which include only German-language rules; English-language printings of their games have been published... |
| 2005 2005 in games This page lists board and card games, wargames, miniatures games, and table-top role-playing games published in 2005. For video and console games, see 2005 in video gaming.-Game awards given in 2005:... |
Niagara | Thomas Liesching | Zoch Verlag |
| 2004 2004 in games This page lists board and card games, wargames, miniature games, and table-top role-playing games published in 2004. For video and console games, see 2004 in video gaming.-Game awards given in 2004:... |
Ticket to Ride Ticket to Ride (board game) Ticket to Ride is a railway-themed German-style board game designed by Alan R. Moon and published in 2004 by Days of Wonder. The game is also known as Zug um Zug , Les Aventuriers du Rail , Aventureros al Tren , Wsiąść do pociągu , and Menolippu .The game won the 2004 Spiel des Jahres, the Origins... |
Alan R. Moon Alan R. Moon Alan R. Moon is an author of board games, born in Southampton, England, and currently living in the United States. Despite his nationality, he is generally considered to be one of the foremost designers of German-style board games. Many of his games can be seen as board game variations on the... |
Days of Wonder Days of Wonder Days of Wonder is a board game publisher based in the United States and France. Founded in 2002, Days of Wonder distributes its games to 25 countries. It specialises in German-style board games and have branched out to include some online games. Days of Wonder has published games in English,... |
| 2003 2003 in games This page lists board and card games, wargames, miniatures games, and table-top role-playing games published in 2003. For video and console games, see 2003 in video gaming.-Game awards given in 2003:*International Gamers Award: Hammer of the Scots... |
Alhambra Alhambra (board game) Alhambra The Palace of the Alhambra") is a 2003 tile-based German-style board game designed by Dirk Henn. It was originally published in Germany by Queen Games in a language-interdependent version; an English-specific version was released in North America by the now-defunct Überplay... |
Dirk Henn Dirk Henn Dirk Henn is a German-style board game designer who was born in Bendorf, GermanyDirk Henn is best known for his game Alhambra, which won the Spiel des Jahres and placed 2nd in the Deutscher Spiele Preis in 2003.... |
Queen Games Queen Games Queen Games is a German publisher of tabletop games, based in Troisdorf and founded in 1992 by head Rajive Gupta, which specialises primarily in German-style, family-level games but has also published smaller numbers of both simpler, children's games and more complex, gamers' games.They have shown... |
| 2002 2002 in games This page lists board and card games, wargames, miniatures games, and table-top role-playing games published in 2002. For video and console games, see 2002 in video gaming.-Death:... |
Villa Paletti Villa Paletti Villa Paletti is a board game of physical skill designed by Bill Payne and published in 2001 by Zoch Verlag. Players compete to build the villa highest using columns from lower floors without collapsing the structure.... |
Bill Payne Bill Payne Bill Payne is a founding member of American rock band Little Feat. He is considered by many other piano rock musicians, including Elton John, to be one of the finest American piano rock and blues music artists... |
Zoch Verlag |
| 2001 2001 in games This page lists board and card games, wargames, miniatures games, and table-top role-playing games published in 2001. For video and console games, see 2001 in video gaming.... |
Carcassonne Carcassonne (board game) Carcassonne is a tile-based German-style board game for two to five players, designed by Klaus-Jürgen Wrede and published in 2000 by Hans im Glück in German and Rio Grande Games in English.... |
Klaus-Jürgen Wrede Klaus-Jürgen Wrede Klaus-Jürgen Wrede is a German board game creator, the creator of the best-selling Carcassonne and Downfall of Pompeii.... |
Hans im Glück Hans im Glück Hans im Glück Verlags-GmbH is a German board and card game publisher. Though many of their own games are language-independent they themselves publish only printings for the domestic market which include only German-language rules; English-language printings of their games have been published... |
| 2000 2000 in games This page lists board and card games, wargames, miniatures games, and table-top role-playing games published in 2000. For video and console games, see 2000 in video gaming.-Significant games-related events in 2000:... |
Torres Torres (board game) Torres is a German-style board game designed by Wolfgang Kramer and Michael Kiesling and published in 1999 by FX Schmid in German and by Rio Grande Games in English. The game strongly influenced Kramer and Kiesling's Mask Trilogy of games, but is not considered to be a part of the trilogy... |
Wolfgang Kramer Wolfgang Kramer Wolfgang Kramer is a German board game designer.Kramer formerly worked as an operations manager and computer scientist, but since 1989 he has worked full-time on game design. He has designed over 100 games, many which have been nominated for or have won the Spiel des Jahres... and Michael Kiesling Michael Kiesling Michael Kiesling is a German board game designer. Many of his games have been nominated for or have won the Spiel des Jahres, a German games award.He is best known for co-authoring the board game trilogy Tikal, Java and Mexica with Wolfgang Kramer.... |
Ravensburger Ravensburger Ravensburger Spieleverlag GmbH is a German game company. It is a leader in the European puzzle market.-History:The company was founded by Otto Robert Maier with seat in Ravensburg, a town in Upper Swabia in southern Germany. He began publishing in 1883 with his first author contract... |
| 1999 1999 in games This page lists board and card games, wargames, miniatures games, and table-top role-playing games published in 1999. For video and console games, see 1999 in video gaming.-Game awards given in 1999:... |
Tikal Tikal (board game) Tikal is a German-style board game designed by Wolfgang Kramer and Michael Kiesling and published in 1999 by Ravensburger in German and by Rio Grande Games in English... |
Wolfgang Kramer Wolfgang Kramer Wolfgang Kramer is a German board game designer.Kramer formerly worked as an operations manager and computer scientist, but since 1989 he has worked full-time on game design. He has designed over 100 games, many which have been nominated for or have won the Spiel des Jahres... and Michael Kiesling Michael Kiesling Michael Kiesling is a German board game designer. Many of his games have been nominated for or have won the Spiel des Jahres, a German games award.He is best known for co-authoring the board game trilogy Tikal, Java and Mexica with Wolfgang Kramer.... |
Ravensburger Ravensburger Ravensburger Spieleverlag GmbH is a German game company. It is a leader in the European puzzle market.-History:The company was founded by Otto Robert Maier with seat in Ravensburg, a town in Upper Swabia in southern Germany. He began publishing in 1883 with his first author contract... |
| 1998 1998 in games This page lists board and card games, wargames, miniatures games, and table-top role-playing games published in 1998. For video and console games, see 1998 in video gaming.-Game awards given in 1998:* Spiel des Jahres: Elfenland - Alan R... |
Elfenland Elfenland Elfenland is a German-style board game designed by Alan R. Moon and published by Amigo Spiele in German and Rio Grande Games in English in 1998.... |
Alan R. Moon Alan R. Moon Alan R. Moon is an author of board games, born in Southampton, England, and currently living in the United States. Despite his nationality, he is generally considered to be one of the foremost designers of German-style board games. Many of his games can be seen as board game variations on the... |
Amigo Spiele Amigo Spiele Amigo Spiele is a German board and card game publisher. Many of their games have won Spiel des Jahres awards, and many have been published in English by Rio Grande Games.- Notable games :* Bohnanza* 6 Nimmt!/Take 6!* Café International... |
| 1997 1997 in games This page lists board and card games, wargames, miniatures games, and table-top role-playing games published in 1997. For video and console games, see 1997 in video gaming.-Game awards given in 1997:... |
Mississippi Queen Mississippi Queen (board game) Mississippi Queen is a 1997 designer board game by Werner Hodel. It won the 1997 Spiel des Jahres.... |
Werner Hodel | Goldsieber |
| 1996 1996 in games This page lists board and card games, wargames, miniatures games, and table-top role-playing games published in 1996. For video and console games, see 1996 in video gaming.-Game awards given in 1996:*Origins Awards :... |
El Grande El Grande El Grande is a German-style board game for 2-5 players, designed by Wolfgang Kramer and Richard Ulrich, and published in 1995 by Hans im Glück in German, by Rio Grande Games in English, and by 999 Games in Dutch. The game board represents renaissance-era Spain where the nobility fight for control... |
Wolfgang Kramer Wolfgang Kramer Wolfgang Kramer is a German board game designer.Kramer formerly worked as an operations manager and computer scientist, but since 1989 he has worked full-time on game design. He has designed over 100 games, many which have been nominated for or have won the Spiel des Jahres... and Richard Ulrich Richard Ulrich Richard Ulrich is a German board game designer. Many of his games have been nominated for or have won the Spiel des Jahres, a German games award.He is best known for co-authoring the board game El Grande with Wolfgang Kramer.-External links:... |
Hans im Glück Hans im Glück Hans im Glück Verlags-GmbH is a German board and card game publisher. Though many of their own games are language-independent they themselves publish only printings for the domestic market which include only German-language rules; English-language printings of their games have been published... |
| 1995 1995 in games This page lists board and card games, wargames, miniatures games, and table-top role-playing games published in 1995. For video and console games, see 1995 in video gaming.... |
The Settlers of Catan The Settlers of Catan The Settlers of Catan is a multiplayer board game designed by Klaus Teuber and first published in 1995 in Germany by Franckh-Kosmos Verlag as Die Siedler von Catan. Players assume the roles of settlers, each attempting to build and develop their settlement while trading and acquiring resources... |
Klaus Teuber Klaus Teuber Klaus Teuber is a German designer of board games. He won the Spiel des Jahres award four times, for The Settlers of Catan, Barbarossa, Drunter und Drüber and Adel Verpflichtet. He retired from his profession as a dental technician to become a full-time game designer in 1999. , he lives in ... |
Kosmos Kosmos (game publisher) Franckh-Kosmos Verlags-GmbH & Co. is a media publishing house based in Stuttgart, Germany, founded in 1822 by Johann Friedrich Franckh. In the nineteenth century the company published the fairy tales of Wilhelm Hauff as well as works by Wilhelm Waiblinger and Eduard Mörike.The "Friends of Nature... |
| 1994 1994 in games This page lists board and card games, wargames, miniatures games, and table-top role-playing games published in 1994. For video and console games, see 1994 in video gaming.-Significant games-related events in 1994:... |
Manhattan Manhattan (game) Manhattan is a boardgame designed by Andreas Seyfarth and originally published by the German company Hans im Glück. It was the winner of Spiel des Jahres in 1994. An English language version was published by Mayfair Games in 1996.-External links:... |
Andreas Seyfarth Andreas Seyfarth Andreas Seyfarth is a German-style board game designer, who is most famous for creating Puerto Rico, which is rated #2 on BoardGameGeek. In 2002, the game was awarded first place for the prestigious Deutscher Spiele Preis... |
Hans im Glück Hans im Glück Hans im Glück Verlags-GmbH is a German board and card game publisher. Though many of their own games are language-independent they themselves publish only printings for the domestic market which include only German-language rules; English-language printings of their games have been published... |
| 1993 1993 in games This page lists board and card games, wargames, miniatures games, and table-top role-playing games published in 1993. For video and console games, see 1993 in video gaming.-Game awards given in 1993:* Spiel des Jahres: Call My Bluff... |
Liar's Dice Liar's dice Liar's dice, or Liar dice, with roots originating in South America and popularized in early Spanish History, was brought to Spain by the Spanish conqueror Francisco Pizarro during the 16th century. It became extremely popular in Hong Kong and consequencially China... |
Richard Borg Richard Borg Richard Borg is a game designer.Games Richard has designed or co-designed include:*2000 Battle Cry *2001 Wyatt Earp... |
F.X. Schmid |
| 1992 1992 in games This page lists board and card games, wargames, miniatures games, and table-top role-playing games published in 1992. For video and console games, see 1992 in video gaming.-Game awards given in 1992:* Spiel des Jahres: Um Reifenbreite... |
Um Reifenbreite | Rob Bontenbal | Jumbo |
| 1991 1991 in games This page lists board and card games, wargames, miniatures games, and table-top role-playing games published in 1991. For video and console games, see 1991 in video gaming.-Game awards given in 1991:* Spiel des Jahres: Drunter und Drüber... |
Drunter und Drüber Drunter und Drüber Drunter und Drüber is a multiplayer board game invented by Klaus Teuber, first published in 1991 in Germany by Hans im Glück. A second edition was released in 1994 by Hans im Glück and featured art by Franz Vohwinkel... |
Klaus Teuber Klaus Teuber Klaus Teuber is a German designer of board games. He won the Spiel des Jahres award four times, for The Settlers of Catan, Barbarossa, Drunter und Drüber and Adel Verpflichtet. He retired from his profession as a dental technician to become a full-time game designer in 1999. , he lives in ... |
Hans im Glück Hans im Glück Hans im Glück Verlags-GmbH is a German board and card game publisher. Though many of their own games are language-independent they themselves publish only printings for the domestic market which include only German-language rules; English-language printings of their games have been published... |
| 1990 1990 in games This page lists board and card games, wargames, miniatures games, and table-top role-playing games published in 1990. For video and console games, see 1990 in video gaming.-Game awards given in 1990:... |
Hoity Toity Hoity Toity Hoity Toity is a multiplayer board game invented by Klaus Teuber and as of 2008 published in USA by Überplay. The original German name is Adel Verpflichtet... |
Klaus Teuber | F.X. Schmid |
| 1989 1989 in games This page lists board and card games, wargames, miniatures games, and table-top role-playing games published in 1989. For video and console games, see 1989 in video gaming.-Significant games-related events in 1989:... |
Café International | Rudi Hoffmann | Mattel Mattel Mattel, Inc. is the world's largest toy company based on revenue. The products it produces include Fisher Price, Barbie dolls, Hot Wheels and Matchbox toys, Masters of the Universe, American Girl dolls, board games, and, in the early 1980s, video game consoles. The company's name is derived from... |
| 1988 1988 in games This page lists board and card games, wargames, miniatures games, and table-top role-playing games published in 1988. For video and console games, see 1988 in video gaming.... |
Barbarossa Barbarossa (board game) Barbarossa is a plasticine-shaping German-style board game for 3 to 6 players, designed by Klaus Teuber in and published in 1988 by Kosmos in German and by Rio Grande Games in English. Barbarossa won the 1988 Spiel des Jahres award.- Gameplay :... |
Klaus Teuber | Altenburger und Stralsunder |
| 1987 1987 in games This page lists board and card games, wargames, miniatures games, and table-top role-playing games published in 1987. For video and console games, see 1987 in video gaming.-Game awards given in 1987:... |
Auf Achse Auf Achse Auf Achse is a logistics-themed board game designed by Wolfgang Kramer and published in 1987 by FX Schmid. The game won the Spiel des Jahres award. In 1992, a junior edition was released; and in 1994 a rummy-like card game spinoff was released... |
Wolfgang Kramer | F.X. Schmid |
| 1986 1986 in games This page lists board and card games, wargames, miniatures games, and table-top role-playing games published in 1986. For video and console games, see 1986 in video gaming.-Game awards given in 1986:... |
Top Secret Spies Top Secret Spies Top Secret Spies is a spy-themed German-style board game designed by Wolfgang Kramer and published in 1984 by Ravensburger. The game, also known as Under Cover or Detective & Co, won the Spiel des Jahres award in 1986.The object of the game is to score the most points, while not revealing which... |
Wolfgang Kramer | Ravensburger |
| 1985 1985 in games This page lists board and card games, wargames, miniatures games, and table-top role-playing games published in 1985. For video and console games, see 1985 in video gaming.... |
Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective is a book-based game published by Sleuth Publications in 1981. A deluxe edition was released in a leatherette binder; the game was also published in a more traditional boxed version. In 1985, it won the Spiel des Jahres award.Although often thought of as a... |
Raymond Edwards, Suzanne Goldberg and Gary Grady | Kosmos |
| 1984 1984 in games This page lists board and card games, wargames, miniatures games, and table-top role-playing games published in 1984. For video and console games, see 1984 in video gaming.-Game awards given in 1984:... |
Railway Rivals Railway Rivals Railway Rivals is a railroad-themed board game designed by Glynn and David Watts and popularised by Games Workshop in 1985. Players build railways and then run trains along them.- Gameplay :... |
David Watts David G. Watts David G. Watts is a Welsh games designer and publisher. Originally a school geography teacher at Milford Haven Grammar School, he designed Railway Rivals, his most popular game, to teach the geography of Wales and upon retirement published it under the imprint Rostherne Games. His games have been... |
Schmidt Spiele Schmidt Spiele Schmidt Spiele is a German games publisher for a wide variety of games, most notably board games .Founder Josef Friedrich Schmidt developed Mensch ärgere dich nicht in 1907/1908, based on antique forerunners. Five years later his new publishing firm began the game's serial production... |
| 1983 1983 in games This page lists board and card games, wargames, miniatures games, and table-top role-playing games published in 1983. For video and console games, see 1983 in video gaming.-Game awards given in 1983:* Spiel des Jahres: Scotland Yard... |
Scotland Yard Scotland Yard (board game) Scotland Yard is a board game in which a team of players, as "police", cooperate to track down a player controlling a "criminal" around a board representing the streets of London. It is named after Scotland Yard, the headquarters of London's Metropolitan Police Service... |
Werner Schlegel, Dorothy Garrels, Fritz Ifland, Manfred Burggraf, Werner Scheerer and Wolf Hoermann | Ravensburger |
| 1982 1982 in games This page lists board and card games, wargames, miniatures games, and table-top role-playing games published in 1982. For video and console games, see 1982 in video gaming.-Game awards given in 1982:... |
Enchanted Forest Enchanted Forest (game) Enchanted Forest is a board game designed by Alex Randolph and Michel Matschoss that requires players to remember the locations of fairytale treasures... |
Alex Randolph Alex Randolph Alexander Randolph was a designer of board games. Randolph's game creations include TwixT, Breakthru, Inkognito , Raj, Ricochet Robot, and Enchanted Forest .... and Michel Matschoss |
Ravensburger |
| 1981 1981 in games This page lists board and card games, wargames, miniatures games, and table-top role-playing games published in 1981. For video and console games, see 1981 in video gaming.... |
Focus Focus (board game) Focus is an abstract strategy board game, designed by Sid Sackson and first published in 1964 by Kosmos. The game has been re-published many times since, sometimes under the titles Domination or Dominio. Focus won the 1981 Spiel des Jahres and Essen Feather awards... |
Sid Sackson Sid Sackson Sid Sackson was a significant American board game designer and collector.His most popular creation is probably the business game Acquire... |
Parker Parker Brothers Parker Brothers is a toy and game manufacturer and brand. Since 1883, the company has published more than 1,800 games; among their best known products are Monopoly, Cluedo , Sorry, Risk, Trivial Pursuit, Ouija, Aggravation, and Probe... |
| 1980 1980 in games This page lists board and card games, wargames, miniatures games, and table-top role-playing games published in 1980. For video and console games, see 1980 in video gaming.-Significant games-related events of 1980:... |
Rummikub Rummikub Rummikub is a tile-based game for two to four players.-History:... |
Ephraim Hertzano Ephraim Hertzano Ephraim Hertzano was a board game designer born in Romania. He immigrated to Israel where he founded the games company Hertzano. Hertzano's most famous game creation is Rummikub..- Biography :Hertzano was a Jewish Israeli.... |
Intelli |
| 1979 1979 in games This page lists board and card games, wargames, miniatures games, and table-top role-playing games published in 1979. For video and console games, see 1979 in video gaming.-Significant games-related events of 1979:... |
Hare and Tortoise Hare and Tortoise Hare and Tortoise is a German-style board game designed by David Parlett in 1974 and first published by Intellect Games. In 1978 it was released by Ravensburger in Germany, where the game became a huge hit. It has since sold some 2 million units in at least ten languages, including two known... |
David Parlett David Parlett David Parlett is a games scholar from South London, who has studied both card games and board games. His published works include many popular books on games and the more academic volumes "Oxford Guide to Card Games" and "Oxford History of Board Games", both now out of print... |
Ravensburger |
Connoisseurs' game of the year
| Year | Winner | Designer | Publisher |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 7 Wonders 7 Wonders (board game) 7 Wonders is a board game created by Antoine Bauza in 2010 and published by Repos Production in English and by Κάισσα in Greek, that won the prestigious Kennerspiel des Jahres in 2011. It is the first game to receive this prize... |
Antoine Bauza | Repos Production |
Children's game of the year
| Year | Winner | Designer | Publisher |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Diego Drachenzahn | Manfred Ludwig | HABA Habermaaß GmbH Habermaaß Inc. is a German toy manufacturing company based in Bad Rodach, Bavaria. The company defines itself as an “Inventor for inquisitive minds”, offering a broad selection of products such as wooden and textile toys, home furnishings and accessories for babies and children... |
| 2009 | Das magische Labyrinth | Dirk Baumann | Drei Magier Spiele |
| 2008 | Wer war's? | Reiner Knizia Reiner Knizia Reiner Knizia is a prolific German-style board game designer. Born in Germany, he developed his first game at the age of eight. He has a PhD in mathematics, and has been a full-time game designer since 1997, when he quit his job from the board of a large international bank... |
Ravensburger Ravensburger Ravensburger Spieleverlag GmbH is a German game company. It is a leader in the European puzzle market.-History:The company was founded by Otto Robert Maier with seat in Ravensburg, a town in Upper Swabia in southern Germany. He began publishing in 1883 with his first author contract... |
| 2007 | Beppo der Bock | Peter Schackert | Huch & Friends |
| 2006 | Der Schwarze Pirat | Guido Hoffmann | Habermaaß Habermaaß GmbH Habermaaß Inc. is a German toy manufacturing company based in Bad Rodach, Bavaria. The company defines itself as an “Inventor for inquisitive minds”, offering a broad selection of products such as wooden and textile toys, home furnishings and accessories for babies and children... |
| 2005 | Das Kleine Gespenst | Kai Haferkamp | Kosmos |
| 2004 | Spooky Stairs (German title: Geistertreppe) |
Michelle Schanen | Drei Magier Spiele |
| 2003 | Viva Topo! | Manfred Ludwig | Selecta Selecta Selecta is a brand of ice cream and milk sold in the Philippines and also in Australia by Mead Johnson Company, who also made Sustagen and Enfamil... |
| 2002 | The Ladybug's Costume Party (German title: Maskenball der Käfer) |
Peter-Paul Joopen | Selecta |
| 2001 | Klondike | Christian Wolf Christian Wolf Christian Wolf is a designer of board games. He has won the As d'Or for Tutankhamen and the Kinderspiel des Jahres for Klondike in 2001; both were collaborations with Stefanie Rohner.-References:... and Stefanie Rohner |
Habermaaß |
| 2000 | Arbos | Armin Müller and Martin Arnold Martin Arnold Martin Arnold is an experimental filmmaker known for his obsessive reworkings of found footage. He is also a founding member of the Austrian film distributor Sixpack Film. Arnold studied psychology and art history at the University of Vienna... |
M+A Spiel |
| 1999 | Kayanak | Peter-Paul Joopen | Habermaaß |
| 1998 | Chicken Cha Cha Cha Chicken Cha Cha Cha Chicken Cha Cha Cha is a board game for two to four players from four years onwards. It was designed by Klaus Zoch and self-published. It was illustrated by Doris Matthäus... |
Klaus Zoch | Zoch Verlag |
| 1997 | Leinen Los! | Alex Randolph | Habermaaß |
| 1996 | Noah's Park (German title: Vier zu Mir) |
Heike Baum | Altenburger und Stralsunder |
| 1995 | Karambolage | Heinz Meister | Habermaaß |
| 1994 | Loopin' Louie | Carol Wiseley | Milton Bradley Milton Bradley Company The Milton Bradley Company is an American game company established by Milton Bradley in Springfield, Massachusetts, in 1860. In 1920, it absorbed the game production of McLoughlin Brothers, formerly the largest game manufacturer in the United States, and in 1987, it purchased Selchow and Righter,... |
| 1993 | Ringel Rangel | Geni Wyss | Habermaaß |
| 1992 | Galloping Pigs (German title: Schweinsgalopp) |
Heinz Meister | Ravensburger |
| 1991 | Corsaro - Irrfahrt im Piratenmeer | Wolfgang Kramer | Herder Herder publishers Verlag Herder is a publishing company started by the Herders, a German family. The company focuses primarily on Catholic topics of ecclesiology, Christian mysticism, women's studies, and the development of younger Catholic theologians.-Bartholomäus Herder:... |
| 1990 | My Haunted Castle (German title: Das Geisterschloss) |
Virginia Charves | F.X. Schmid |
| 1989 | Gute Freunde | Alex Randolph Alex Randolph Alexander Randolph was a designer of board games. Randolph's game creations include TwixT, Breakthru, Inkognito , Raj, Ricochet Robot, and Enchanted Forest .... |
Selecta |
Special awards
| Year | Prize | Winner | Designer | Publisher |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Game Of The Year plus | World Without End | Michael Rieneck and Stefan Stadler | Kosmos |
| 2009 | Party game | Gift Trap | Nick Kellet | GiftTRAP Enterprises |
| New game worlds | Space Alert | Vlaada Chvátil | Czech Games Edition | |
| 2008 | Complex game | Agricola Agricola (board game) Agricola is a German-style board game created by Uwe Rosenberg, and published by Lookout Games in Europe and Z-Man Games in the US. The goal of the game is to build the most well-balanced farm at the end of 14 rounds, consisting of plowed fields for crops and fenced pastures for livestock. The... |
Uwe Rosenberg Uwe Rosenberg Uwe Rosenberg is a German game designer. He has become known mainly for his card game Bohnanza, which is successful both in Germany and internationally... |
Lookout Games Lookout Games Lookout Games is a German board and card game publisher. The company published, among other games, the board game Agricola, which was honored with the Complex Game award by the German Game of the Year jury in 2008.-History:... |
| 2007 | no special prizes awarded | |||
| 2006 | Complex game | Caylus | William Attia | Ẏstari Games |
| Fantasy game | Shadows Over Camelot Shadows Over Camelot Shadows Over Camelot is an Arthurian-themed board game designed by Serge Laget and Bruno Cathala. The game was also published in French as Les Chevaliers de la Table Ronde and in German as Schatten über Camelot. Players take on the roles of Knights of the Round Table and play the game by... |
Serge Laget and Bruno Cathala | Days of Wonder Days of Wonder Days of Wonder is a board game publisher based in the United States and France. Founded in 2002, Days of Wonder distributes its games to 25 countries. It specialises in German-style board games and have branched out to include some online games. Days of Wonder has published games in English,... |
|
| 2005 | no special prizes awarded | |||
| 2004 | no special prizes awarded | |||
| 2003 | no special prizes awarded | |||
| 2002 | no special prizes awarded | |||
| 2001 | Historical game | Troia | Thomas Fackler | Zeitstein Spiele |
| Literary game | Lord of the Rings Lord of the Rings (board game) Lord of the Rings is a board game designed by Reiner Knizia based on The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien. The game was published in 2000 by Kosmos and Fantasy Flight Games, and won a Spiel des Jahres special award for best use of literature in a game. It features artwork by illustrator John... |
Reiner Knizia | Kosmos | |
| 2000 | no special prizes awarded | |||
| 1999 | no special prizes awarded | |||
| 1998 | no special prizes awarded | |||
| 1997 | Dexterity game | Husarengolf | Torsten Marold | Abacus |
| Beautiful game | Aztec | Niek Neuwahl | Zoch Spiele | |
| 1996 | Dexterity game | Carabande | Jean du Poel | Goldsieber |
| Beautiful game | Venice Connection | Alex Randolph Alex Randolph Alexander Randolph was a designer of board games. Randolph's game creations include TwixT, Breakthru, Inkognito , Raj, Ricochet Robot, and Enchanted Forest .... |
Drei Magier Spiele | |
| 1995 | Puzzle Puzzle A puzzle is a problem or enigma that tests the ingenuity of the solver. In a basic puzzle, one is intended to put together pieces in a logical way in order to come up with the desired solution... |
3D Krimi-Puzzle | no specific designer | Milton Bradley |
| Beautiful game | Tri-Ba-Lance | Michael Sohre | Theta Promotions | |
| 1994 | Beautiful game | Doctor Faust | Reinhold Wittig | Blatz Spiele |
| 1993 | Beautiful game | Kula Kula | Reinhold Wittig | Blatz Spiele |
| 1992 | no special prizes awarded | |||
| 1991 | Beautiful game | Master Labyrinth | Max Kobbert | Ravensburger |
| 1990 | Beautiful game | Life Style | no specific designer | Ravensburger |
| 1989 | Beautiful game | Henne Berta | Geni Wyss | Habermaaß |
| 1988 | Cooperative family game Cooperative game In game theory, a cooperative game is a game where groups of players may enforce cooperative behaviour, hence the game is a competition between coalitions of players, rather than between individual players... |
Sauerbaum | Johannes Tranelis | Herder |
| Beautiful game | Inkognito | Alex Randolph Alex Randolph Alexander Randolph was a designer of board games. Randolph's game creations include TwixT, Breakthru, Inkognito , Raj, Ricochet Robot, and Enchanted Forest .... and Leo Colovini Leo Colovini Leo Colovini is a designer of German-style board games born in Venice 1964. His most popular game is Cartagena. He is one of the few top board game designers who has owned a game store.... |
Milton Bradley | |
| 1987 | Beautiful game | Tatort Nachtexpress | Jeff Smets | Jumbo Jumbo Jumbo was a large African Bush Elephant, born 1861 in the French Sudan – present-day Mali – imported to a Paris zoo, transferred to the London Zoo in 1865, and sold in 1882 to P. T... |
| 1986 | Beautiful game | Müller & Sohn | Reinhold Wittig | Kosmos |
| 1985 | Beautiful game | Die drei Magier | Johann Rüttinger | Drei Magier Spiele |
| 1984 | Beautiful game | Uisge | Roland Siegers | Hexagames |
| 1983 | Beautiful game | Wir füttern die kleinen Nilpferde | Reinhold Wittig | Edition Perlhuhn |
| 1982 | Beautiful game | Skript | Henri Sala | Jumbo |
| 1981 | Beautiful game | Ra | Marco Donadoni Marco Donadoni Marco Alberto Donadoni is an Italian game designer. He designed his first, self-produced wargame, Iliad, in 1977; he then joined the Italian company International Team , that at the time was mainly a jigsaw puzzle producer. IT published Iliad and changed its core business, focusing on the wargame... |
International Team International Team International Team was an Italian game company founded in the 1970s and active until the early 1980s. While the company started as a jigsaw puzzle producer, it is mostly remembered as a wargame company, a business that IT approached in 1979, after game designer Marco Donadoni joined in... |
| 1980 | Solitaire | Rubik's cube Rubik's Cube Rubik's Cube is a 3-D mechanical puzzle invented in 1974 by Hungarian sculptor and professor of architecture Ernő Rubik.Originally called the "Magic Cube", the puzzle was licensed by Rubik to be sold by Ideal Toy Corp. in 1980 and won the German Game of the Year special award for Best Puzzle that... |
Ernő Rubik Erno Rubik Ernő Rubik is a Hungarian inventor, architect and professor of architecture. He is best known for the invention of mechanical puzzles including Rubik's Cube , Rubik's Magic, Rubik's Magic: Master Edition, Rubik's Snake and Rubik's 360.... |
Arxon |
| Beautiful game | Spiel The Game (dice game) The Game is a dice game designed by Reinhold Wittig. It was first published in Germany in 1979 under the German name Das Spiel.It contains a triangular base plate and 281 dice of four different colours, and a rule book that gives rules for some 50+ games... |
Reinhold Wittig | Edition Perlhuhn | |
| 1979 | Beautiful game | Seti | no specific designer | Bütehorn |
See also
- Deutscher Spiele PreisDeutscher Spiele PreisThe Deutscher Spiele Preis is an important award for boardgames. It was started in 1990 by the German magazine "Die Pöppel-Revue", which collects votes from the industry's stores, magazines, professionals and game clubs. The results are announced every October at the Spiel game fair in Essen,...
- International Gamers AwardInternational Gamers AwardThe International Gamers Awards is an award for strategy board games and historical simulation games.- Past winners :2009 - 2008 - 2007 - 2006 - 2005 - 2004 - 2003 - 2002 - 2001 - 2000- 2010 :- 2009 :- 2008 :- 2007 :- 2006 :- 2005 :- 2004 :...
- Jeu de l'annéeJeu de l'annéeThe Jeu de l'année was a French games award, given by the Association de Promotion et d'Evaluation des Jeux in October to outstanding parlour games* published during the previous year* published in the French language...
- Origins AwardOrigins AwardThe Origins Awards are American awards for outstanding work in the game industry. They are presented by the Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts and Design at the Origins Game Fair on an annual basis for the previous year, so the 1979 awards were given at the 1980 Origins.The Origins Award is commonly...