It's no surprise that Spiel des Jahres eV announces the nominees for the jury awards every year - which titles make it onto the nominee and recommendation lists, despite numerous "predictions", are sometimes surprising. This year the nominees were announced in the German Games Museum in Chemnitz. Below we present the nominated board games for the awards Game of the Year 2019, Kennerspiel des Jahres 2019 and Kinderspiel des Jahres 2019.
Game of the year 2019 – an “important award”
As part of the opening of a special exhibition at the German Games Museum in Chemnitz, the Game of the Year eV announced the nominated board games of the current season for the awards "Game of the Year", "Kennerspiel des Jahres" and "Kinderspiel des Jahres". The expert jury then determines the winning titles in the two categories “Game of the Year” and “Kennerspiel des Jahres” by means of a secret ballot. The prizes will be awarded on July 22 and June 24 (child's play).
The coveted awards have been presented for 40 years, reason enough to praise the game as a cultural asset. Michael Menzel, illustrator and author of the successful fantasy board game, explains how relevant the award is to the industry The legends of Andor, winner of the 2013 Kennerspiel Prize. He not only speaks of the “great importance of the award for his personal and professional history”, but also of how much board games can benefit from the award. Menzel is happy that "the heroes of Andor are part of a game night somewhere in Brazil", but knows that many players only became aware of Andor because of the Kennerspiel award.
"It's a very important award."
Michael Menzel, announcement of the Game of the Year nominees
The legends of Andor is a good game, according to Menzel, but without the award “no one notices it”. Unsurprisingly, his thanks also go to the jury members of the Spiel des Jahres eV , who help every year to ensure that many “kitchen table ideas” are able to reach so many people.
Harald Schrapers, chairman of the jury for Spiel des Jahres eV, looks back on four decades in which board games have developed “in huge steps in every respect”. This applies equally to public perception, the number of people who like to play and the quality. Around 100 games were on the jury's table this year that "would have easily made it onto the list of the best" in the 80s, according to Schrapers. Now the competition in the modern age of board games is greater - and there are 26 titles that have made it onto the coveted list.
"The board game has a social task and responsibility."
Harald Schrapers, Chairman of the Games of the Year eV
Despite all the technological developments that have dramatically influenced quality standards over the past few decades, it is above all the board game that is taking a different path: still made "from cardboard, dice and little figures" - of course with a few exceptions, because also in board games -Segment, technological influences are noticeable in view of modern production processes and available app support. Schrapers sums up what was and is at the core of board game development in one sentence: "A good board game is created with the players sitting at the table".
From the "brilliant ideas" of the game designers, the players develop their own personal - perhaps unforgettable - game experiences through their interactions. The board game is also a kind of 'German success story': 40 years ago the board game was shaped by German, meanwhile "board games" are internationally known and popular. The board game has a social responsibility, explains Harald Schrapers and adds that the Spiel des Jahres eV follows this principle in order to promote tolerance and social cohesion.
The nominees for the game of the year 2019
The board games selected for the nomination and recommendation lists this year are not particularly pompous, but the titles appeal to completely different types of players.
The following three board games have been nominated for the Game of the Year 2019:
- Just one by Ludowig Roudy and Bruno Sautter; Repos Productions/Asmodee
- LAMA by Reiner Knizia; Amigo games
- Werwords by Ted Alspach; Ravensburger
What is still missing are the games on the recommendation list. Each of the six titles on this list narrowly missed the 2018 Game of the Year nomination. Nonetheless, all of the board games on the extended recommendation list ensure great moments on the gaming tables at home.
The jury of the Spiel des Jahres eV expressly recommends:
- Belratti
- dizzle
- Imhotep The duel
- Crap shit,
- Reef
- Sherlock
With rather low entry hurdles, but always above-average game quality, the titles on the recommendation list are considered significant alternatives to the nominees. They are all of above-average quality and meet the requirements that the jury of the Spiel des Jahres eV places on the "best of the year".
Nominated for the Kennerspiel des Jahres 2019
In addition to the "Game of the Year", which is generally assigned to the family game category, the Spiel des Jahres eV awards an award for particularly challenging board games.
The following titles have been nominated for the Kennerspiel des Jahres 2019:
- Carpe Diem by Stefan Feld; Alea Games / Ravensburger
- Detective by Ignacy Trzewiczek Portal; Games/Pegasus Spiele
- Flapping wings by Elisabeth Hargraves; Tierra del Fuego games
The nominations of Flügelschlag and Detective do not seem particularly surprising. The former scored well with the fans and was even considered "hype" at times, while Detective convinces with an exciting game mechanism that goes beyond "cardboard, dice and figurines".
The games on the jury's list of recommendations ensure hours of entertainment. The four board games on the “Long List” for Kennerspiel des Jahres 2019 are:
- Architects of the west of France
- The deep land
- Newton
- PaperTales
Paper Tales in particular has been drawing attention to itself for a long time. And the other game titles also go beyond what average gamers would use as a measure of complexity.
Nominated for Children's Game of the Year 2019
Main prizes are not only awarded for adult games, the Spiel des Jahres eV also honors ideas suitable for children every year with a special award: the children's game of the year.
The jury has nominated the following titles for Children's Game of the Year 2019:
- fabulous by Marco Teubner; Pegasus
- Go Gecko Go! by Jürgen Adams; Zoch publishing house
- Viking Valley by Mari and Wilfried Fort; Haba
In addition, the jury has seven other titles
There are seven other children's board games on the recommendation list:
- Farm gang
- Concept kids: animals
- Magic Maze Kids
- Monster gang
- Monster match
- Octopus
- Completely blurred
The award ceremony for the children's game of the year 2019 will take place on June 24th.
