By Peter Neugebauer

Price tags of €80 are no rarity any more. Likewise, you can increasingly encounter price tags of €100 and more. Luxurious materials such as metal figures and minted coins, thermo-printed wooden figures or acryl used as a material for games make the games issued both beautiful and durable at the same time. These are innovations that, from the get go, want to delight aesthetes with their beauty. From time to time, even tried-and-tested classics are offered for the now grown-up fans.

Beautiful games – adult themes

Let’s embark on a playful journey to Vienna. Queen Games has published its City Collection designed by author Stefan Feld and Vienna is the fifth and latest title in the series. The setting is post-war Vienna in the 1950s and the city is crawling with networks of spies. The numerous agents are always on the hunt for the latest information. The players use cards to unveil secrets, to gain new funds for bribes, to infiltrate the buildings of hostile nations and so on. This particularly deluxe edition costs €125 and is a treat for the eyes and pleasant to the touch.

Playful satire that is very much in touch with reality (maybe too much so). In Hegemony, Giant Roc plays with reality in a way that couldn’t be more topical. The economy is in ruins. The entire country is barely able to recover from its lethargic depression. The industrial sector and SMEs are hardly investing anything any more. Unemployment and a dwindling standard of living are the order of the day. Political tensions are putting democracy at risk. Finding order among all the chaos is a challenging task. Various social actors try to do so in their own way. A lot of good and useful material comes at a price, though: €115.

Adventure in ancient Egypt. In Arkeis, Board Game Box lets players explore the tombs of the pharaohs. In a modular game system, the protagonists penetrate deeper and deeper into the darkness of the pyramids, where precious treasures can be found. But dangerous creatures bar their way. Successes in the hunt for treasure or when fighting monsters make the adventurers more able to cope with the next mission. Only by working together can the archaeologists become stronger and overcome further challenges. The detailed figures make the adventure seem realistic: €129.

Fantastic events at the farthest ends of the world. In its new game Expeditions – Ironclad Edition, Feuerland invites players to go to Siberia. That’s where a meteorite has hit and brought ancient corruption to light. The interest of scientists searching for long-lost artefacts and new-found fame has been piqued. With the use of playing cards, players each build their own engine and make use of it by exploiting their strengths, cunning and special skills. They continually improve their own mechanical robots and each one performs its tasks in inhospitable lands. The luxury version with unique metal figures is a pleasure for any gamer to use: €125.

Classic games – first-rate features

Railway construction in America. Zug um Zug (Step by Step, but literally translating as "Train by Train") from Days of Wonder, and distributed by Asmodee, was voted "Game of the Year" in 2004. Ever since then, new country editions have enjoyed great popularity. The latest version is Zug um Zug Legacy: Legenden des Westens set in 19^th-century America. The game consists of a unique campaign played in 12 episodes. Again and again, new challenges are unlocked and surprising opponents ensure plenty of variety. Land across the USA is being opened up from east to west. The reckoning only comes at the end. The 12 individual parts have a lavish number of components: €110.

Progress in the Loire Valley. The Castles of Burgundy from Alea, distributed by Ravensburger has gained an increasing community of fans over the last decade. With its sophisticated dice system, players gain new acquisitions and opportunities to influence the course of events at the Loire river again and again. Now, after a decade, the publisher is delighting all die-hard fans of the game by launching a magnificent special edition, which is being marketed globally: The Castles of Burgundy – Special Edition is available for €180. Besides the first-rate 3D figures, metal coins and leather pouches, there is also a vineyard expansion and a solo version.

Mattel’s game Scrabble has been the classic word game for 75 years. On the occasion of its anniversary, the publisher is offering all fans of this game a more substantial version. Letter tiles, tile racks and the frame of the board are all made of wood. The board itself is made from plastic and has a raised grid so that the tiles don’t move when the board is turned. This anniversary edition is both of excellent quality and luxurious. And for added value, there’s Scrabble – Sprint for a fun and fast-paced playing experience. And so the classic game of Scrabble lives on: €125.

Where is the bomb hidden? Anyone who knows board games will know that this is a familiar scenario in Stratego Original from Jumbo. This game is also celebrating an anniversary. This classic 2-player game of strategy has been thrilling many generations for 65 years now. Troops march up and lure the enemy into an ambush. The anniversary version comes with easy-to-grip figures that stand sturdily on the board. For the first time ever, there are now female combatants in the phalanx – very equal opportunities. What’s even more interesting is that there is a completely new variant with battle cards that challenges players in a different way: €90.

About the author

Peter Neugebauer is still a “big kid” through and through. In early childhood, his parents introduced him to board games. And games were obligatory and always welcome at Christmas and on his birthday.He didn’t stop playing, not even during his years of study or working life. Early on, he reviewed new products, initially in trade journals, then also in daily newspapers and, for almost 40 years, in industry magazines. He can’t live without playing.