The tension mounts: Which board game will win?

Over the course of each year, a sense of anticipation can be felt again and again among game designers, in publishing houses and in the toy trade as people await news of which games have won an award. Some 2024 winners have already been announced, including for the As d’Or in France on 22 February and the Spiel der Spiele in Austria on 22 June. On 21 July 2024, we’ll find out who has won in the Spiel des Jahres/Game of the Year categories in Germany. 

A popular theme at this time: nature in play

Explore the animal world! In theFootsteps of Darwin from Sorry We Are French (distributed by Asmodee) tracks down wild animals on our planet. The Beagle, the great explorer’s survey vessel, is voyaging around the world. Depending on its location, players can draw one of three animal tiles at a time and place the tile selected on their notebook. Each player has to try and complete series there, e.g. collect four mammals from different continents. Bonuses and additional tasks nudge players to pursue certain strategies. In principle, this is a relatively simple collecting game in which the players do little harm to each other. A feel-good game with beautiful illustrations. Nominated for the Spiel des Jahres and As d‘Or

Harmonious coexistence! That is what Harmonies from Libellud (distributed by Asmodee) strives to achieve. Using round wooden tokens on a board, each player creates their own landscape consisting of different plants, rocks and waterways. Animals are placed in this landscape, with players focusing on creating harmonious habitats. A parrot is a better fit than a mountain goat for a jungle with a crocodile. Players take turns drawing landscape tokens and animal cards. The rules are simple, and the challenge lies in arranging the different elements. A game brimming with charm, especially when it comes to the animal illustrations (such as the blue lion on the cover). Recommended by the Spiel des Jahres jury

Green fingers! In Botanicus from Hans im Glück (distributed by Asmodee), players can earn this horticultural accolade by tiling their beds. They have to sow beautiful plants, water them so that they bloom and design a botanical garden fit for display. Visitors come, each with their own preferences for what they want to see. Points are distributed on this basis. Butterflies and other creatures further increase the appeal of the gardens. An entirely new action mechanism challenges the gardeners in many ways, laying the groundwork for landscaping mistakes. Sophisticated gardening at a superior level. Recommended by the Kennerspiel des Jahres jury

Snail-riding mushrooms! A unique natural wonder is on offer in Mycelia from Ravensburger. In the Valley of a Thousand Dewdrops, each player brings their dewdrops to the Shrine of Life to win the favour of the goddess of the forest. With lots of little helpers in the form of befriended mushrooms, players move their own dewdrops around to get them to the shrine. A card deck with mushroom helpers of different abilities helps them with this task. Players have to gradually improve their own cards during the game to more effectively achieve their mission. An utterly charming game in a naturalistic and mystical mushroom world. Winner of the 2024 Austrian Spiel der Spiele award

On the up and up: culture in play

Art collectors assemble! In Galerie der Künste (English: Art Gallery) from Huch!, anyone can prove an art connoisseur. In rounds of bidding, the players acquire paintings in various styles for their own gallery wall. Certain requirements have to be observed – for example, pictures in the same category cannot be hung next to each other. The task becomes increasingly difficult and the players have to avoid such slip-ups. To make things all the more interesting, the paintings are of different sizes. This makes it harder to hang them. Not to mention that tastes change over time, and styles come in and out of trend. Very variable gameplay that keeps the excitement going to the end!

Concealed gems! In Hidden Stones from Piatnik, it’s worth knowing the invisible side, the back of the stone tiles on display. This may be key to a solution. Colour patterns matter. Square stone tiles of different colours are laid in a 3x3 grid. They can be turned over or swapped with a neighbouring tile to complete a task card. The interesting feature is that the four cards in the hand can be used either as a task to be solved or as a turn pass. Players always have to decide how they will use the cards in their hand. In small groups, the gameplay is more direct and less random. Enjoyable sliding and turning!

Appraising jewels! In Große kleine Edelsteine (English: Big Little Gems) from Schmidt, all players need a good eye to judge gems according to their size and shape. Everyone plays simultaneously and speed is of the essence. 81 tiles in nine different shapes and sizes are laid upside down on the table. All players have to pick three of these at the same time in each round. As the gems are very similar, it’s easy to slip up. The trick is to precisely identify rubies and topazes while the clock is ticking. Although designed as a children’s game, the task is also interesting for adults who wish to play along. Hand-eye coordination is not just a challenge for kids! Nominated for Kinderspiel des Jahres

Current trend: cooperative games

Safe landing! In Sky Team from Kosmos, two players take on the roles of pilot and co-pilot. They have to coordinate the safe landing of a plane. Round after round, the plane gets closer to the ground. Both pilots have their hands full extending the landing flaps, balancing the plane during its approach, adjusting the throttle and much more. Rolling and placing dice, the players take turns and indirectly guide their partners, who need to correctly interpret what is being conveyed. Eleven airports with 21 scenarios ensure varied gameplay. Collaboration is a must. An unusual and satisfying game experience! Nominated for Spiel des Jahres

Complete the tribal ritual! In Ritual from Strohmann Games, the players collaborate to finish the required ritual in six steps. Without saying a word. All players try and communicate indirectly. Shiny elemental stones are laid on the table and have to be put in the correct order. Although slightly esoteric, the arrangement of light, fire, darkness, etc. is ultimately a logistical task. The actual challenge lies in the swap rules and the need to maintain silence. A total of ten different rituals ensure variety and increase the level of difficulty. An interesting challenge and approach! Recommended by the Kennerspiel des Jahres jury

A quiz game with a difference! In Knowledge? from Edition Spielwiese (distributed by Pegasus), know-how is useful but not necessarily essential for a win. The players all have one shared marker. This moves around the board in competition against another five tokens, ideally with the players’ marker crossing the line ahead of the others. In each round, a question is assigned to each colour. The answer is always a number between 0 and 5, or sometimes even bigger. The quiz card indicates whether the value given is good or bad. A good value can put the brakes on the neutral tokens or push the players’ own marker further: so a little bit of knowledge doesn’t hurt either!

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.