2017 Spiel des Jahres Nominees – Is YOUR Favorite 2017 Game on the List?
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It’s days like this when my bank card gets heavy action… today the 2017 Spiel des Jahres Nominees have been announced! For those of you unfamiliar with the award, the Spiel des Jahres (Game of the Year) is a prestigious award given to games that are outstanding in any given year, and is acknowledged world-wide in the game playing community as a sign of excellence. Games are awarded based on concept (playability), rule structure (are they clear), layout (box, board and rules) and design (workmanship). More recently, two other awards have been given out to balance the Spiel des Jahres Award; Kennerspiel des Jahres– Expert or Game Connoisseur Game of the Year, and Kinderspiel des Jahres– Childrens game of the year.
2017 Spiel des Jahres Nominees
The judges picked a nice line-up this year. Some variety, some lesser known games, and a few that have gotten LOADS of Hype lately. We won’t know which games will get the coveted award seal until July but I seldom have come up against a SdJ game that I haven’t enjoyed! It’s time to add some more great titles to my game shelves and do some PLAYING!
Spiel des Jahres Nominees
Spiel des Jahres award nominees are generally games that my family and I really enjoy playing together. They tend to be engaging and very playable for all ages. And it’s clear that these games are designed with quality construction… with thoughtful attention to detail. The boxes and game boards are solid. The pieces are well constructed, and nice to hold. These are games that can be played for years, not just used a few times then tossed aside. (I still have my first Spiel des Jahr Award winner 1979’s Hase und Igel repackaged by Rio Games as Hare and Tortoise for the US)
Kingdomino
Blue Orange Games Kingdomino Award Winning Family Strategy Board Game
A strategic twist on the domino theme… perfect for ages 8 and Up!
Magic Maze
Dude Games Magic Maze Board Game
A co-operative dungeon adventure… (co-ops are fun!) set to be released in the US in mid-June. Perfect for ages 8 and up.
Wettlauf nach El Dorado (Race to El Dorado)
Wttlauf nach El Dorado combines a deck building game with a race. There is no current publishing date for the US (but I bet there will be now!) Published by Ravensburger, who is known for quality games and puzzles, this game is for people 10 and up.
Kennerspiel des Jahres Nominees
2017 Spiel des Jahres Nominees for expert Players
This new-ish award has only been presented since 2011. Kennerspiel des Jahres games are generally ones that more experienced game players enjoy. These games have deeper strategy.
Exit- The Game
Thames & Kosmos Exit: The Abandoned Cabin GameThames & Kosmos Exit: The Secret Lab GameThames & Kosmos Exit: The Pharaoh’s Tomb Game
In an interesting twist, the entire series of “Exit” games has been nominated. These are “escape the room” games with challenging puzzles, maps and booklets. Good for 1- 6 players ages 12 and up.
Raiders of the North Sea
Raiders of the North Sea is a complex worker placement game. Currently, the core game seems to be out of print (and therefore rather pricey) but there are follow up games available. Age 14 and Up.
Terraforming Mars
If you’ve been on any boardgame FB page in the past few months, you’ve most certainly run across LOTS of hype for Terraforming Mars… This Card Drafting and Tile Placement game allows you to act as a corporation to work on projects that complete the terraforming of the red planet. Good for ages 12 and up.
Kinderspiel des Jahres Nominees
Since 2001, the Kinderspiel des Jahres been awarded for the best Children’s Game of the Year. There are games kids can play on their own.
Captain Silver Board Game
Captain Silver Board Game (4 Player)
You need to get to the Island, but to get there you need reach into the bag to find the right objects. This sensory game is good for kids 6 and up.
Ice Cool Board Game
Flick the penguins across the ice and through doorways to collect victory points. While the game is designed for children age six and up, it’s a hoot for “older kids” too…
The Mysterious Forest
A bit more advanced than your average kids game. Memorize a map and list of supplies, then roll to collect the supplies… and hopefully make it across the forest. This game is for kids and families 6 and up.
What do You Think of the 2017 Spiel des Jahres Nominees?
