A magical treasure chest stands in the centre of the table, drawing the attention of all the children present. They want to do just one thing: open the treasure chest to get the precious gems inside. But the keys are spread over a long path and only one of them opens the chest. Even if the key doesn’t fit it can still be useful later in the game. Rolling the dice more often to make quicker progress means a larger share of the treasure but if you take a risk and fall asleep along the path, you’ll not only leave empty-handed but also give an advantage to the next player. Risk assessment and excitement go hand in hand, as children are faced with a tricky decision: try this key or pin all of their hopes on the next roll of the dice – even if it means they will lose everything.

Jury statement

A treasure chest that only opens for some keys and a host of glittering gems, that’s what makes ‘Magic Keys’ so captivating for children. The superb components are only trumped by the exciting feeling of risk-taking and the positive feeling of playing the game. With many good rules decisions, the designer team has created an extraordinary children’s game that children will love to return to again and again.