Around 475 new games were launched this year, significantly more than in the previous year. Among the recommended children’s games, the large selection of thematically and playfully successful mechanics is striking. The children are being captivated by everything from the first worker placement game to an invisible lava flow and a growing haystack. And in the nominated games, a real treasure chest, for which you need the right keys, gemstones whose exact shape and size must be recognized and finally the possibility of guessing which card will come next. All of this inspires the little players. From simple to phenomenally equipped – everything made the children’s hearts beat faster at the table.
Award Winners 2024 ➜
Christoph Schlewinski and Harald Schrapers present the nominees
Incentive for discussions
Very unusual for the Kinderspiel des Jahres: a game with a memory component is missing from this year’s list. The card game “Trio” is on the list of recommendations for the Game of the Year because it delights children and adults alike.
Spiel and Kennerspiel des Jahres covers a remarkable range from abstract to highly thematic games. On the one hand, there is the card game “Passt nicht!”, which uses minimal means – numbers and colors – to create an enormous playful dynamic between players. On the other side is “e-Mission”: as global players, from the EU to China to the Global South, we confront the climate catastrophe.This not only creates a great stimulus to play, but also an incentive for discussion.
The nine nominated games
Dealing with real problems
Fortunately, one fear has not come true: That more and more games are taking refuge in fantasy worlds and avoiding dealing with real problems. From ecological relationships in mixed forests, to Darwin’s theory of evolution, to the question of whether we can withstand the stress of landing in the cockpit of an airplane – this is a remarkable range of topics. The intensity of the gaming experience is not linked to the number of people at the table; even games for two can broaden your view of the world. You are encouraged to try out new ways of thinking, cooperation and communication.
The nominees for Spiel des Jahres include French and Italian authors, Austrian game inventors dominate the nominees for Kinderspiel des Jahres, while English-speaking authors are predominantly represented in the Kennerspiel category. This shows how international the board game is. This guarantees that we can enjoy new creative ideas every year.
The jury members will decide which of the games nominated in each category will be crowned the winner on Sunday, July 16, immediately before the big awards ceremony. This will be broadcast as a YouTube livestream from Berlin.