Spiel Des Jahres 2019 Nominees Announced
May 22, 2019 by cassn
Spiel des Jahres have announced the shortlists for their 2019 awards, and there are some familiar names on the lists!
Now celebrating its 41st year, the Spiel des Jahres rewards excellence in game design and promotes top-quality gaming experiences. This year the award appears to have focused on small games which are easy to learn and play.
There are three main nominations for the Game of the Year: Just One, Werewords, and L.A.M.A. All three are small games, with both Werewords and Just One are hidden word games which take deduction and co-operation to win. The last game, L.A.M.A. by Reiner Knizia, is a tactical hand management game which the jury has stated 'has the potential to become a classic'.
There are also three nominees for the Kennerspiel des Jahres - the Enthusiasts Game of the Year; Ignacy Trzewiczek's Detective: A Modern Crime Board Game, Stefan Feld's Carpe Diem, and Elizabeth Hargrave's Wingspan.
Finally, the Kinderspiel des Jahres (Children's Game of the Year) also sees three nominees: Tal der Wikinger, Fabulantica, and Go, Gecko, Go! - a dice-rolling river racing game with strategic movement mechanics!
The 2019 awards come with a little controversy, as both Werewords and Detective include digital apps which enhance gameplay, leading some purists to question their validity as tabletop games. However, Chairman Harald Schrapers has stated that although some of the nominated games utilize digital technology, the real joy remains between the physical interaction between players.
The Spiel des Jahres is perhaps the most prestigious award in the board game industry - winners can expect to sell up to half a million copies based on the committee's recommendation. OnTabletop would like to extend our best wishes to all the nominees ahead of the final selection in July in Berlin.
Who do you think should take the 2019 Spiel des Jahres crown? Comment below!
"The most prestigious award in the board game industry!"
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I haven’t played one of them and heard only of one… so…. *throws dice* Block…. oh, those where Blood Bowl dice *shrug* 😉
I have Wingspan, it is a super thematic game with loads of re playability.
A very pretty game, with high quality components adds to the package.
Any game beating Wingspan to the title will have to really pull out all the stops and then some!
I’m really interested to play Wingspan. I like birds…which I think helps haha.
One on my list for UKGE if I see it, for sure!