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Spiel des Jahres
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Spiel des Jahres (German for Game of the Year) is a prestigious award for board and card games.
The award was created in 1978 to reward excellence in game design, and to promote top-quality games in the German market. It is thought that the existence and popularity of the award is one of the major drivers of the quality of games coming out of Germany. A Spiel des Jahres nomination can increase the typical sales of a game from 500-3000 copies to around 10,000; and the winner can usually expect to sell 300,000 to 500,000 copies.[1]
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The award is given by a jury of German boardgame critics, who review games released in Germany in the preceding twelve months. The games considered for the award are family-style games; wargames, role-playing games, collectible card games, and other complicated, highly-competitive, or hobbyist games are outside the scope of the award. Since 1989, there has been a separate award for children's games. Along with the nominations, the jury also gives a list of recommended games, and occasionally gives out special prizes for games which will not be considered for the main award.
The criteria on which a game will be evaluated are, generally speaking:
- Game idea & originality
- Rule structure & clarity
- Presentation (art and parts)
- Game mechanics
The nominations for the 2007 award were released on 20 May, 2007. The five games nominated were:
- The Thief of Baghdad - Thorsten Gimmler, Queen Games
- Zooloretto - Michael Schacht, Abacus Spiele
- Jenseits von Theben - Peter Prinz, Queen Games
- Arkadia - Rüdiger Dorn, Ravensburger
- Yspahan - Sébastien Pauchon, Ẏstari Games
Zooloretto was announced as winner on 25 June, 2007.
The nominations for the 2006 award were released on 28 May, 2006. The five games nominated were:
- Seeräuber - Stefan Dorra, Queen Games
- Aqua Romana - Martin Schlegel, Queen Games
- Just 4 Fun - Jürgen P.K. Grunau, Kosmos
- Thurn and Taxis - Karen & Andreas Seyfarth, Hans im Glück
- Blue Moon City - Reiner Knizia, Kosmos
Thurn and Taxis was announced as winner on 17 July, 2006.
Along with the nominations, the jury also assigned two special prizes for games which it felt were too demanding to count as 'family style' games.[2]
- Best fantasy game: Shadows over Camelot - Serge Laget and Bruno Cathala, Days of Wonder
- Best complex game: Caylus - William Attia, Ẏstari Games
The nominations for the 2005 award were released on 8 May, 2005. The five games nominated were:
- Niagara - Thomas Liesching, Zoch Verlag
- Verflixxt - Wolfgang Kramer and Michael Kiesling, Ravensburger
- Around the World in 80 Days - Michael Rieneck, Kosmos
- Jambo - Rüdiger Dorn, Kosmos
- Himalaya - Régis Bonnessée, Tilsit Editions
Niagara was announced to be the winner on 27 June, 2005.
| Year | Prize | Winner | Designer | Publisher |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Best complex game | Caylus | William Attia | Ẏstari Games |
| Best fantasy game | Shadows Over Camelot | Serge Laget and Bruno Cathala | Days of Wonder | |
| 2005 | no special prizes awarded | |||
| 2004 | no special prizes awarded | |||
| 2003 | no special prizes awarded | |||
| 2002 | no special prizes awarded | |||
| 2001 | Best use of history in a game | Troia | Thomas Fackler | Zeitstein Spiele |
| Best use of literature in a game | Lord of the Rings | Reiner Knizia | Kosmos | |
| 2000 | no special prizes awarded | |||
| 1999 | no special prizes awarded | |||
| 1998 | no special prizes awarded | |||
| 1997 | Best game of skill | Husarengolf | Torsten Marold | Abacus |
| Most beautiful game | Aztec | Niek Neuwahl | Zoch Spiele | |
| 1996 | Best game of skill | Carabande | Jean du Poel | Goldsieber |
| Most beautiful game | Venice Connection | Alex Randolph | Drei Magier Spiele | |
| 1995 | Best puzzle | 3D Krimi-Puzzle | no specific designer | Milton Bradley |
| Most beautiful game | Tri-Ba-Lance | Michael Sohre | Theta Promotions | |
| 1994 | Most beautiful game | Doctor Faust | Reinhold Wittig | Blatz Spiele |
| 1993 | Most beautiful game | Kula Kula | Reinhold Wittig | Blatz Spiele |
| 1992 | no special prizes awarded | |||
| 1991 | Most beautiful game | Master Labyrinth | Max Kobbert | Ravensburger |
| 1990 | Most beautiful game | Life Style | no specific designer | Ravensburger |
| 1989 | Most beautiful game | Henne Berta | Geni Wyss | Habermaaß |
| 1988 | Best cooperative game | Sauerbaum | Johannes Tranelis | Herder |
| Most beautiful game | Inkognito | Alex Randolph and Leo Colovini | Milton Bradley | |
| 1987 | Most beautiful game | Tatort Nachtexpress | Jeff Smets | Jumbo |
| 1986 | Most beautiful game | Müller & Sohn | Reinhold Wittig | Kosmos |
| 1985 | Most beautiful game | Die drei Magier | Johann Rüttinger | Drei Magier Spiele |
| 1984 | Most beautiful game | Uisge | Roland Siegers | Hexagames |
| 1983 | Most beautiful game | Wir füttern die kleinen Nilpferde | Reinhold Wittig | Edition Perlhuhn |
| 1982 | Most beautiful game | Skript | Henri Sala | Jumbo |
| 1981 | Most beautiful game | Ra | Marco Donadoni | International Team |
| 1980 | Best puzzle | Rubik's cube | Ernő Rubik | Arxon |
| Most beautiful game | Spiel | Reinhold Wittig | Edition Perlhuhn | |
| 1979 | Most beautiful game | Seti | no specific designer | Bütehorn |
- ^ Scott Tepper. SDJ By The Numbers. Boardgame News. Retrieved on 30-05-2007.
- ^ Boardgame News article. Retrieved on 2006-05-30.
- Spiel des Jahres official website
- Spiel des Jahres winners and Kinderspiel des Jahres winners at BoardGameGeek