The Spiel des Jahres (German for Game of the Year) is a prestigious award for board and card games. Spiel des Jahres This is a copyrighted and/or trademarked logo. ... A board game is a game played with counters or pieces that are placed on, removed from, or moved across a board (a premarked surface, usually specific to that game). ... // For the game on The Price Is Right, see Card Game (pricing game). ...

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] Year 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1978 Gregorian calendar). ...

Award criteria

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. German-style board games, also known as Euro board games, designer board games, family strategy games or hobby board games, are family games designed to appeal simultaneously to older children and adults. ... Glory, an American Civil War game by GMT This article is about the civilian hobby. ... Some childrens games include: Apple core Bad Egg Ball Tag Blind Mans Bluff British Bulldog Bullrush game Butts Up Cats cradle Chain tag Chopsticks (Hand game) Cocky Olly Conkers Cops and robbers Doctor Dodge ball Duck Duck Goose aka Duck, Duck, Gray Duck Flashlight tag Follow the...

The criteria on which a game will be evaluated are, generally speaking:

1. Game idea & originality
2. Rule structure & clarity
3. Presentation (art and parts)
4. Game mechanics

2007 awards

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. Queen Games is a publisher of German-style board games. ... Zooloretto is a board game designed by Michael Schacht, published in 2007 by Abacus Spiele and in English by Rio Grande Games. ... Rüdiger Dorn (born 1969) is a German-style board game designer. ... Ravensburger Spieleverlag GmbH is a German game company. ...

2006 awards

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 und Taxis was announced as winner on 17 July, 2006. Franckh-Kosmos Verlags-GmbH & Co. ... Thurn and Taxis is a board game designed by Karen and Andreas Seyfarth and published in 2006 by Hans im Glück in German and by Rio Grande Games in English. ... Received for the #1 game of 1994, Manhattan Andreas Seyfarth (November 6, 1962) is a German-style board game designer, most notably he created Puerto Rico, consistently ranked as the best board game ever [1]. In 2002 the game was awarded first place for the prestigious Deutscher Spiele Preis (German... Hans im Glück is a German board and card game publisher, named after the Grimm fairy tale Hans in Luck. ... Reiner Knizia is a prolific German-style board game designer. ...

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

Shadows Over Camelot is a medieval-themed boardgame designed by Serge Laget and Bruno Cathala. ... Days of Wonder logo Days of Wonder is a board game publisher based in the United States and France. ... Caylus is a strategy- and building-oriented German-style board game designed by William Attia and independently published in 2005 by in France and England and Rio Grande Games in North America. ...

2005 awards

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. Niagara is a German-style board game designed by Thomas Liesching and published in 2004 by Zoch zum Spielen and Rio Grande Games. ... Zoch GmbH is a German publisher of board games. ... Wolfgang Kramer (born June 29, 1942 in Stuttgart) is a German game designer. ... Michael Kiesling is a German board game designer. ... Ravensburger Spieleverlag GmbH is a German game company. ... Franckh-Kosmos Verlags-GmbH & Co. ... Jambo is a board game designed by Rüdiger Dorn and published in 2004 by Kosmos in German and by Rio Grande Games in English. ... Rüdiger Dorn (born 1969) is a German-style board game designer. ... Tilsit Editions is a French game publisher started in 1997 by Didier Jacobée. ...

Previous winners

Game of the year

This page lists board and card games, wargames, miniatures games, and table-top role-playing games published in 2007. ... Zooloretto is a board game designed by Michael Schacht, published in 2007 by Abacus Spiele and in English by Rio Grande Games. ... These are the Games Released in 2006(rumored) Amber Sparks:Ultimate Destruction 3:The X Files The Barnyard Brooke Fox:The Movie Cars(2006 movie) The Misadventures of Maya & Miguel Postcards From Buster 2 Spider-Man:The return of Doc-Ock True Crime:The Anna Kelley Experience WWE Raw 31... Thurn and Taxis is a board game designed by Karen and Andreas Seyfarth and published in 2006 by Hans im Glück in German and by Rio Grande Games in English. ... Received for the #1 game of 1994, Manhattan Andreas Seyfarth (November 6, 1962) is a German-style board game designer, most notably he created Puerto Rico, consistently ranked as the best board game ever [1]. In 2002 the game was awarded first place for the prestigious Deutscher Spiele Preis (German... Hans im Glück is a German board and card game publisher, named after the Grimm fairy tale Hans in Luck. ... see also: 2004 in games, 2006 in games 20Q — Radica Games 2005 in video gaming Categories: | | ... Niagara is a German-style board game designed by Thomas Liesching and published in 2004 by Zoch zum Spielen and Rio Grande Games. ... Zoch GmbH is a German publisher of board games. ... see also: 2003 in games, 2005 in games Games Released or Invented in 2004 San Juan (a card game based upon the board game Puerto Rico) Categories: Stub | 2004 ... Ticket to Ride is a railway-themed German-style board game designed by Alan R. Moon and published in 2004 by Days of Wonder. ... Alan R. Moon is a author of board games, born in Southampton, England, and currently living in the United States. ... Days of Wonder logo Days of Wonder is a board game publisher based in the United States and France. ... see also: 2002 in games, 2004 in games Games released or invented in 2003 Amun-Re Attika High Society (rereleased. ... This article is about the board game. ... Dirk Henn (1960–) is a German-style board game designer who was born in Aachen, Germany Dirk Henn is best known for his game Alhambra, which won the Spiel des Jahres and placed 2nd in the Deutscher Spiele Preis in 2003. ... Queen Games is a publisher of German-style board games. ... see also: 2001 in games, 2003 in games Games Released or Invented in 2002 A Game of Thrones collectible card game Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game Amber Sparks:Ultimate Destruction 2 Rachet and Clank Kingdom Hearts Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Mad Maestro Game awards given in 2002 Spiel... Villa Paletti is a board game of physical skill designed by Bill Payne and published in 2001 by Zoch Verlag. ... Bill Payne (born March 12, 1949 in Waco, TX) is one of the founding members of critically acclaimed American rock band Little Feat. ... see also: 2000 in games, 2002 in games Games Released or Invented in 2001 Amber Sparks:Ultimate Destruction(remake) Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting released for the 3rd edition Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game. ... Carcassonne is a tile-based German-style board game for two to five players, designed by Klaus-Jürgen Wrede and published in 2000 by Hans im Glück in German and Rio Grande Games in English. ... Klaus-Jürgen Wrede is the creator of the best-selling board game Carcassonne. ... see also: 1999 in games, 2001 in games Games Released or Invented in 2000 Amber Sparks:Ultimate Destruction Magi-Nation Duel Game awards given in 2000 Spiel des Jahres: Torres - Wolfgang Kramer and Michael Kiesling, Ravensburger Categories: Game stubs | 2000 ... Torres is a German-style board game designed by Wolfgang Kramer and Michael Kiesling and published in 1999 by FX Schmid in German and by Rio Grande Games in English. ... Wolfgang Kramer (born June 29, 1942 in Stuttgart) is a German game designer. ... Michael Kiesling is a German board game designer. ... Ravensburger Spieleverlag GmbH is a German game company. ... see also: 1998 in games, 2000 in games Games Released or Invented in 1999 Big Eyes, Small Mouth Soul Calibur The Pokémon Trading Card Game is first introduced to North America from Japan, and begins publication by the Wizards of the Coast company. ... Tikal is a German-style board game designed by Wolfgang Kramer and Michael Kiesling and published in 1999 by Ravensburger in German and by Rio Grande Games in English. ... see also: 1997 in games, 1999 in games Games Released or Invented in 1998 Alternity Banjo-Kazooie Doomtown Fallout 2 Future Cop: LAPD Gran Turismo Grim Fandango Half-Life Hot Shots Golf Incoming Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Metal Gear Solid Shogo: Mobile Armor Division Starcraft Tekken 3 Tomb... Elfenland is a German-style board game designed by Alan R. Moon and published by Amigo Games in Germany and Rio Grande Games in the United States in 1998. ... Amigo Spiele is a German board and card game publisher. ... 1997 in games ... see also: 1995 in games, 1997 in games Games Released or Invented in 1996 Crash Bandicoot NiGHTS Into Dreams Resident Evil Sonic 3D Blast Super Mario 64 Tomb Raider Netrunner collectible card game Ani-Mayhem CCG Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kongs Double Trouble! Super Mario RPG Kirby Super... El Grande is a German-style board game designed in 1996. ... Richard Ulrich is a German board game designer. ... see also: 1994 in games, 1996 in games Games Released or Invented in 1995 Star Wars Customizable Card Game Chrono Trigger Game awards given in 1995 Spiel des Jahres: The Settlers of Catan (German title is Die Siedler von Catan) - Klaus Teuber, Kosmos Categories: Game stubs | 1995 ... Settlers of Catan is a multiplayer board game invented by Klaus Teuber, first published in Germany by Franckh-Kosmos Verlags-GmbH & Co. ... Klaus Teuber Klaus Teuber (born 1952) is a well-known German designer of board games. ... Franckh-Kosmos Verlags-GmbH & Co. ... see also: 1993 in games, 1995 in games Games Released or Invented in 1994 Daytona USA Donkey Kong Country Final Fantasy VI Jazz Jackrabbit Killer Instinct Marathon Mickey Mania Mortal Kombat II Phantasy Star IV Star Trek Customizable Card Game Sonic the Hedgehog 3 Sonic and Knuckles Sonic Triple Trouble... Manhattan is a boardgame published by Mayfair Games in 1996. ... Received for the #1 game of 1994, Manhattan Andreas Seyfarth (November 6, 1962) is a German-style board game designer, most notably he created Puerto Rico, consistently ranked as the best board game ever [1]. In 2002 the game was awarded first place for the prestigious Deutscher Spiele Preis (German... see also: 1992 in games, 1994 in games Games Released or Invented in 1993 The collectible card game Magic: The Gathering, designed by Richard Garfield, is first published by Wizards of the Coast. ... Liars dice (liar dice) is a dice game for two or more players. ... Ravensburger logo Ravensburger Spieleverlag GmbH is a German game company. ... see also: 1991 in games, 1993 in games Games Released or Invented in 1992 Advanced Third Reich Sonic the Hedgehog 2 Super Mario Kart Street Fighter II Game awards given in 1992 Spiel des Jahres: Um Reifenbreite - Rob Bontenbal, Jumbo See also 1992 in video gaming Categories: | | ... see also: 1990 in games, 1992 in games Games Released or Invented in 1991 Advanced Civilization Amber Diceless Roleplaying Game F-Zero Greyhawk Wars Sonic the Hedgehog Super Mario World Street Fighter II Vampire: The Masquerade Game awards given in 1991 Spiel des Jahres: Drunter und Drüber - Klaus Teuber... Drunter und Drüber is a multiplayer board game invented by Klaus Teuber, first published in 1991 in Germany by Hans im Glück. ... see also: 1989 in games, 1991 in games Games Released or Invented in 1990 Ancients Game awards given in 1990 Spiel des Jahres: Adel Verpflichtet - Klaus Teuber, F.X. Schmid See also 1990 in video gaming Categories: Game stubs | 1990 ... Hoity Toity is a multiplayer board game invented by Klaus Teuber and currently published in USA by Ãœberplay. ... see also: 1988 in games, 1990 in games Game awards given in 1989 Spiel des Jahres: Café International - Rudi Hoffmann, Mattel See also 1989 in video gaming Categories: Game stubs | 1989 ... Mattel headquarters in El Segundo Mattel Inc. ... see also: 1987 in games, 1989 in games Game awards given in 1988 Spiel des Jahres: Barbarossa - Klaus Teuber, Altenburger und Stralsunder Spielkarten-Fabriken See also 1988 in video gaming Categories: | ... This article is about the board game. ... see also: 1986 in games, 1988 in games Game awards given in 1987 Spiel des Jahres: Auf Achse - Wolfgang Kramer, F.X. Schmid See also 1987 in video gaming Categories: Game stubs | 1987 ... Auf Achse is a song about unrequited love by the band Franz Ferdinand. ... see also: 1985 in games, 1987 in games Games Released or Invented in 1986 Blood Bowl Federation and Empire GURPS Samurai Swords Game awards given in 1986 Spiel des Jahres: Top Secret Spies (German title is ) - Wolfgang Kramer, Ravensburger See also 1986 in video gaming Categories: | ... Top Secret Spies Top Secret Spies (German name: ) is a spy-themed German-style board game designed by Wolfgang Kramer and published in 1984 by Ravensburger. ... see also: 1984 in games, 1986 in games Games Released or Invented in 1985 Advanced Squad Leader Game awards given in 1985 Spiel des Jahres: Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective - Raymond Edwards, Suzanne Goldberg and Gary Grady, Kosmos See also 1985 in video gaming Categories: 1985 ... Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective is a paragraph-based board game published by Sleuth Publications in 1981. ... see also: 1983 in games, 1985 in games Games Released or Invented in 1984 Axis and Allies BattleTech Conquest of the Empire Paranoia Game awards given in 1984 Spiel des Jahres: Railway Rivals (German title is Dampfross) - David Watts, Schmidt Spiele See also 1984 in video gaming Categories: | ... Railway Rivals is a railway development-themed board game designed by Glynn and David Watts and popularised by Games Workshop in 1985. ... David Leonard Watts (born 26 August 1951, St Helens, Merseyside) is a politician in the United Kingdom. ... see also: 1982 in games, 1984 in games Games Released or Invented in 1983 Ambush! B-17, Queen of the Skies Empires in Arms Palladium Game awards given in 1983 Spiel des Jahres: Scotland Yard - Werner Schlegel, Dorothy Garrels, Fritz Ifland, Manfred Burggraf, Werner Scheerer and Wolf Hoermann, Ravensburger See... London (plan of the Scotland Yard board game) Scotland Yard is a board game in which a team of players, as police, cooperate to track down a player controlling a criminal around a board representing the streets of London. ... see also: 1981 in games, 1983 in games Games Released or Invented in 1982 Champions Storm Over Arnhem Game awards given in 1982 Spiel des Jahres: Enchanted Forest (German title is Sagaland) - Alex Randolph and Michel Matschoss, Ravensburger See also 1982 in video gaming Categories: | ... Alex Randolph (4 May 1922 - 10 May 2004) was a designer of board games. ... see also: 1980 in games, 1982 in games Games Released or Invented in 1981 A House Divided Call of Cthulhu Car Wars Wings Game awards given in 1981 Spiel des Jahres: Focus - Sid Sackson, Parker See also 1981 in video gaming Categories: Game stubs | 1981 ... Focus is an abstract strategy board game, designed by Sid Sackson and published in 1964 by Kosmos. ... Sid Sackson (1920–November 6, 2002) was a significant American board game designer. ... The Parker Brothers logo. ... see also: 1979 in games, 1981 in games Games Released or Invented in 1980 DragonQuest Empires of the Middle Ages Rolemaster The Longest Day Titan Games awards given in 1980 Spiel des Jahres: Rummikub - Ephraim Hertzano, Intelli See also 1980 in video gaming Categories: | ... Rummikub is a tile-based game for two, three or four players. ... Ephraim Hertzano was a Jewish Israeli designer of board games. ... see also: 1978 in games, 1980 in games Games Released or Invented in 1979 Asteroids, a vector-based video arcade game Napoleon at Leipzig Star Fleet Battles The Creature that Ate Sheboygan Trivial Pursuit Games awards given in 1979 Spiel des Jahres: Hare and Tortoise - David Parlett, Ravensburger See also... Hare and Tortoise is a German-style_board_game designed by David Parlett in 1974 first published by Intellect Games UK. It was 1978 released in Germany by Ravensburger where the game became a huge hit. ... David Parlett is a card games specialist. ...

Children's game of the year

Habermaaß GmbH is a publisher of board games, based in Bad Rodach, Germany. ... Selecta, owned by the food giant Unilever with the Philippines RFM corporation (its original owner) as its partner. ... Klondike is a board game released in 1975 by Gamma Two Games based on the gold rush in the Canadian Yukon. ... Christian Wolff (less correctly Wolf) (January 24, 1679 - April 9, German philosopher. ... Martin Arnold (born 1959 in Vienna, Austria) is an experimental filmmaker known for his obsessive reworkings of found footage. ... For the Oakland Athletics outfielder, see Milton Bradley (baseball player) The Milton Bradley Company is an American game company established by Milton Bradley in Springfield, Massachusetts in 1860. ... Herder is the name of a German family, named after the pastoral profession. ... Alex Randolph (4 May 1922 - 10 May 2004) was a designer of board games. ...

Special awards

Caylus is a strategy- and building-oriented German-style board game designed by William Attia and independently published in 2005 by in France and England and Rio Grande Games in North America. ... Shadows Over Camelot is a medieval-themed boardgame designed by Serge Laget and Bruno Cathala. ... Days of Wonder logo Days of Wonder is a board game publisher based in the United States and France. ... Lord of the Rings is a family board game designed by Reiner Knizia based on The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien. ... Games of physical skill or dexterity test the body more than the brain, although strategic thinking may be required. ... Alex Randolph (4 May 1922 - 10 May 2004) was a designer of board games. ... A puzzle is a problem or enigma that challenges ingenuity. ... For other uses, see Faust (disambiguation). ... Amazing Labyrinth is a board game for 2 – 4 players, designed by Max J. Kobbert and published by Ravensburger. ... A cooperative game is a game where groups of players (coalitions) may enforce cooperative behaviour, hence the game is a competition between coalitions of players, rather than between individual players. ... Leo Colovini is a designer of German-style board games. ... It has been suggested that Jumbo the Circus Elephant be merged into this article or section. ... International Team France was a wargame company, founded by Renzo Angelosanto and Marco Donadoni in 1979. ... Variations of Rubiks Cubes (from left to right: Rubiks Revenge, Rubiks Cube, Professors Cube, & Pocket Cube). ... Ernő Rubik Ernő Rubik (born July 13, 1944) is a Hungarian inventor, sculptor and professor of architecture. ...

See also

• Deutscher Spiele Preis
• International Gamers Award
• Jeu de l'année
• Mensa Select
• Origins Award

The Deutscher Spiele Preis (German for German Game Prize) is an award for German-style games. ... The International Gamers Award is an award for strategy board games and historical simulation games. ... The Jeu de lannée (French for Game of the Year) is a French games award, given by the Association de Promotion et dEvaluation des Jeux. ... Mensa Select is an award given by American Mensa to five board games that are original, challenging and well designed at the annual Mind Games competition. ... The Origins Awards, presented by the Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts and Design, are presented at the Origins International Game Expo for outstanding work in the game industry. ...

References

1. ^ Scott Tepper. SDJ By The Numbers. Boardgame News. Retrieved on 30-05-2007.
2. ^ Boardgame News article. Retrieved on 2006-05-30.

Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 150th day of the year (151st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• Spiel des Jahres official website
• Spiel des Jahres winners and Kinderspiel des Jahres winners at BoardGameGeek