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It's that time of year again!
The nominees for the prestigious Spiel des Jahres have been announced, and as always its a stunning list of games that spans a wide range of mechanics and themes. A refresher on the three categories: the Spiel des Jahres is for the overall game of the year, the Kinderspiel des Jahres is for the best children’s games, and the Kennerspiel des Jahres is for the best “connoisseur” or “expert” game.
So without further ado, this year's nominees are:
Spiel des Jahres 2020
My City by Reiner Knizia
Publisher: Kosmos
Illustration: Michael Menzel
An innovative city puzzle for 2 to 4 players, ages 10+
Nova Luna by Uwe Rosenberg and Corné van Moorsel
Publisher: Edition Spielwiese and Pegasus Spiele
Illustration: Lukas Siegmon
An astral placement game for 1 to 4 players, ages 8+
Pictures by Daniela Stöhr and Christian Stöhr
Publisher: PD-Verlag
Illustration: Dominik Mayer
A pictorial creative game for 3 to 5 players, ages 8+
The winner will be announced on 20th July 2020.
Kinderspiel des Jahres 2020
Foto Fish by Michael Kallauch
Publisher: Logis
A colourful reaction game for 2 to 4 players, ages 4+
Hedgehog Roll by Urtis Šulinskas
Publisher: Piatnik and Lifestyle Boardgames
Illustration: Irina Pechenkina
An action/dexterity game for 1 to 4 players, ages 4+
Wir sind die Roboter by Reinhard Staupe
Publisher: NSV
Illustration: Oliver Freudenreich
A cooperative assessment game for 2 to 6 players, ages 5+
The winner will be announced on 15th June 2020.
Kennerspiel des Jahres 2020
Cartographers: A Roll Player Tale by Jordy Adan
Publisher: Pegasus Spiele
Illustration: Luis Francisco and Lucas Ribeiro
A cartographic landscape puzzle for 1 to 8 players, ages 10+
The Crew: The Quest for Planet Nine by Thomas Sing
Publisher: Kosmos
Illustration: Marco Armbruster
A cooperative space journey for 3 to 5 players, ages 10+
The King's Dilemma by Lorenzo Silva and Hjalmar Hach
Publisher: HG and Heidelbär Games
Illustration: Giorgio Baroni and Giulia Ghigini
A historic negotiating game for 4 to 5 players, ages 14+
The winner will be announced on 20th July 2020.
I have to say that the real standout game for me is The King's Dilemma, as it really was one of the most absorbing legacy experiences I have ever come across, so even against its stiff competition that would be my prediction for the Kennerspiel des Jahres. As for the other categories, any game by Reiner Knizia is always going to be a favourite for the Spiel des Jahres, but I'd have to say Nova Luna for overall quality and innovation. As for the Kinderspiel des Jahres, I'll reserve judgement as I haven't actually played any of the nominees (but Hedgehog Roll looks super cute and fun!).
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