The Spiel des Jahres (Game of the year) is an award of excellence for board games released in the German market. Established in 1978 the award is given to family-style games that are superior in playability, rules clarity, layout and functionality. In 1989 the Kinderspiel des Jahres (Children’s Game of the year) was established to reward the best children’s game of the year. In 2011 the Kennerspiel des Jahres (Connoisseur-gamer Game of the year) was formalised to acknowledge excellence in complex games. In each category, three games are nominated and one is chosen as the winner.
The Spiel des Jahres 2021 results were announced in May, and we would like to share our thoughts with you about them. If you are interested in these or want to buy board games online, More Than Meeples would love to help you find the perfect game for your family and friends!
Spiel des Jahres 2021
Winner – Micro Macro: Crime City
The 2021 Spiel des Jahres committee made an excellent choice in selecting MicroMacro: Crime City. Players must cooperate to locate clues hidden on a giant city map in order to locate the criminals. The map also operates as a timer so the sleuths will need to be efficient with their time. 16 cases are included so there more than enough fun packed in this small box.
Average Playtime: 15-45 minutes
Recommended Age: 12+
Number of Players: 1-4
Difficulty (BGG Weight): 1.13/5
The Adventures of Robin Hood
Designed by the extraordinary artist Michael Menzel, this cooperative game pits the players as Robin Hood and his friends versus the foul Prince John and his henchmen. A lavish production that includes a hardcover book to aid storytelling, The Adventures of Robin Hood was a well-deserved contender for the 2021 Spiel des Jahres.
Average Playtime: 60 minutes
Recommended Age: 10+
Number of Players: 2-4
Difficulty (BGG Weight): 1.72/5
Zombie Teenz Evolution
Work together with your friends to fight off hordes of zombies, collect the required 4 ingredients, and make the antidote that will keep the world safe. A fast and easy game that takes a bit of strategic thinking but is highly re-playable.
Average Playtime: 15-25 minutes
Recommended Age: 8+
Number of Players: 2-4
Difficulty (BGG Weight): 1.29/5
Kennerspiel des Jahres 2021
Commonly referred to as ‘Gamers games’, the entries on this list are meant for more experienced board gamers and represent an increased challenge to players.
Paleo
A cooperative game set in the stone age, players need to look after their clever humans and successfully complete quests by using their various skills. In their way are a variety of obstacles which will deplete life points causing a bad end for the humans. Contains lots of variabilities so no two games will play out the same.
Average Playtime: 45-60 minutes
Recommended Age: 10+
Number of Players: 1-4
Difficulty (BGG Weight): 2.6/5
Buy the Paleo Board Game
Fantasy Realms
Taking on the role of ruler of the realm players are tasked with creating the best kingdom out of their hand of cards. They will need to optimise card combos and make difficult choices. Do they build up their military to claim a martial victory or do they concentrate on learning magic to conquer a mysterious island surrounded by flames? Fast paced and easy to learn!
Average Playtime: 20 minutes
Recommended Age: 14+
Number of Players: 3-6
Difficulty (BGG Weight): 1.75/5
Lost Ruins of Arnak
Players adventure out to an island lost to time leading an expedition to discover the lost ruins of Arnak. Uses deckbuilding and worker placement to create a unique game every time it’s played. The variety of decisions and limits to resources force the players into making tough tactical choices. Highly thematic, Lost Ruins of Arnak is a challenging strategic game.
Average Playtime: 30-120 minutes
Recommended Age: 12+
Number of Players: 1-4
Difficulty (BGG Weight): 2.86/5
Buy the Lost Ruins of Arnak Board Game
Kennerspiel des Jahres 2021
This award is to children’s games what the Spiel des Jahres is to family games.
Dragomino
Players act as dragon trainers and compete to find the most baby dragons. Dragomino is the newest edition to the Kingdomino family. Players attempt to match terrain tiles to gain a Dragon Egg, which is worth a point, and the player with the most points wins at the end. The tiles are gorgeous and the game is easy to play.
Average Playtime: 15 minutes
Recommended Age: 5+
Number of Players: 2-4
Difficulty (BGG Weight): 1.22/5
Storytailors
A story driven card game, Storytailors see the players join Wilfried and Marie (the in-game characters) on amazing adventures to fill their magic story with fantastic characters. Cards are used in conjunction with a storybook to help the players decide what happens in the story and who it happens to. The book and card are illustrated beautifully and it’s the perfect game for getting together to tell a story.
Average Playtime: 20-30 minutes
Recommended Age: 5+
Number of Players: 2-6
Difficulty (BGG Weight): 1.5/5
Mia London and the Case of the 625 Scoundrels
Players help ace detective Mia London find which of the 625 scoundrels committed a crime. Clues are revealed via a flipbook and the young detectives need to remember what the criminals were wearing to collect their clues and catch the scoundrel. Silly looking monsters and the outrageous combinations they generate make this a funny and engaging game for kids.
Average Playtime: 10-15 minutes
Recommended Age: 5+
Number of Players: 2-4
Difficulty (BGG Weight): 1.0/5
Need more Family Fun?
The 2021 Spiel des Jahres is the most current cycle of awards, but they go back several decades which means you have a lot of interesting choices in games to make. As a your local board game shop, More Than Meeple would love to see you explore some of these titles and help you find a game you’ll love, feel free to contact us with any questions you may have.
