German board game award Spiel des Jahres has announced its Game of the Year nominations for 2023, with the top family games recently released.

The verdict is in and the 2023 winner of the Spiel de Jahres award is out. Today, we’re looking at the nominations and congratulating the 2023 Spiel des Jahres Winner.

MORE SPIEL DES JAHRES WINNERS: 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018

Spiel des Jahres 2023 Winner

Dorfromantik: The Board Game

Dorfromantik: The Board Game is a strategic tile-laying experience inspired by the beloved video game. Players create charming rural landscapes by placing hexagonal tiles depicting forests, rivers, meadows, and buildings. The goal is to connect tiles and expand the countryside while fulfilling objectives for points.

Careful planning is essential to maximize scoring potential, as players must balance resource management and spatial constraints. Unlocking new tiles adds depth and variety to the gameplay.

With its captivating artwork and immersive mechanics, Dorfromantik offers a relaxing and creative tabletop adventure. It invites players to strategically craft idyllic landscapes, fostering a sense of tranquility and rewarding their ingenuity.

Spiel des Jahres Nominees 2023

Fun Facts

Fun Fact is an entertaining and engaging tabletop experience that brings a world of fascinating trivia and knowledge to players’ fingertips. Designed to entertain and educate, this game is filled with interesting facts from a wide range of subjects.

In Fun Facts, players compete to answer trivia questions and complete challenges to earn points. The game covers diverse topics such as history, science, pop culture, sports, and more, ensuring a wealth of knowledge is shared during gameplay.

With its accessible rules and varying difficulty levels, Fun Facts caters to players of all ages and knowledge levels. It encourages friendly competition, sparks conversations, and enhances players’ understanding of the world around them.

Next Station London

Next Station London is an immersive and strategic board game that invites players to embark on an exciting journey through the bustling city of London. Set in the world of public transportation, this game challenges players to manage and expand their own network of bus and underground routes.

In Next Station London, players strategically place route cards to connect iconic landmarks, neighborhoods, and transportation hubs across the city. They must navigate through the city’s ever-changing demands, balancing passenger needs, limited resources, and unexpected events.

As the game progresses, players must optimize their routes, adapt to changing conditions, and outmaneuver their opponents to become the most successful transport tycoon. With a combination of tactical decision-making, resource management, and a dash of luck, players will experience the excitement and challenges of running a thriving public transportation system.

Recommended Games

In addition to the nominees and winner, the Spiel des Jahres jury also has a recommended list of games that should be on everyone’s radar. 

Akropolis

Hitster

Kuzooka

Q.E. (Quantitative Easing)

Mantis

That’s not a Hat

Spiel des Jahres Criteria

Established in 1978, the renowned Spiel des Jahres award holds a revered status in the world of German board games, standing the test of time. Initially dedicated to family-focused games, the award expanded its horizons in 1989 with the inclusion of a children’s category and later introduced the esteemed ‘Kennerspiel’ category in 2011.

The Spiel Des Jahres is the most prestigious board game award in the industry. It is a private organization that started writing about board games and granting their favorites the award since 1979.

The Judges are all experts in the industry and the number of judges shifts as more are added to the panel or retire. There is no set number, so it’s constantly shifting. All judges are completely unbiased and do not receive any compensation for judging except for reimbursement for expenses to and from the judgment meetings.

Only nominations and winners are published. Among other criteria, the games being judged must be published in German. This is due to it being a German company, and only the German versions are judged. 

Some other criteria they look for are:

• New gaming concepts and how they’ve been realized.
• Player engagement.
• An organic playing experience.
• Rulesets and approachability. 
• Components and how they enhance the gaming experience.
• Artwork 

These are just some of the things they look for. If you’re interested in learning more, they have a very extensive FAQ section on their website. 

Congratulations to all of the nominees and the winners! Now it’s time to go try them out.

While we may not boast the same longevity as Spiel des Jahres, GameCows holds its own perspective on the greatest board games of all time. We confidently offer recommendations for the finest family and kids’ board games, ensuring your collection is brimming with exceptional choices.

Have you tried any of 2023’s nominees or winners? What did you think? Let us know with a comment below. We’d love to hear from you!