The Kennerspiel des Jahres is the award for the chewier end of the hobby, the games that ask a bit more of you than a family filler. When the jury revealed its 2026 picks on 19 May, the three nominees got the headlines. But the jury also named a four-game recommendation list, and it is well worth a look if you fancy something with more bite.
Got a regular group? Create a private community, poll for the best date, vote on games, and let your friends RSVP in one place.
Set up your group for freeThe standout for many gamers will be Artengarten from Feuerland Spiele. It takes Mathias Wigge's sprawling hit Arche Nova and distils it into a leaner zoo-builder for one to five players, trading the original's marathon length for something closer to an hour. Same satisfying puzzle of animals, habitats and conservation projects, far less table time.
Frosted Blooms brings a pedigree of its own. It is a pentomino tile-laying game about cultivating the prettiest tulip garden, designed by Bruno Cathala, the mind behind Kingdomino, alongside Ludovic Maublanc.
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Start organising for freeCity-builders get a look in with Grundstein von Metropolis, the German edition of Foundations of Metropolis. That is Emerson Matsuuchi's brand-new follow-up to the popular Foundations of Rome, where you buy up empty lots and stack physical building pieces into ever grander structures.
Rounding out the list is Tag Team from Le Scorpion Masqué, the studio behind the two-player hit Sky Team. It is a competitive auto-battler and deck-builder for two, where you pair up arcade-style fighters and trade blows in roughly fifteen minutes.
The trophies are awarded in Berlin on 12 July. If your group has worked through the usual suspects and wants a fresh challenge, this four-strong list is a solid place to start. Hunting for fellow gamers to take them on? Find a gaming community near you.
Sources: Spiel des Jahres | Arcane Wonders | Le Scorpion Masqué
