The Spiel des Jahres nominees announced on 19 May took the spotlight, and rightly so. But the jury quietly handed out something just as useful for anyone who runs a regular game night: its recommendation list. Six more family games the jury reckons deserve a spot on your table, no shortlist drama required.
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See how it worksThink of the Empfehlungsliste as a pre-vetted shopping list. These are games that did not quite make the three-title nomination cut but still cleared the bar of one of the hobby's most demanding juries.
Top of the list for curiosity value is Wilmot's Warehouse, a cooperative memory and storytelling game for two to six players that runs about half an hour. It is adapted from the 2019 indie video game by Richard Hogg and Ricky Haggett: you sort daft warehouse goods into a layout you will remember, then race the clock to fetch them when the orders pour in.
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Find events near youReiner Knizia lands a spot with Meister Makatsu (Amigo), a sharp little ninja-themed card game for two to six. Knizia is having a year: he is also up for the Kennerspiel des Jahres with Rebirth. Also recommended: Take Time (Libellud), a wordless cooperative card game where you place cards around a clock face and hope each section scores higher than the last; Hot Streak, Jon Perry's daft betting-and-racing party game for up to nine and a double Golden Geek winner this year; Toy Battle (Repos Production), a quick two-player area-control scrap; and Toriki: The Castaway Island (Mirakulus), an app-driven cooperative survival adventure.
The winners get crowned in Berlin on 12 July. Until then, these six are a ready-made answer to "what should we play next?" Round up your group and work through the list. If you need a few more players, find a game night near you.
Sources: Spiel des Jahres | CMYK Games | BoardGameWire
