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Kosmos The Crew
German
The Top 10 of the German Games Award 2020
4.11.2020
Translation: machine translated
Every year, the German Games Prize is awarded at the International Games Days in Essen. This year, Thomas Sing's "The Crew" takes the crown.
The German Games Award has been presented at "SPIEL", the largest trade fair for board games, for 30 years. Only new products that were launched on the market between the middle of the previous year and the middle of the current year are eligible for the Audience Award. As the trade fair was held digitally this year due to the coronavirus, the German Games Award ceremony was also moved online.
The winner of this year's main prize and winner of the German Games Award is:
"The Crew" by Thomas Sing (Kosmos Verlag)
Thomas Sing has done it: he has won the "Connoisseur Game of the Year" award and the German Games Prize. Congratulations!
This is what "The Crew" is all about: You are a member of a crew that wants to find an unknown planet in 50 missions. I've already played it several times and haven't yet reached the last mission. The game is ideal for immersing yourself in the world of co-operative games. The clear advantage of this game, which is clearly reminiscent of Jassen, is that there is no alpha player. So no one who can order others around in the game.
- 2 - 5 players
- From 10 years
- First mission: 5 minutes
The other places on the top 10 list of the German Game Prize are taken by equally outstanding titles by important German and foreign game designers and publishers:
2. "The Cartographer" by Jordy Adan (Pegasus Spiele)
The cartographer draws. The pictures don't have to be beautiful, but they must be recognisable. You should be able to distinguish trees from houses. Great game and quick to learn, even though it has been labelled as an expert game by the publisher. You can even play it alone if no one has time.
- From 1 player
- From 10 years
- approx. 40 minutes
3. "Maracaibo" by Alexander Pfister (Game's Up)
This game takes you to the Caribbean of the 17th century. You sail from place to place to increase your influence in three nations. Special feature: It includes an optional story mode with legacy games that change the game with every game.
- 1 to 4 players
- From 12 years
- approx. 30 minutes per game
4. "Hydropower" by Tommaso Battista and Simone Luciani (Tierra del Fuego)
In this expert game, you build dams and hydroelectric power stations in the mountains. The aim is to use them to generate the energy that the world so urgently needs. The innovative construction roundabout is one of the highlights of the game.
- 1 to 4 players
- From 14 years
- 60 to 120 minutes
5. "Cooper Island" by Andreas Odendahl (Frosted Games and Pegasus Spiele)
Another expert game in which you explore an unknown island. Each player has their own peninsula. The mechanics and actions are clear, but it is an absolute game of scarcity. You will often have too little of everything, and you will notice this immediately when playing for the first time. But your ambition will soon get the better of you and you'll want to improve your score.
- 1 to 4 players
- From 12 years
- 60 to 90 minutes
6. "Glen More II: Chronicles" by Matthias Cramer (Funtails)
Glen More 2 is a moderate connoisseur game. The centrepiece is a rondel. The player who is furthest behind is allowed to choose a location in front of them and build it. The location just built is activated, as are all directly neighbouring locations. This means that you receive resources or points. On the Highlands game board, you can secure further bonuses thanks to clans. The special thing is that further game elements can be added. This makes each game gradually more complex.
- 2 to 4 players
- From 12 years
- 90 to 120 minutes
7. "Crystal Palace" by Carsten Lauber (Tierra del Fuego)
A connoisseur game about the first world exhibition in 1851. Each player represents a country in order to present spectacular inventions, generate as much attention as possible and win over influential personalities. Dice are placed (not rolled), with each roll costing money. However, money is always in short supply and a game often lasts longer than indicated.
- 2 to 5 players
- From 14 years
- 90 to 150 minutes
8th "Parks" by Henry Audubon (Tierra del Fuego)
In Parks, players walk along a hiking trail where they collect resources, called memories here, and have to pay for them at the end of the trail in order to visit national parks. These bring victory points. After each hike, the path is shuffled and laid out again. A game of Parks ends after four seasons and the hiker with the most points wins.
- 1 to 5 players
- From 10 years
- 45 minutes
9th "Marco Polo II - Im Auftrag des Khan" by Simone Luciani and Daniele Tascini (Hans im Glück Verlag / Distribution: Asmodee)
The first part, also an expert game, won the 2015 German Games Award. In the second part, Marco Polo has arrived in Beijing and is travelling the routes of Asia on behalf of the Khan. You travel from city to city, trading goods and fulfilling orders. The dice have to be used skilfully, and high numbers are not automatically good. It is important to use the right dice at the right time, also with regard to your fellow players. The clever travel mechanics and the guilds take centre stage in the sequel, making the game a worthy successor.
- 2 to 4 players
- From 12 years
- 60 - 120 minutes
10. "Paladins of the West Frankish Empire" by Shem Phillips and S. J. Macdonald (Gravity Publishing)
In this connoisseur game, you find yourself in the year 900 and are threatened by foreigners and Vikings. You play over seven rounds. Each round, you choose a paladin who gives bonuses in the current round. You can carry out actions with the workers you receive: For example, you can build a wall, recruit a town dweller or attack a foreigner. Core elements are strength, influence and faith, which are often required to carry out certain actions. The nice thing is that you get a little "aha" experience after every turn by understanding the connections between the actions.
- 1 to 4 players
- From 14 years
- approx. 120 minutes
The winner of the German Children's Games Award 2020 was also announced. This year's prize goes to:
"Andor Junior" by Inka and Markus Brand (Kosmos Verlag)
Andor Junior conjures up co-operative fun based on the great role model The Legends of Andor (2013 Kennerspiel des Jahres). Depending on the scenario and difficulty, the group of heroes has to fulfil several quests. Once these have been completed, they head into the dark cave to rescue the wolf cubs. Here, children can take full responsibility for their actions in an adventure game, which makes the game powerful.
- 2 to 4 players
- From 7 years
- 30 - 45 minutes per scenario
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Alessandro Grieco
Passionierter Brett- und Kartenspieler
Every week, I organize board game evenings in a private setting. I am open to all games. I also like puzzles and Escape Rooms. I am not afraid of challenges.