It comes that time of the year when one of the biggest board game conventions in the world, the Essen Spiel, is just around the corner. If you’re a board gamer, this is an event you don’t want to miss. The halls will be packed with games of all types and publishers, so it can be tough to know which ones to check out. That’s why we’ve put together a list of 10 games to look for at Essen Spiel 2022. Whether you’re into card games or strategy titles, there’s something for everyone here. So prepare your calendar and get ready for some serious gaming!
10. Autobahn
Design the Autobahn, the world’s most famous highway and a true testament to German engineering.
The board game Autobahn simulates the planning, building, and developing of the motorway system in Germany from the end of World War II to nowadays. The player is responsible for managing and developing the German Federal Highway System. Build roads, facilitate the transport of goods to neighboring countries, and construct petrol stations. Be a part of the development of the network and gain seats on the administration boards of each highway. Your board members will eventually advance to more prestigious positions. Optimizing your efficiency can build your reputation and access new scoring opportunities. Plan your contributions strategically and increase your chances of success.
This board game is based on actual events. It offers an insight into the complex process of planning and constructing a motorway system. It is a captivating game that allows players to experience first-hand the challenges and opportunities of designing one of the most remarkable engineering feats of the 20th century.
9. Sabika
Sabika is a board game in which players contribute to constructing the towers, gardens, and palaces of the ancient monument of Alhambra, an ancient palace and fortress in Spain. Players must establish trade routes through Europe and the Maghreb to generate income to pay tribute to the Catholic Monarchs. In exchange for their work, players receive military protection against the many conflicts of the Taifas Kingdom. The game uses a novel mechanism that integrates three interrelated rondels. Players earn prestige by constructing Alhambra, carving poems into Alhambra halls, and exporting goods along the trade routes. The game finishes at the end of the fifth round. The winner is the player with the most prestige points.
The game can be played by one to four players and takes one to two hours to complete. Sabika is an enjoyable and challenging board game that gives players a unique perspective on history and architecture.
8. Rise
Rise, a board game published by Capstone Games, has received much attention lately. You are responsible for a city’s economic and social development in Rise. You influence how to provide citizens’ well-being through culture, science, or political relations while considering environment conservation and population satisfaction. Players move their markers on ten tracks to gain effects and gather influence. There is also a unique card mechanism that includes both events and decisions. Can you balance your decisions to make progress without making your population unhappy or damaging the environment? After 12 rounds, the game ends, and players count their points to determine who earned the most influence in the city and wins the game.
Rise is a board game that uniquely captures the experience of city-building and management. In Rise, players must choose how to allocate resources, develop infrastructure, and provide services to their citizens. It is highly replayable, with a variable game setup that offers thousands of different options, allowing players to create unique combinations each time they play.
7. Come Together
Bring the 60s music festivals to life with Come Together! In this board game, players take on the role of festival organizers, working to attract the biggest crowds and the hottest artists. The game is set in the 1960s when young people embraced freedom, friendship, and love. Festivals provided a perfect opportunity for them to come together and enjoy the ultimate life experience. The game features various challenges, from attracting the right audience to booking the hottest artists, using volunteers to build stages and camps, and gaining publicity for the festival. With planning and a lot of hard work, players will be able to create a truly unforgettable event.
Come Together is a board game that puts a twist on the worker placement genre. In Come Together, when you place workers, you don’t immediately gain the card you claimed. You have to wait until that location is activated. This simple mechanism adds a layer of strategy to the game, as players must constantly decide whether to claim a card or activate a location. Timing of activation can be crucial, as is deciding whether to claim the card you want or a less attractive card to gain publicity on an activated location from another player. With many factors to consider, Come Together is a board game sure to captivate gamers with simple mechanics and deep strategy. The game seems to be a great way to relive the music spirit of the 1960s.
6. Mech A Dream
In the futuristic world of Blade Runner, advanced machines called replicants were able to dream. Do you think robots can dream like in Blade Runner?
In this two to four players board game, you participate in the “Mech A Dream” project to manage time and resources wisely to build the most efficient dreaming machine possible and to make a robot dream.
Players can use workers to collect resources to construct machines that will build dreams. There are three shifts in the game, and depending on the time of day, the workers will be more or less efficient. Players must choose how to use their workers wisely to succeed. Using the right combination of resources, players can construct machines. These machines can then build dreams, which is the game’s ultimate goal.
5. Lacrimosa
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is dead. But Devir’s upcoming board game Lacrimosa invites players to participate in the creation of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s final composition, the Lacrimosa movement of his Opus Requiem.
By taking on the role of patron of the late musician, contribute with funding to the composer’s works one last time. The objective of this game is to attain the most influence on the construction of the Requiem by funding specific parts of the composition.
During the game, it switches between the present and past timelines. In the present, you commission other composers to complete the Requiem. In the past, you accompany Mozart on his various journeys, buy his original compositions, and support him by collecting resources. Over time you will improve your hand of cards, which you can use to take action or obtain resources. You must make the best use of resources and finances to support your story and relationship with Mozart.
4. Turing Machine
Have you ever imagined how a computer works? Are you looking for a new board game to add to your collection? What about learning while playing a board game that simulates a Turing Machine? Turing machines are mathematical models of computation that describe an abstract machine that manipulates symbols on a strip of tape. Alan Turing invented the Turing machine in 1936 and is widely considered the father of computer science. Turing machines can implement any computer algorithm, making them a powerful tool for solving any complex problem that one can solve by hand.
Turing Machine is a deduction and problem-solving game that offers a unique experience. The goal is to use the punctured cards to break a secret code before other players by “questioning the machine”. The machine is an analog proto-computer with unique components that work without electricity. This game has plenty of replay value, with more than seven million problems to solve. Plus, with competitive, cooperative, and solo modes, you can go head-to-head with other players, play as a team or play by yourself.
3. Tiletum
Be a wealthy merchant traveling throughout Europe to gain prestige and become the most famous merchant of the Renaissance in Tiletum. Players travel to various cities to acquire resources and trade contracts, build cathedrals, gain the favor of noble families, and participate in important fairs.
Tiletum is a dice management game where players use dice to manage resources and take actions. Players take turns rolling some number of dice and then choose a die to gain resources or perform actions. The die’s value determines how many resources are acquired, with higher values providing more resources. However, the power of the action is inversely proportional to the die’s value. Players must decide whether it is better to gain more resources or take more powerful actions. Tiletum is a board game that provides an exciting challenge for players as they attempt to balance these two factors.
2. Evergreen
In Evergreen, players compete to build the lushest and most fertile planet by planting seeds, growing trees, and other natural elements. Over several rounds, each player takes turns choosing biome cards from a shared pool of cards. These cards determine which area of the planet the player can develop in that round. Ideally, players will concentrate their trees in the most fertile regions arranged to collect as much light as possible without overshadowing one another.
Evergreen has been getting a lot of hype lately, and it’s no wonder why. Hjalmar Hach, who designed Evergreen, is also the designer of the hugely popular Photosynthesis. Photosynthesis gained a following among people who are interested in ecology and environmentalism. Evergreen should be educational and fun; critics have praised the game for its beautiful artwork and simple mechanics.
1. Mists over Carcassonne
Mists over Carcassonne is a cooperative board game of the well-loved tile-laying game for 1-5 players in the eponymous world of Carcassonne. Players must work together to restore order to Carcassone. Place tiles and score points while trying to stop ghosts, contain haunted ground in cemeteries, and use spooky castles to their advantage. But beware—if too many ghosts are allowed to roam free, or you’ve collected too few points by the time the tiles run out, you’ll lose the game. The goal is to survive for three days, and if you win the game, you can adjust its difficulty to increase the challenge. One can include Mists over Carcassonne into a regular competition game of Carcassonne based on the rules contained in the game.
These are the top board games we would be looking to play and buy at Spiel’ 2022. This list could easily have been much more extensive, and many games and publishers were worth mentioning. Prepare your own list of games and publishers, and do not waste your time; this is an overwhelming event, and you want to be prepared not to lose anything. You can preorder games to collect at the fair with many publishers, which is highly advisable. Most popular games run out of stock early in the event, so be prepared not to miss them. Pack your bags and reserve plenty of space to bring home your top games until next year comes and it all starts again. So, good luck, good fun, and a good Spiel’ 2022, everyone!
Source: Board Game Quest
