Alle Spiele is an ongoing personal project of Ryan here at The Cardboard Republic to play all of the Spiel des Jahres and Kennerspiel des Jahres winning games. Below is his current tracking progress. If you have the ability to assist him with some of the older or harder to find games, you can contact him via email or through Twitter.
Alle Spiele
2017: Kingdomino
2016: Codenames
- A sleeper hit when it first debuted at Gen Con 2016, Codenames quickly went on to become ubiquitous for a next-gen party game done right. Its team-based word association and nearly endless replayability makes it a fantastic game that can easily slide into nearly any gamer’s collection, and I rarely have a hard time enjoying when it hits the table. (Full Review)
2015: Colt Express
- This is a fun and family-friendly programming game with some absolutely fantastic cardboard pieces forming an actual 3D train. I wasn’t sure what the hype over the game was until I played it. Now I know. It’s a great bit of fun moving, shooting, and punching your way around a train for as much loot as you can hold on to.
2014: Camel Up
- This is a straightforward and lightweight casual racing game involving camels. Yet I have to admit it’s more fun than I originally thought it would be . (Full Review)
2013: Hanabi
- It’s a fairly light deductive card game, with the catch that you can see everyone’s cards but your own. Your success depends on guiding one another’s actions. (Full Review)
2012: Kingdom Builder
2011: Qwirkle
2010: Dixit
2009: Dominion
- A strategy-laden deck-building game with great replay value, but at the same time isn’t overly complex to learn. It’s certainly a favorite amongst people I know, and its impact on creating a whole new genre of game can’t be understated.
2008: Keltis
2007: Zooloretto
2006: Thurn and Taxis
2005: Niagara
2004: Ticket to Ride
- A great train game that’s easy to learn and is very family-friendly. Plus, did I mention trains?
2003: Alhambra
- I’m very much a fan of Alhambra as a great lesser-known Gateway Game. (Full Review)
2002: Villa Paletti
2001: Carcassonne
- I certainly enjoy watching the countryside unfold around me in this simple tile-laying game, though new players should beware of savvy farmers!
2000: Torres
1999: Tikal
1998: Elfenland
1997: Mississippi Queen
1996: El Grande
1995: The Settlers of Catan
- This barter system game mixes light resource management with good old guile that somehow doesn’t get old. And yes, I have wood for sheep. (That doesn’t get old either.) (Full Review)
1994: Manhattan
1993: Call my Bluff
1992: Um Reifenbreite
1991: Drunter und Drüber
1990: Hoity Toity
1989: Café International
1988: Barbarossa
1987: Auf Achse
1986: Top Secret Spies
1985: Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective
1984: Railway Rivals
1983: Scotland Yard
- A classic cat-and-mouse game where one player avoids the rest as they dash through the London streets in hot pursuit. People rarely let me be Mr. X anymore though. I guess they want to win sometimes too. (Full Review)
1982: Enchanted Forest
1981: Focus
1980: Rummikub
1979: Hare and Tortoise
2017: Exit: The Game series
- I love the Exit series of escape room games (the whole genre really), but this was a head scratcher for me that it won the Kennerspiel over its heavier competitors Terraforming Mars and Raiders of the North Sea. Mostly because while they’re clever and entertaining puzzle games, the Exit games are not super complex in terms of gameplay. That said, I highly appreciate what they offer as a gaming experience, and if you enjoy puzzles, these are well worth a look.
2016: Isle of Skye
- Isle of Skye takes the concept of Carcassonne of years past to a new level of strategic maneuvering. Although still principally a tile-laying game, the mix of bidding on which tiles you want to add to your tableau and the variable scoring each round offers up a game that’s strategic but still lightweight enough to be enjoyable to a wide audience.
2015: Broom Service
- I’m a little confused about this one honestly. Not because it’s bad, but because it’s so very similar to its predecessor Witch’s Brew. It’s a fun game about trying to assemble and turn in potions using a Lead/Follow card selection system, and it’s pretty easy to learn. I recommend it, but am not sure if it should have beaten the other nominees.
2014: Istanbul
2013: Legends of Andor
2012: Village
2011: 7 Wonders
- It has a great civ-building feel to it without all of the heavy buildup, time to play, or 100 square feet of table space. Not that I don’t mind those things, but there’s something really refreshing about this light card drafting game. (Full Review)