French Board Game Award Winners Announced

What is the The As d'Or-Jeu de l'Année?

The Spiel Des Jahres is considered the biggest board gaming awards there are, but they are not the only awards. The As d'Or-Jeu de l'Année is the French equivalent, awarding those published in the French market within the last 15 months, as a merger of two previous awards – The As d'Or and the Jeu de l'Année, more commonly abbreviated to the As D'Or. Given more and more French language games are heading into the UK market, these are a great set to take notice of, as potentially an advanced preview of our future favourites. The awards take place each year, hosted at the Cannes Game Festival, and feature high profile designers and guests. The 2024 winners have just been announced. 

What As D'or Awards Are Available?

Much like Spiel, there are multiple categories – there's a game of the year which is considered one accessibly to a huge range of audiences, from children to adults. An Expert games category, for those with sophisticated mechanisms that take some level of commitment to play. A Children's Games category, which highlights games that are suitable for the ages of 3 to 8. Finally, there's the "initie" award, which translates as the "initiated" award, but is more commonly referred to as the intermediate award, and sits somewhere between all of them, appealing to an audience seeking more challenging mechanisms, but don't fall into the expert category. 

Related Article: The Origins Awards

As D'or 2024 Winners

As D'or Game of the Year – Trio

Trio is a card game with gorgeous vivid artwork, that sees you trying to be the smartest in order to figure out which numbers are hidden under the cards. It's described as really easy to learn, but will keep you guessing.

It won against nominees In the Footsteps of Darwin, and Perfect Words.

As D'or Kids Game of the Year – Mon Puzzle Aventure – Dragon

A puzzle game that tells a story, this is a children's puzzle that reveals a story as you complete it. Not only that, but when you remove the pieces, you discover even more of the story. In the Dragon adventure, you've lost your little dragon, and it's time to find and rescue them!

It won against Morris Le Dodo, and Super Miaou

Related Article: Wargaming with five year olds

As D'or Intermediate Game of the Year – Faraway

Faraway sees you laying down cards in the world of Aula, but when you score your cards – you do it backwards. You'll need to set up your cards in such a way that your later placements pay the cost of the higher value ones you'll have laid to start. With bright vivid artistry to match, it's already making waves even before its award win. You're sure to see this at conventions in the near future, but if you don't want to wait, Faraway is also on Board  Game Arena. 

@hachetteboardgamesuk With universal critical acclaim and early shortlistings for major awards, Faraway is set to be *the* hit of 2024. 💥 This game sees you laying out a series of cards and scoring them. Except the twist is you score them BACKWARDS! ↩️ You place your heavy-hitting score cards early on, and then spend the game acquiring the icons you need to score them… and my goodness does it feel rewarding when you pull it off. Scales brilliantly from 2-6 players. This one is hitting UK shelves in mid-March, with pre-orders open at many game stores already. Don’t miss this one! #boardgames #cardgames #tabletopgames #faraway ♬ original sound - Hachette Boardgames UK

Faraway won against Eila et L'eclat De La Montagne, and Cat in the Box.

As D'or Expert Game of the Year – La Famiglia – La Grande Guerre de la Mafia

Translated as The Family: The Great Mafia War, this sees two teams struggling over supremacy of Sicily during the Great Mafia War. It's a 2v2 game with six different Mafia families at your disposal. 

It won against Darwin's Journey, and Chateu Blanc (The White Castle).