Spiel Des Jahres 2024 Winners Announced

Spiel Des Jahres is one of the biggest awards in board gaming, identifying games that become modern-day classics – Catan, Ticket to Ride, Agricola, Dixit and many more. The awards are split now into three – the Game of the Year (Spiel Des Jahres), Children's Game of the Year (Kinderspiel), and the Connoisseur Game of the Year (Kennerspiel). In a ceremony yesterday, the winners of 2024's awards were announced.

Spiel Des Jahres 2024 Winner

Sky Team was the winner of the 2024 Spiel Des Jahres, beating out nominations of Captain Flip, and In the Footsteps of Darwin. The game sees you taking control of passenger planes preparing to land at different destinations, where you'll cooperatively try to land using a shared dice board that mimics a cockpit. Depending on the dice, you can regulate all aspects of piloting a plane, but risk the same concerns any plane might – fuel leaks, icy runways, etc!

The Spiel Des Jahres jurors said that “Sky Team’ is impressive from take-off to landing in terms of gameplay, atmosphere and theme. The short rounds can be very rewarding if you win and if you miss the landing, you will want to try again straight away”. 

Kennerspiel Des Jahres Winner

The Kennerspiel Des Jahres, sometimes called the Connoisseur Game of the Year, sometimes the enthusiasts or expert game, has been awarded to E-Mission, which in English speaking territories is Daybreak. The game was designed by Matt Leacock (of Pandemic fame), and Matteo Menapace and it asks you to save the world – in a cooperative card based game. You take the role of world powers, and over six rounds must reduce the effects of global warming, reducing the CO2 emissions enough.

“Daybreak is brilliantly designed, exciting and educational – and it shows the value of cooperation: if everyone works together, it is still possible to overcome this global crisis. The designer duo have also succeeded in presenting the highly charged and topical issue of climate change without ever pointing an accusing finger.”, the Jurors said of the game.  

Related article: Wondering how the games are chosen? We spoke to a Spiel Des Jahres Juror about the process. 

Kinderspiel Des Jahres Winner

The Kinderspiel, or children's game of the year went to The Magic Keys, or Die Magichen Schlussel. The game is a risk taking treasure hunt, where children need to collect keys by rolling dice. Roll more often makes quicker progress, but you could fall asleep along the path way and someone else could then get the advantage. 

"A treasure chest that only opens for some keys and a host of glittering gems, that’s what makes ‘Magic Keys’ so captivating for children. The superb components are only trumped by the exciting feeling of risk-taking and the positive feeling of playing the game. With many good rules decisions, the designer team has created an extraordinary children’s game that children will love to return to again and again." Said the jurors of Magic Keys.