All "Deutscher Spielepreis🇩🇪 1997" game award winners & nominees in comparison 2025

We have clearly compared and listed all winners and nominees of the audience award "Deutscher Spielepreis🇩🇪 1997".

Audience Award instead of Critics Award

In contrast to the Spiel des Jahres, the "Deutscher Spielepreis🇩🇪" is not awarded by critics but by a professional audience (individual players, retailers, game circles, journalists). It is also called the "player" award - by players for players.

All games between "Essen" & "Nürnberg" are nominated

All games published between the SPIEL in Essen of the previous year and the Nuremberg Toy Fair of the same year are included in the nomination list for the "Deutscher Spielepreis" (german for "German Game Award").

Anyone can participate

In addition to trade magazines and retailers, everyone (since 2001) may vote online. All participants choose what they think are the 5 best games of the vintage - first place gets 5 points, second 4, third 3, fourth 2 and fifth 1 point. Each participant is weighted exactly the same and their points are added up.

List of the 10 best games of the year

Finally, the 10 games with the highest total score are published. The game with the highest score is then the winner of the "German Game Award".

Since 1992 also "Deutscher Kinderspielpreis" (German Children's Game Award)

In addition to the 5 best games, each participant may also select a children's game. The one with the most votes then becomes the winner of the "Deutscher Kinderspielpreis" for the respective year.

All other "Deutscher Spielepreis" years

The German Game Prize is awarded since 1990, we have listed for you both across all years, all Children's Game Prize winners and separated by year you can find at the bottom of the page.

More info can be found on the official website of the "German Games Award".

List with all Deutscher Spielepreis🇩🇪 1997 winners and nominees:

This list was last updated on March 19, 2025. There's also a print version for this list.
  1. Bohnanza

    All details for the board game Bohnanza and similar games

    Bohnanza is a unique card game about planting, trading, and harvesting beans. Unlike typical card games, you can't rearrange your hand, adding a strategic twist. The core of the game lies in trading beans with others to manage your hand effectively.

    Nominated for 4 awards and won 2.

    More details for Bohnanza
    • 2 - 7 Players
    • 45 Minutes
    • 12+ years old
    • Easy to learn
  2. Show Manager

    All details for the board game Show Manager and similar games

    Players assemble four shows in any order: Queenie, Wolf, King Lear, and Ballet. They design actor cards from a constantly changing display, with each card representing actors with different abilities. Once a player has gathered all the required roles for a show, its value is compared to other productions of the same type, awarding points relative to those productions.

    Nominated for 1 award and won 1.

    More details for Show Manager
    • 2 - 6 Players
    • 60 Minutes
    • 10+ years old
    • Easy to learn
  3. Die Ritter von der Haselnuss

    All details for the board game Die Ritter von der Haselnuss and similar games

    Players collect and store nuts for winter in a memory game featuring a squirrel. On their turn, players roll a die to move the squirrel's knight in their chosen direction on the board. Landing on a bush allows them to draw a card, potentially gaining a nut or encountering a thief. This game is suitable for young players, with simple rules and a short gameplay duration.

    Nominated for 1 award and won 1.

    More details for Die Ritter von der Haselnuss
    • 2 - 4 Players
    • 30 Minutes
    • 6+ years old
    • Immediately playable
  4. Mississippi Queen

    All details for the board game Mississippi Queen and similar games

    Mississippi Queen is a charming, family-friendly board game that has players steering their paddleboats down the iconic Mississippi River. The goal is simple: race to the finish line while navigating the river's unpredictable twists and turns, and picking up passengers along the way. However, the challenge comes from managing your limited coal supplies, crucial for fueling your boat's movements and strategic maneuvers.

    Nominated for 3 awards and won 2.

    ⭐️ Spiel des Jahres 1997

    More details for Mississippi Queen
    • 3 - 5 Players
    • 45 Minutes
    • 10+ years old
    • Easy to learn
  5. Expeditions: Around the World

    All details for the board game Expeditions: Around the World and similar games

    Based on his earlier work Wildlife Adventure, Expedition focuses on three common expeditions in search of various archaeological sites around the world. The game board features a world map with several branching paths, and players advance their expeditions by placing plastic arrows. The first player to collect all their cards ends the game, and the highest total score wins.

    Nominated for 2 awards and won 2.

    More details for Expeditions: Around the World
    • 2 - 6 Players
    • 30 - 45 Minutes
    • 8+ years old
    • Easy to learn

    Video reviews for Expeditions: Around the World

    • YouTube Review for the game "Expeditions: Around the World" by BoardGameGeek
      Video is in English
    • YouTube Review for the game "Expeditions: Around the World" by BoardGameGeek
      Video is in English
  6. Catan Card Game

    All details for the board game Catan Card Game and similar games

    The Catan Card Game offers a distinct experience from its predecessor, The Settlers of Catan, focusing on strategic card play and resource management in the familiar Catan universe.

    Nominated for 2 awards.

    More details for Catan Card Game
    • 2 Players
    • 60 - 120 Minutes
    • 10+ years old
    • Easy to learn
  7. Ramses II

    All details for the board game Ramses II and similar games

    The immensely wealthy but somewhat scatterbrained Pharaoh hid treasures from his kingdom in his pyramid to prevent theft. Players will help him uncover these treasures. The player who finds the most treasures and collects the most search cards wins.

    Nominated for 1 award.

    More details for Ramses II
    • 1 - 5 Players
    • 30 Minutes
    • 7+ years old
    • Immediately playable
  8. Löwenherz

    All details for the board game Löwenherz and similar games

    The king is close to death, prompting the princes to compete for control of the kingdom and secure the throne by claiming as much land as possible. Each turn, a card reveals three possible actions, such as building a wall, moving a wall to expand the kingdom, or placing a knight. If multiple players choose the same action, a bidding war ensues. The game includes various components like walls, castles, knights, and a beautifully designed game board that allows for different setups.

    Nominated for 2 awards and won 1.

    More details for Löwenherz
    • 2 - 4 Players
    • 90 Minutes
    • 12+ years old
    • Medium difficulty
  9. Manitou

    All details for the board game Manitou and similar games

    It's time for the buffalo hunt. Players showcase the hunters and great warriors of their tribe, forming their hunting party. Great warriors can capture opposing tribe members for points, while strong hunters can win buffalo for their tribe. The player who skillfully plays their cards across the three hunts wins the game.

    Nominated for 1 award.

    More details for Manitou
    • 2 - 4 Players
    • 45 Minutes
    • 12+ years old
    • Easy to learn
  10. Serenissima

    All details for the board game Serenissima and similar games

    In the fourteenth century, the Atlantic was an endless ocean and America had yet to be discovered. The Mediterranean thrived as the sole link between East and West, with powerful trading cities like Venice, Genoa, and Istanbul establishing lucrative trade routes. Players assume the roles of these city-states, aiming to expand their influence and build a prosperous trade empire through constructing ships, hiring crews, and managing resources. Control over ports influences income and resource availability, creating a competitive balance between trading goods and maintaining naval strength throughout the game's rounds.

    Nominated for 1 award.

    More details for Serenissima
    • 2 - 4 Players
    • 120 Minutes
    • 12+ years old
    • Medium difficulty
  11. Beim Zeus!

    All details for the board game Beim Zeus! and similar games

    Players bid to purchase plots of land and build temples, requiring either 1, 2, or 3 plots for construction. The cost of the plots also determines the cost of the temples built on them. In the final scoring, players earn variable points for each temple based on its size, with additional points for leftover money and bonuses for building on different islands shown on the board.

    🔥 Deal: 61% cheaper than the best Geizhals deal, likely for a short time only!

    More details for Beim Zeus!
    • 3 - 6 Players
    • 90 Minutes
    • 12+ years old
    • Easy to learn

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