All Spiel des Jahres🇩🇪 2026 winners & nominees compared

Hot Streak is a wild, comic racing game where mascot runners charge down the track, sometimes in completely the wrong direction. Luck matters, but so does the nerve to gamble. Bet cleverly and you cheer loudest, yet the next moment everything can flip.

Cozy Stickerville is a gentle adventure and village-building game by Corey Konieczka for 1-6 players, recommended from age 8. Families explore a growing valley together, add buildings, animals, shops, farms, and personal touches with more than 800 stickers, and watch their own village take shape over several relaxed sessions. It is especially appealing for children who enjoy creative choices and parents who like shared storytelling without pressure.

Take Time is a cooperative card and puzzle game for 2 to 4 players ages 10 and up. Instead of competing, children, teens, and adults work together to solve mysterious clock-based challenges. With a playtime of about 30 minutes, it fits well into family game nights, short after-school sessions, or relaxed evenings for players who enjoy logic, teamwork, and clever deduction.

Rebirth is an elegant tile-laying area-control game by Reiner Knizia for 2 to 4 players. In a hopeful future you rebuild a scarred land: farms spread, communities take root, and castles change hands.

A fast-paced word-association game for 4 to 7 players aged 10 and up: everyone writes an answer to a prompt at the same time, hoping to match the others. Match exactly one other person and you score a JINX for bonus points; match no one and you score nothing. JinxO is a 2026 Spiel des Jahres nominee.

A charming two-player collecting game: befriend the adorable Mookies, but watch out for the Spider!

Moon Colony Bloodbath by Donald X. Vaccarino sends families and gaming groups to a moon colony that was supposed to be perfectly planned. Supplies are packed, robots are ready, and the first buildings are in place, but life beyond Earth quickly proves unstable. This strategic card game is best suited to teens aged 14 and up and adults who enjoy science fiction, dry humor, and smart resource management.

Boss Fighters QR sends 2 to 4 players aged around 10 and up into cooperative fantasy duels that feel like compact adventures at the family table. Children get bold heroes, mysterious enemies, and visible deck progress, while parents can enjoy teamwork, planning, and shared deduction. A game usually takes about 40 to 60 minutes.

Tag Team turns the energy of classic arcade fighting games into a smart two-player card game. Each player builds a team of two colorful fighters, then lets their combined deck unfold card by card in automatic rounds. The game is recommended for children, teens, and adults aged 10 and up, making it a lively choice for families who enjoy tactical head-to-head play.

A clever mirror-based search game for children aged 5 and up: use a real mirror to turn the half-pictures on the cards into complete objects — a curved line becomes an eggplant, a squiggle becomes a palm tree. The first player to find ten objects wins. Half-and-Seek is a 2026 Kinderspiel des Jahres recommendation.

Foundations of Metropolis is a city-building game for 2 to 4 players ages 14 and up. Over roughly 60 minutes you buy up empty lots, raise ever grander buildings, and compete to be named the city's greatest architect.

In Morty Sorty Magic Shop, young apprentices step into a whimsical store for witches, wizards, and curious potion makers. Players aged 8 and up sort magical ingredient jars onto their own shelves, trying to keep everything tidy while collecting valuable star points. The theme is inviting for children, while the clever choices give parents plenty to enjoy too.

In Frosted Blooms, children and adults create their own tulip garden in a gentle Dutch spring landscape. This family game for ages 8 and up combines calm planning with colorful tile placement. Round by round, a garden of flowers, paths, and special features takes shape, with every turn offering small decisions and fresh opportunities.

Sanctuary is Mathias Wigge's lighter, tile-laying take on Ark Nova, released by Feuerland Spiele for 1 to 5 players. You manage a modern, conservation-focused zoo, build it tile by puzzle-shaped tile, and balance animal welfare, attractive exhibits, and species-protection goals.

Boo Party is a fun memory game from Loki for 2 to 6 players ages 5 and up, nominated for the German Children's Game of the Year 2026.

A simple picture-matching game made for the youngest players aged 4 and up: pop the dice into the dog-shaped shaker, give it a good shake, roll, and match the dice to the picture cards. Bones are lucky — but watch out for the stinky mud puddles. You Little Stinker is a 2026 Kinderspiel des Jahres recommendation.

Paleolino invites families into a friendly prehistoric world where Lino the mammoth rolls valuable resources down the mountain. Children aged 5 and up collect wood, stones, berries, and crystals to help build a small village together. Designed by Marco Teubner, this cooperative children’s game works well for 1 to 4 players and offers a short, focused playtime that fits family routines.