Best games released at SPIEL 1989 in Essen 2026

Favoriten is a simple racing game that incorporates an intriguing element of pressure, allowing players to test their luck. In three races involving five horses, players do not own any horses but have three betting chips each. Players take turns rolling a die to advance the horses, placing bets on them before rolling. The payout system rewards the first player to bet on the winning horse, and players must carefully decide when to place their bets to maximize their potential winnings.

Players must guess or know the dreams, hopes, and wishes of each other while creating their own definition of a personal lifestyle. The active player draws a question card, such as where they want to go on vacation, and selects four image cards with possible answers. Other players then attempt to guess the order of the cards, earning points for each correct guess.

Players move across the sea and must conquer 3 out of 5 islands to win. To capture an island, a ship must land in an area containing that island, and all ships are interconnected. The dice roll determines which side of an area a ship can cross.