Best games released at SPIEL 2002 in Essen 2026

Carcassonne: Hunters and Gatherers is a standalone game in the Carcassonne series, transporting players to the Stone Age. This version maintains the essence of the original Carcassonne game but introduces new thematic elements and rules suitable for this prehistoric setting.

BANG! is a fast-paced card game that simulates a Wild West shootout, where players take on hidden roles with different objectives and engage in strategic gunplay.

Odin's Ravens is a strategic two-player card game where participants embody Hugin and Munin, Odin's ravens, in a race across Midgard. Utilizing a unique deck of cards, players navigate a track of landscape cards, aiming to outmaneuver their opponent through clever use of their cards and special actions provided by Odin (or Loki in the Osprey Edition) cards.

Players assume the role of zoo owners, each starting with some money and a plot of land. Over five years, five zoo tiles featuring different animal species, paths, and possibly trees are auctioned annually to the highest bidder. The aim is to attract as many visitors as possible, as each visitor contributes points at the end of the year, and ultimately, players seek to outperform their opponents.

In War & Sheep, players control sheep grazing on grass while avoiding magical grass and lurking wolves. Two factions of sheep compete for the same pasture, aiming to eliminate the opponent's sheep or consume the best grass for points. Each grass clump offers different point values, but beware of wolves hiding beneath them, as they can eat your sheep if you aren't careful.

Tony and Tino are twin sons of the local mob boss, competing for control over the streets of Chicago. The one who earns the most money will have the honor of becoming the new boss. The tile-laying system is reminiscent of Kingdoms but is presented in a much lighter way.

Keythedral takes you into the heart of Keydom, where the monumental task of building the Keythedral unfolds. Players act as planners, marshaling resources from the countryside to construct this grand edifice through five progressive stages, each demanding a unique set of materials. As the structure grows, so does the complexity of your strategy.

Players face new challenges emerging from the dangers and opportunities of the Stone Age, building on the acclaimed Catan experience. They guide a branch of early humans on their journey to spread across the world, developing skills in food preparation, hunting techniques, and creating clothing and boats to adapt to various environments. Success hinges on resource management, including meat, hides, bones, and flint, while the most strategic players will find their way to victory.

Players promote monkey civilizations and free monkeys from lunar isolation by launching spaceships. They must carefully consider which tribes to advance, as their actions can provoke rival tribes. The player who sends the most powerful primates back to Earth by the end of the game will win. Each move impresses one of the six monkey tribes while angering another, making it crucial to know when to play favorites or risk incurring the wrath of a tribe. The game also features six original illustrations by cartoonist Scott Starkey.

Players take on the role of nobles in 18th-century France, competing to gain the most influence. They collect cards representing five different abilities, as well as power and gold represented by tokens. Players can perform special actions to gain more resources or disrupt others, and they earn points based on their power, gold, and specific cards at the end of the game.