Best games released at SPIEL 2009 in Essen 2026

In the bustling city of Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan, you find yourself in a fierce competition as one of the two most powerful traders. However, being a prominent trader isn't enough; the ultimate goal is to earn two coveted "seals of excellence" to secure an invitation to the Maharaja's prestigious court. To outshine your direct competitor, you'll need to demonstrate superior trading skills by buying, exchanging, and selling goods at advantageous prices, all while carefully managing your valuable camel herds.

Dominion: Seaside is an expansion to the popular deck-building games Dominion and Dominion: Intrigue. It is important to note that this expansion does not constitute a standalone game but rather adds new dimensions and strategic possibilities to the existing base games.

Ticket to Ride: Europa 1912 is an expansion for the popular Ticket to Ride series, specifically enhancing the Ticket to Ride Europe game. This expansion introduces new elements and variants to the gameplay, offering fresh challenges and strategic options for players.

In Taj Mahal, players are immersed in the setting of northwest India at the beginning of the 18th century. This period marks the decline of the Grand Moguls' rule, presenting an opportunity for Maharishis and princes to assert control over the region. The game revolves around gaining influence through various strategic moves.

Chicken Cha Cha Cha is a delightful and engaging memory game that combines the whimsy of chickens learning to dance with the challenge of strategic movement and memory. Players become chickens vying to out-memorize and outmaneuver their opponents around a circuitous path, aiming to collect the tail feathers of their rivals by accurately recalling the images hidden on octagonal tiles.

More than 2.5 million additional games could be played each year with a quicker method for selecting a starting player. The solution is simple: just flip a card to identify the starting player. The system is designed to be straightforward, whether by recognizing the tallest player or the one with the most unbuttoned buttons.

Tobago is an intriguing adventure board game where players embark on a treasure hunt, using clues to narrow down the locations of hidden treasures on a mysterious island. The game stands out with its modular board and strategic gameplay, appealing to players who enjoy deduction and exploration themes.

In Ugg-Tect, players collaborate in teams to construct impressive, albeit "functional," structures using nearby materials. As cavemen, communication relies on primitive gestures and sounds, with each team having an architect who guides them using simple commands. The fastest and most precise building team will win the game.

A simple "push your luck" card game with mechanics similar to "Can't Stop." Players reveal cards from the draw pile and can stop at any time to collect cards for their score. However, if two fish of the same type are revealed, the player loses those cards and their turn. Revealing an octopus card also ends the turn and causes the player to lose other cards revealed during that turn, but allows an attempt to steal cards from another player's score pile. Only the largest fish of each type counts for scoring, and the game continues until a player reaches 77 points.

One player controls a gang of thieves attempting to break into lockers. The other player is the police, trying to catch them before they escape. The thieves roll special dice to crack the locker combinations while the police navigate a city map with a tilted board to uncover the gang's hiding place. If the police find the hiding spot before the thieves succeed, the thieves leave empty-handed.

The latest addition to the Ubongo series features players placing wooden tiles over two layers of double-sided puzzle cards, one side for beginners and the other for advanced players. Participants collect gemstones based on their performance, and the player with the most valuable collection at the end wins the game.

The Adventurers: The Temple of Chac is an action-packed board game that takes players on a thrilling and perilous journey through the ruins of a Mayan temple. The game is designed to simulate an Indiana-Jones-style adventure, filled with danger, excitement, and the quest for ancient treasures.

Beware! The cheeky raven wants to snatch up many treats. Players must save all the fruits by flipping over fruit tiles that match the color shown on the dice. The goal is to collect the fruits before the raven gobbles them all up in this cooperative memory game designed for 2-4 players aged 3 to 99, complete with a competitive variant.

In this latest collaboration between Bruno Cathala and Ludovic Maublanc, players must buy the favor of the gods in their race to be the first player to build two cities in the Ancient Greek island group known as the Cyclades.

It's a fast-paced card game where players aim to get rid of their cards quickly, but they can only play specific cards. Each card has a large number (1-10) and a smaller corner number indicating how much higher or lower the next card can be. Players take turns placing a card on the central pile based on these rules, and the first to play all their cards wins.

After the tragedy of the "New Moon," the village lay in ruins. Years later, brave outsiders rebuilt it, inviting homeless adventurers to join them in a new ideal community. As children’s laughter fills the school and lively conversations echo in the tavern, a rumor lingers about the presence of werewolves among them. Players assume roles within this charming village, with some secretly playing as werewolves who hunt during the night, while also adopting various professions.

Players have five colored pieces numbered from 1 to 5. A player rolls the dice and must move pieces that equal the total rolled, placing them on the next available spot on the board. The game ends when the last three marked spaces are filled, and players score points by multiplying the piece number by the number on the occupied space.

Growl! Dragon Diego Dart has missed his target again and has even set Uncle Drooge's hut on fire! Players choose a target lane to hit and roll three balls into the correct slot while others try to guess the target. Points are awarded for correct guesses and for hitting the target, with the player scoring the most points winning the game.

Halli Galli is a frantic speed game perfect for those who love quick thinking and fast action. Players need to stay alert and ready to strike the bell as soon as they spot exactly five of the same fruit on the table. With 56 cards featuring bananas, strawberries, limes, and plums in varying quantities, the game is a test of observation and reaction speed. The bell, reminiscent of those at hotel reception desks, adds a fun and physical element to the gameplay.

Players take on the role of the boss of cunning thieves, seeking prestige rather than money. They must strategically choose which type of items to pursue and predict their rivals' moves. With elements of information theft and competition, it's essential to outsmart opponents while sending a team to unexpected locations for the ultimate recognition in the criminal world.

A fast-paced card game inspired by other titles, it features 120 animal cards including dogs, cows, donkeys, goats, cats, and parrots, along with five special tarantula cards. Players must mimic the sounds of animals shown on previous cards before discarding their own, all within a strict time limit. Additional expert rules add complexity, creating unique challenges such as forcing cards to be placed on donkeys or having dogs change the direction of play.