The best "Diana Jones Award for Excellence in Gaming🇺🇸" winners and nominees 2024

Looking for a good game that won or was nominated for the Diana Jones Award for Excellence in Gaming? Then we have just the thing for you: A list of the best "Diana Jones Award for Excellence in Gaming" winners and games that were on the nomination list.

What is the Diana Jones Award for Excellence in Gaming?

The "Diana Jones Award for Excellence in Gaming" is an award for dice, card & board games. The award originates from 🇺🇸USA, was established in 2001 and is voted for by a panel of judges.

Anyone and anything within the game industry and hobby is eligible to win the Diana Jones Award. This includes, but is not limited to: Individuals, products, publications, publishers, distributors, retailers, clubs, organizations, conventions, events, trends, innovations and concepts.

The award will be decided by a panel of individuals who are active in all areas and at all levels of the hobby game business, all of whom have excelled in their field. It is up to each member of the panel to decide whether to disclose their membership, but the full list of members is not published. Most members of the Diana Jones Jury Committee are anonymous, but Peter Adkison, Matt Forbeck, John Kovalic and James Wallis have all disclosed their membership. New members are invited at the discretion of existing members.

Diana Jones Award for Excellence in Gaming Categories.

The Diana Jones Award is presented each year in the following categories:

  • Diana Jones Award for Excellence in Gaming

More info can be found on the official Diana Jones Award homepage or the Wikipedia article of Diana Jones Award for Excellence in Gaming.

list of top Diana Jones Award winners & nominees 2024:

This list was last updated on November 30, 2024. There's also a print version for this list.
  1. Love Letter

    All details for the board game Love Letter and similar games

    In Love Letter, you must compete with other suitors to deliver a romantic letter to Princess Annette, who has secluded herself in the palace.

    Nominated for 14 awards and won 7.

    More details for Love Letter
    • 2 - 4 Players
    • 20 Minutes
    • 10+ years old
    • Immediately playable

    Video reviews for Love Letter

    • YouTube Review for the game "Love Letter" by Shut Up & Sit Down
      Video is in English
  2. Pandemic Legacy: Season 1

    All details for the board game Pandemic Legacy: Season 1 and similar games

    Pandemic Legacy: Season 1 offers an extraordinary gaming experience as a cooperative campaign game, immersing players in an overarching story-arc that unfolds over 12-24 gripping sessions. The duration depends on your group's performance and the fate of the world. Here's an overview of this thrilling journey:

    Nominated for 21 awards and won 12.

    ⭐️ Nominated for Kennerspiel des Jahres 2016

    More details for Pandemic Legacy: Season 1
    • 2 - 4 Players
    • 60 Minutes
    • 13+ years old
    • Medium difficulty

    Video reviews for Pandemic Legacy: Season 1

    • YouTube Review for the game "Pandemic Legacy: Season 1" by Shut Up & Sit Down
      Video is in English
    • YouTube Review for the game "Pandemic Legacy: Season 1" by Shut Up & Sit Down
      Video is in English
    • YouTube Review for the game "Pandemic Legacy: Season 1" by Shut Up & Sit Down
      Video is in English
    • YouTube Review for the game "Pandemic Legacy: Season 1" by BoardGameGeek
      Video is in English
  3. Ticket to Ride

    All details for the board game Ticket to Ride and similar games

    Ticket to Ride offers a delightful and accessible gaming experience that can be grasped in under 15 minutes, making it perfect for both newcomers and seasoned gamers. Designed by the renowned Alan R. Moon, this board game revolves around a railway adventure across North America.

    Nominated for 17 awards and won 11.

    ⭐️ Spiel des Jahres 2004

    More details for Ticket to Ride
    • 2 - 5 Players
    • 30 - 60 Minutes
    • 8+ years old
    • Easy to learn

    Video reviews for Ticket to Ride

    • YouTube Review for the game "Ticket to Ride" by BoardGameGeek
      Video is in English
  4. The Mind

    All details for the board game The Mind and similar games

    The Mind is a unique card game that combines elements of cooperation, intuition, and silent communication. It is as much an experiment in group dynamics as it is a game.

    Nominated for 20 awards and won 9.

    ⭐️ Nominated for Spiel des Jahres 2018

    More details for The Mind
    • 2 - 4 Players
    • 20 Minutes
    • 8+ years old
    • Immediately playable
  5. Terraforming Mars

    All details for the board game Terraforming Mars and similar games

    Terraforming Mars is a strategic board game set in the 2400s, where players, representing giant corporations, embark on the colossal task of terraforming Mars. Sponsored by the World Government on Earth, each corporation competes to contribute most effectively to raising the planet's temperature, oxygen level, and ocean coverage to make Mars habitable. While players work together in the terraforming process, they also compete for victory points awarded for their contributions to terraforming, advancing human infrastructure throughout the solar system, and other notable achievements.

    Nominated for 27 awards and won 14.

    ⭐️ Nominated for Kennerspiel des Jahres 2017

    More details for Terraforming Mars
    • 1 - 5 Players
    • 120 Minutes
    • 12+ years old
    • Medium difficulty

    Video reviews for Terraforming Mars

    • YouTube Review for the game "Terraforming Mars" by Shut Up & Sit Down
      Video is in English
  6. Dominion

    All details for the board game Dominion and similar games

    In Dominion, you step into the shoes of a monarch, much like your ancestors, ruling over a small, picturesque kingdom. However, your ambitions stretch far beyond the peaceful realm you've inherited. Your goal is to expand your territory, transforming these modest lands into a vast dominion filled with diverse landscapes and resources.

    Nominated for 32 awards and won 17.

    ⭐️ Spiel des Jahres 2009

    More details for Dominion
    • 2 - 4 Players
    • 30 Minutes
    • 13+ years old
    • Easy to learn
  7. Gloomhaven

    All details for the board game Gloomhaven and similar games

    Gloomhaven is a Euro-inspired tactical combat game set in a persistent and evolving world. Players assume the roles of adventurers, each with unique skills and motives, as they explore dungeons, ruins, and engage in cooperative battles against automated monsters.

    Nominated for 22 awards and won 10.

    More details for Gloomhaven
    • 1 - 4 Players
    • 60 - 120 Minutes
    • 14+ years old
    • Hard to learn

    Video reviews for Gloomhaven

    • YouTube Review for the game "Gloomhaven" by BoardGameGeek
      Video is in English
    • YouTube Review for the game "Gloomhaven" by Shut Up & Sit Down
      Video is in English
  8. Escape from the Aliens in Outer Space

    All details for the board game Escape from the Aliens in Outer Space and similar games

    Escape from the Aliens in Outer Space is a suspenseful card game set in the dark and treacherous confines of a space research ship afflicted by an alien plague. This game uniquely combines strategy, bluffing, and a claustrophobic science fiction theme.

    Nominated for 1 award.

    More details for Escape from the Aliens in Outer Space
    • 2 - 8 Players
    • 20 - 45 Minutes
    • 12+ years old
    • Easy to learn
  9. Catacombs

    All details for the board game Catacombs and similar games

    Catacombs is a unique blend of action and strategy, set in a dark and treacherous catacomb full of monsters and a formidable Catacomb Lord. This dexterity-based board game pits one player, the Overseer, who controls the dungeon's monsters, against the other players who control four heroes with distinct abilities.

    Nominated for 3 awards and won 1.

    More details for Catacombs
    • 2 - 5 Players
    • 30 - 60 Minutes
    • 12+ years old
    • Easy to learn
  10. Risk Legacy

    All details for the board game Risk Legacy and similar games

    Risk Legacy is a revolutionary approach to the classic board game Risk, introducing the concept of a "campaigning" board game. What sets Risk Legacy apart is its evolving nature; the game changes over time, influenced by the outcomes of each session and the decisions made by players. This version of Risk creates a unique and persistent world that is shaped by the players' actions, resulting in a customized gaming experience.

    Nominated for 5 awards and won 1.

    More details for Risk Legacy
    • 3 - 5 Players
    • 60 Minutes
    • 13+ years old
    • Medium difficulty

    Video reviews for Risk Legacy

    • YouTube Review for the game "Risk Legacy" by BoardGameGeek
      Video is in English
  11. ROFL!

    All details for the board game ROFL! and similar games

    Nominated for 2 awards.

    More details for ROFL!
    • 3 - 7 Players
    • 30 - 45 Minutes
    • 13+ years old
    • Immediately playable
  12. Chaos in the Old World

    All details for the board game Chaos in the Old World and similar games

    Chaos in the Old World immerses players in a dark, mythological setting where they assume the roles of malevolent gods vying for supremacy. Each god wields unique powers and commands a legion of followers, aiming to corrupt and conquer the Old World.

    Nominated for 9 awards and won 1.

    More details for Chaos in the Old World
    • 3 - 4 Players
    • 60 - 120 Minutes
    • 13+ years old
    • Medium difficulty
  13. Magic: The Gathering

    All details for the board game Magic: The Gathering and similar games

    Magic: The Gathering (MTG) is a highly influential collectible card game (CCG) that has shaped the genre since its inception. Players take on the roles of planeswalkers, powerful wizards engaging in strategic duels.

    Nominated for 9 awards and won 6.

    More details for Magic: The Gathering
    • 2 Players
    • 20 Minutes
    • 13+ years old
    • Medium difficulty
  14. Terra Mystica

    All details for the board game Terra Mystica and similar games

    Welcome to the diverse and captivating land of Terra Mystica, where 14 distinct peoples inhabit seven unique landscapes. In this strategic board game, each group is intrinsically tied to its own home environment, and to expand and flourish, they must transform neighboring terrains into their native habitats, all while competing against rival factions.

    Nominated for 17 awards and won 13.

    More details for Terra Mystica
    • 2 - 5 Players
    • 60 - 150 Minutes
    • 12+ years old
    • Hard to learn

    Video reviews for Terra Mystica

    • YouTube Review for the game "Terra Mystica" by Shut Up & Sit Down
      Video is in English
  15. Charterstone

    All details for the board game Charterstone and similar games

    Charterstone invites players into the Kingdom of Greengully, where they are tasked with building a new village as part of a grand decree by the Forever King. This competitive legacy game evolves with each play, offering a unique and enduring experience.

    Nominated for 7 awards.

    More details for Charterstone
    • 1 - 6 Players
    • 45 - 75 Minutes
    • 14+ years old
    • Medium difficulty
  16. PerplexCity: The Boardgame

    All details for the board game PerplexCity: The Boardgame and similar games

    Nominated for 2 awards and won 1.

    More details for PerplexCity: The Boardgame
    • 2 - 16 Players
    • 120 Minutes
    • 8+ years old
    • Easy to learn
  17. Holding On: The Troubled Life of Billy Kerr

    All details for the board game Holding On: The Troubled Life of Billy Kerr and similar games
    • 2 - 4 Players
    • 45 - 60 Minutes
    • 14+ years old
    • Easy to learn

    Video reviews for Holding On: The Troubled Life of Billy Kerr

    • YouTube Review for the game "Holding On: The Troubled Life of Billy Kerr" by BoardGameGeek
      Video is in English

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