The best games presented at the Spiel 2007 game fair in Essen, Germany 2024

Bohnanza is a unique card game about planting, trading, and harvesting beans. Unlike typical card games, you can't rearrange your hand, adding a strategic twist. The core of the game lies in trading beans with others to manage your hand effectively.

Pandemic is a highly acclaimed cooperative board game where players take on the roles of disease-fighting specialists. Their mission is to contain and cure four deadly diseases that have broken out across the globe. The game is set on a board depicting major world population centers and requires players to strategize and work together to manage the outbreaks and develop cures before the diseases spiral out of control.

Bausack is a unique and engaging game that combines elements of strategy, dexterity, and auctioning. Players challenge each other to build precarious structures using a variety of uniquely shaped wooden blocks. The game tests your architectural skills and your ability to make strategic decisions under pressure. Players must balance the risk and reward of accepting or refusing blocks, using 'beans' as currency in auctions to influence decisions. The game ends when a player's structure collapses, leaving the last player standing as the winner.

Marrakech is a strategic board game where players take on the roles of competing rug salespeople in the vibrant and bustling market of Marrakech. The aim is to outsmart your competitors through careful placement of carpets and savvy financial decisions.

Galaxy Trucker is a fast-paced, tile-laying board game that combines space adventure with ship construction and navigation challenges.

Hive: The Mosquito adds a new layer of strategic depth to the already engaging game of Hive, a tile-based game where players duel to surround their opponent's queen bee while avoiding the entrapment of their own. The introduction of the mosquito pieces, which adapt the abilities of the pieces they touch, introduces a dynamic element of versatility and unpredictability.

Race for the Galaxy is a captivating card game that immerses players in the challenge of building galactic civilizations. In this race through the cosmos, players use game cards to represent worlds, technologies, and developments as they strive for supremacy. Let's delve into the gameplay and discover what makes Race for the Galaxy unique.

Alhambra is a strategic board game set in the historical context of the construction of the Alhambra in Granada, Spain, during the Middle Ages. It combines elements of resource management, tile placement, and strategic planning.

TZAAR is a compelling abstract strategy game that emphasizes the delicate balance of weakening your opponent versus strengthening your own position. With 30 pieces each, divided among Tzaars, Tzarras, and Totts, players navigate a game of tactical decisions where every move counts. The core challenge lies in managing these three distinct types of pieces, each essential to the game's strategy, as players aim to either deplete one type of the opponent's pieces or trap them in a position where they can't capture anymore.

Felicity: The Cat in the Sack is a clever and engaging auction-style game where players aim to collect the most valuable cats while avoiding the less desirable ones. The game involves bluffing and strategic bidding, as players use their mice to bid for cats hidden in a sack.

Carcassonne: Expansion 5 – Abbey & Mayor is an exciting addition to the Carcassonne series, enhancing the classic tile-placement game with new elements and strategic options. This expansion introduces three new types of wooden pieces, six Abbey tiles, and twelve new landscape tiles, adding depth and variety to the gameplay of Carcassonne.

BANG! The Bullet! is the deluxe edition of the popular Wild West-themed card game BANG! and its expansions. Presented in a distinctive bullet-shaped 'box', this edition combines the base game and several expansions, offering an enriched and comprehensive BANG! experience.

Condottiere is a strategic game set in 13th century Italy, a period marked by flourishing trade and frequent conflicts among city-states. The game revolves around the theme of mercenary leaders, known as Condottieri, who were hired to fight for different city-states.

Neuroshima Hex! 3.0 is a strategic board game set in the post-apocalyptic universe of Neuroshima, a Polish role-playing game. It offers intense battles between four distinct armies in a world devastated by war and robotic uprising.

In Kingsburg, players assume the roles of Lords dispatched by the King to oversee frontier territories. The game unfolds over five years, comprising a total of 20 turns. Each year consists of three production seasons, allowing players to gather resources, construct structures, and train troops. However, every fourth turn ushers in winter, a time when all players must individually confront an invading army. Despite this threat, Kingsburg remains a competitive rather than cooperative game.

Ligretto is a fast-paced card game where each player has a unique deck of 40 cards, numbered 1-10 in four different colors. The game is dynamic and requires quick thinking and rapid play. The objective is to empty your Ligretto stack by playing cards to the center of the table, following specific rules. The game is played simultaneously, adding to the excitement and challenge.

Cockroach Salad is a fast-paced card game where players work together to create a salad but not always truthfully. With 128 cards representing different vegetables and the dreaded "taboo" vegetables with cockroaches, the aim is to deceive your way to victory. The game becomes a test of quick thinking and deception as you navigate through the rules of when to tell the truth and when to lie about the vegetables you're adding to the salad.

Brass: Lancashire is a compelling economic strategy game set during the industrial revolution in Lancashire. The game chronicles the story of competing cotton entrepreneurs and requires players to develop, build, and expand their industries and networks to capitalize on the growing demand for iron, coal, and cotton.

Travel Carcassonne (Reise-Carcassonne) offers the beloved Carcassonne experience in a compact, travel-friendly format. This edition is designed for fans of the game who wish to take their tile-laying adventures on the road. While maintaining the core rules and gameplay of the original Carcassonne, the Travel Edition introduces several adaptations to suit its portable nature.

Power Grid: The New Power Plants – Set 1 introduces a versatile expansion to the acclaimed board game Power Grid. This new deck of power plant cards offers players the opportunity to refresh and customize their gaming experience with various integration options. Whether you're seeking to replace the original deck, combine it for an element of unpredictability, extend the game duration, or tailor a deck to your preferences, this set accommodates all.