The best games presented at the Spiel 2016 game fair in Essen, Germany 2024

Embark on a noble quest to expand your kingdom in Kingdomino. As a lord, your mission is to explore vast lands filled with wheat fields, serene lakes, and towering mountains. Competing with fellow lords, you must identify the choicest plots to claim as your own.

In Junk Art, creativity knows no bounds as players transform a pile of junk into stunning works of art. With more than ten engaging game modes and over sixty vibrant wooden or plastic components, this game invites you to explore your artistic talents like never before.

7 Wonders Duel: Pantheon is an expansion to the popular strategy game 7 Wonders Duel, introducing a dynamic element of ancient deities from various civilizations, each offering unique powers and strategies.

King of Tokyo is a game where players take on the roles of mutant monsters, robots, and aliens, all competing to become the sole King of Tokyo.

Encore! (originally published as Noch mal!) is a dice-based board game that challenges players with strategic choices and a touch of luck. In this game, players use dice to determine the colors and the number of spaces they can mark off on their playing sheets.

Mansions of Madness: Second Edition is a cooperative, app-enhanced board game that combines elements of horror and mystery. It's set in the same universe as Eldritch Horror and Elder Sign, offering an immersive narrative experience.

Raiders of the North Sea is a vibrant board game set during the Viking Age, where players embody Viking warriors vying for the Chieftain's recognition through strategic raiding and resource management.

Fuji Flush is an energetic and engaging card game that combines simple rules with strategic depth, making it perfect for both casual gamers and those looking for a quick, entertaining play session. The game's objective is straightforward: be the first to get rid of all your cards. However, achieving this goal requires savvy hand management, timely collaboration with others, and knowing when to strike out on your own.

Dr. Eureka is a fast-paced, dexterity-based board game that challenges players to become the quickest and most precise scientist in the laboratory. Designed for players with a keen sense of logic and a steady hand, this game puts your problem-solving and fine motor skills to the test.

Arboretum invites 2-4 players, aged 10 and up, to embark on a strategic journey of set collection, tile-laying, and hand management, creating picturesque garden paths within a concise 25-minute playtime.

Mission: Red Planet (Second Edition) is a strategic board game set in a Victorian-era Earth, where players head mining corporations competing to exploit Mars' newfound resources.

Dominion: Empires expands the universe of Dominion into grander and more expansive territories, elevating players from monarchs to emperors ruling over vast domains. This tenth expansion to the critically acclaimed deck-building game Dominion introduces new mechanics and elements that challenge players to navigate the complexities of imperial governance and conquest.

Star Wars: Rebellion is a grand strategy board game set in the Star Wars universe, offering an epic conflict between the Galactic Empire and Rebel Alliance for two to four players.

Mystic Vale is a unique and innovative card game that blends deck-building mechanics with a distinct "Card Crafting System." It's set in a mystical world where players take on the roles of druidic clans aiming to restore a cursed land. The game is known for its engaging gameplay and the novel way it allows players to customize their cards.

Orléans: Trade & Intrigue is the exciting second expansion for the acclaimed Orléans game. It enriches the base game by introducing fresh gameplay elements and strategic depth. This expansion doesn’t just add new content; it transforms the game with new layers of strategy and player interaction through its four distinct modules. Each addition, from new place tiles to intriguing cards, invites players to explore new strategies and engage with the game in novel ways.

World's Fair 1893 is a board game where players become organizers of the iconic Chicago World's Fair, aiming to boost their influence and secure notable exhibits to win the best reputation by the fair's start.

Arkham Horror: The Card Game is a Lovecraftian horror card game that blends role-playing and card game elements. Set in the eerie town of Arkham, players face mysterious, monstrous, and maddening challenges.

Cottage Garden is a charming and strategic board game where players delve into the art of gardening. Designed by Uwe Rosenberg, renowned for his skill in creating engaging board games, Cottage Garden invites players to carefully plan and cultivate their own garden beds with a variety of flowers. The game combines elements of tile placement and point accumulation, set against the serene backdrop of garden landscapes.

Ticket to Ride: Rails & Sails expands the classic Ticket to Ride gameplay to a global scale, introducing an innovative twist by incorporating boats into the well-loved train route-building formula. Players are tasked with navigating both land and water, using trains and ships to connect distant cities and fulfill their ticket objectives.

51st State: Master Set is a comprehensive and rebalanced card game set in a post-apocalyptic world where players vie for control over the remnants of the United States. As leaders of one of four powers, players work to build and establish their new country amidst the ruins. The game is renowned for its strategic depth, offering multiple ways to use each card, and it includes content from the original game as well as from the New Era and Winter expansions.

A Feast for Odin is a rich and complex board game that takes players on a journey through the life and times of the Vikings. This game combines elements of exploration, resource management, and strategic planning, offering a deep and engaging experience.

First Class: Unterwegs im Orient Express, also known as First Class: All Aboard the Orient Express!, is a card-driven board game where players compete to build the most prestigious rail network, luxurious train cars, and cater to affluent passengers to earn fame points.

Escape Room: The Game brings the thrill of escape room challenges right into your living room. It includes four unique 60-minute puzzles that test various problem-solving skills. Players work together to decipher clues ranging from images to maps, under the pressure of a ticking timer. The game's centerpiece, the Chrono Decoder, adds a real sense of urgency with its countdown and sound effects. Whether you're defusing a bomb or escaping prison, the game provides a mix of tension and teamwork.

Fields of Green is a strategy board game set in the latter half of the 20th century where players immerse themselves as farm owners. The objective is to expand your farm by strategically drafting cards to add fields, livestock, and buildings, creating a productive economic engine. Inspired by Among the Stars, this game spans four rounds, representing years, during which players grow their farms and prepare for the harvest season. Success in managing resources during harvest allows for further expansion and accumulation of wealth, ultimately converted into victory points.

Trickerion: Legends of Illusion is a competitive, Euro-style strategy board game set in a late 19th-century world infused with supernatural elements. The game revolves around rival stage illusionists vying for fame, fortune, and magical supremacy.

Railroad Revolution is a strategic board game that immerses players in the competitive and industrious period of the 19th-century American railroad expansion. This game combines elements of worker placement, network building, and strategic planning, offering a rich, thematic experience that mirrors the ambitious endeavors of historical railroad tycoons.

Doom: The Boardgame transports players into the iconic universe of the DOOM computer game, set within the Union Aerospace Corporation’s Mars base that has been invaded by demonic forces. In this intense and action-packed game, up to three players take on the roles of heavily armed marines, while one player controls the horde of demonic invaders. The game is designed for 2 to 4 players, aged 12 and up, and offers an immersive experience lasting 1 to 2 hours.