The best games presented at the Spiel 1998 game fair in Essen, Germany 2024

Are you looking for a good new game? We have compared all the games presented at the game fair "Spiel 1998" in Essen and listed the top100.

Game fair in the German city of Essen

The International Game Days "SPIEL", often called the Essen Game Fair or Essen 1998 after the city where it is held, is an annual four-day board game fair that is also open to the public. Many new games are released at the fair each year, especially (but not exclusively) European-style board games.

More info about game fair "Spiel" is available on official game website.

Did we forget a game that was presented at Spiel'98?

If we have forgotten a game that was presented at Spiel 1998.... please write us at tibi+brettspiele@cephea.de. Then we will add it to the list.

Spiel-Messe Essen from other years

The Essen Game Fair has been held since 1983, we have listed for you both across all game years and listed separately by year at the bottom of the page.

List with the top100 new releases of Spiel'98:

This list was last updated on November 30, 2024. We compared 19 board games for this list and selected the top 18. There's also a print version for this list.
  1. CATAN: Seafarers

    All details for the board game CATAN: Seafarers and similar games

    Catan: Seafarers is an expansion to the popular board game CATAN, adding new elements and strategies to the base game. This expansion focuses on exploration and building across water, introducing shipping lanes and various water-based scenarios.

    Nominated for 1 award.

    More details for CATAN: Seafarers
    • 3 - 4 Players
    • 90 Minutes
    • 10+ years old
    • Easy to learn

    Video reviews for CATAN: Seafarers

    • YouTube Review for the game "CATAN: Seafarers" by BoardGameGeek
      Video is in English
  2. Take 5!

    All details for the board game Take 5! and similar games

    Nominated for 1 award.

    πŸ”₯ Deal: 17% cheaper than the best Geizhals deal, likely for a short time only!

    More details for Take 5!
    • 2 - 6 Players
    • 60 Minutes
    • 10+ years old
    • Immediately playable
    πŸ”₯ Great price!Check for best price now atAmazon*
  3. CATAN: Cities & Knights

    All details for the board game CATAN: Cities & Knights and similar games

    Embark on a strategic journey in CATAN: Cities & Knights, an expansion that enriches the classic Settlers of Catan experience. Two major additions elevate gameplay - the creation of knights to fend off barbarian invasions and the construction of city improvements providing unique benefits. As part of the Catan Series, this expansion introduces tactical complexity and extends the game length.

    More details for CATAN: Cities & Knights
    • 3 - 4 Players
    • 90 - 150 Minutes
    • 12+ years old
    • Medium difficulty
  4. Kahuna

    All details for the board game Kahuna and similar games

    Kahuna is a strategic two-player game set in the South Seas, where players take on the roles of Kahuna – powerful sorcerers of the Pacific. The game revolves around competing for dominance over an archipelago of twelve small islands.

    More details for Kahuna
    • 2 Players
    • 30 - 40 Minutes
    • 10+ years old
    • Easy to learn
  5. CafΓ© International

    All details for the board game CafΓ© International and similar games

    CafΓ© International is a strategic board game that simulates the seating arrangements of guests from different nationalities in an international cafe. The game intricately combines tile placement and puzzle-solving elements, challenging players to thoughtfully arrange multi-national customers around tables to earn points while adhering to specific seating rules.

    Nominated for 1 award and won 1.

    ⭐️ Spiel des Jahres 1989

    More details for CafΓ© International
    • 2 - 4 Players
    • 45 - 60 Minutes
    • 10+ years old
    • Easy to learn
  6. Titanic: Der Mythos

    All details for the board game Titanic: Der Mythos and similar games
    • 2 - 5 Players
    • 20 Minutes
    • 10+ years old
    • Immediately playable
  7. Samarkand

    All details for the board game Samarkand and similar games
    • 2 - 5 Players
    • 40 Minutes
    • 9+ years old
    • Easy to learn
  8. Dots

    All details for the board game Dots and similar games
    • 2 - 6 Players
    • 20 Minutes
    • 10+ years old
    • Immediately playable
  9. Twixt

    All details for the board game Twixt and similar games
    • 2 - 4 Players
    • 30 Minutes
    • 12+ years old
    • Easy to learn
  10. LΓΆwendynastie

    All details for the board game LΓΆwendynastie and similar games
    • 3 - 6 Players
    • 30 Minutes
    • 10+ years old
    • Easy to learn
  11. VerrΓ€ter

    All details for the board game VerrΓ€ter and similar games

    Nominated for 1 award and won 1.

    More details for VerrΓ€ter
    • 3 - 4 Players
    • 60 Minutes
    • 12+ years old
    • Medium difficulty
  12. Primordial Soup: Freshly Spiced

    All details for the board game Primordial Soup: Freshly Spiced and similar games
    • 3 - 6 Players
    • 90 Minutes
    • 12+ years old
    • Medium difficulty
  13. Die Siedler von Catan: Historische Szenarien

    All details for the board game Die Siedler von Catan: Historische Szenarien and similar games
    • 3 - 4 Players
    • 90 Minutes
    • 10+ years old
    • Medium difficulty
  14. Bohnanza: La Isla BohnitΓ’

    All details for the board game Bohnanza: La Isla BohnitΓ’ and similar games
    • 2 - 7 Players
    • 90 Minutes
    • 12+ years old
    • Easy to learn
  15. Secret Labyrinth

    All details for the board game Secret Labyrinth and similar games
    • 2 - 4 Players
    • 30 Minutes
    • 10+ years old
    • Immediately playable
  16. Medieval Merchant

    All details for the board game Medieval Merchant and similar games
    • 2 - 6 Players
    • 60 - 90 Minutes
    • 12+ years old
    • Medium difficulty
  17. El Caballero

    All details for the board game El Caballero and similar games
    • 2 - 4 Players
    • 90 Minutes
    • 13+ years old
    • Medium difficulty
  18. Europa 1945-2030

    All details for the board game Europa 1945-2030 and similar games
    • 3 - 6 Players
    • 120 Minutes
    • 12+ years old
    • Medium difficulty

Didn't find the game you were looking for?

We're positive that you'll find it in one of our other lists! To make the search easier for you, we split our website into different categories. The following board game categories will help you find the right list: