The best games presented at the Spiel 2005 game fair in Essen, Germany 2024

Winner's Circle is a thrilling board game that brings the excitement of horse racing to your table. Players get to place bets on various horses and try to accumulate the most money over the course of three races. It’s a game of chance, strategy, and a bit of intuition, making it a great pick for family game nights or gatherings with friends.

Fairy Tale is a fast-paced card game that combines elements of drafting and simultaneous action selection. Players strategically choose cards to score points while also attempting to disrupt their opponents' plans. The game's quick rounds and dynamic card interactions make for an engaging and competitive experience.

Railways of the World, initially released as Railroad Tycoon, is a grand-scale board game where players build and manage their own railroad empire. This 2009 edition revitalizes the original with several improvements and expanded features.

Aton is an intriguing board game set against the backdrop of a tumultuous period in ancient Egyptian history, where theological upheaval and power struggles define the era. As Pharaoh Akhnaton ascends to the throne, he seeks to revolutionize Egyptian worship by replacing the old deity Amon with Aton, sparking a fierce conflict with the entrenched priesthood.

Power Grid: France/Italy is an expansion for the acclaimed board game Power Grid, introducing two new maps and slight rule modifications to enrich the gameplay experience. This expansion requires the base game to play, as it builds on Power Grid's foundation of strategic power supply management and competitive network building.

Mission: Red Planet is a strategic board game set in the year 1888, where Steampunk technology has enabled mankind to reach Mars. Designed by Bruno Faidutti and Bruno Cathala, this game immerses players in a competitive race to colonize Mars and exploit its valuable resources: the explosive element Celerium, the dense material Sylvanite, and water from Martian glaciers, which could potentially terraform the planet.

Carcassonne: The Discovery is a stand-alone game that revisits the core mechanics of the iconic Carcassonne series, transporting players to a newly discovered land filled with meadows, mountains, and seas. This iteration offers a simplified version of the classic gameplay while introducing nuanced strategic depth, making it accessible to newcomers and challenging for veterans alike. The goal of developing a game that retains simplicity in its rules but broadens strategic possibilities has been successfully achieved, offering a fresh and engaging experience.

Caylus is a deeply strategic board game that transports players to the year 1289, where they become master builders tasked with constructing a castle for King Philip the Fair of France and developing the surrounding city.

Hacienda is a strategy board game that transports players to the South American pampas, where they vie for dominance through savvy land and livestock management. With a blend of tile-laying, card buying, and strategic placement, players work to connect their livestock to markets, control valuable land, and accumulate wealth and points through careful planning and execution.

Antike is a compelling strategy game set in the ancient world, where players lead civilizations to glory through expansion, development, and competition. The game offers a rich historical backdrop, featuring ancient nations like the Greeks, Romans, Phoenicians, Carthaginians, and others. Players focus on building cities, temples, and fleets, while also advancing in science and technology. Military might is crucial, as legions and galleys are needed to defend against enemies and establish new settlements. The board is two-sided, offering different scenarios for gameplay. Victory is achieved not through chance but by acquiring a set number of ancient personalities like kings, scholars, and generals, emphasizing strategic planning and diplomacy.

Shear Panic is a whimsical board game that captures the frolicsome life of a flock of sheep, presented by Fragor Games. Players dive into the pastoral joys and challenges of sheep, aiming to keep their flock in prime positions amidst games of tag, the allure of Roger the Heartthrob Ram, and the looming threat of the shearer.

Indonesia is a strategic economic game for 2-5 players who dive into the competitive world of growing economies in Indonesia. Each player aims to amass the most money by acquiring and developing production and shipping companies. These companies produce and deliver goods such as rice, spices, rubber, and oil to expanding cities, which in turn increases demand. The strategic depth of the game comes from managing production costs and shipping fees, researching advancements, and possibly merging companies to outmaneuver competitors. Players must keep their wealth secret and strategically time their operations, as money earned in the last round counts double. The game unfolds over three eras, each introducing new cities, companies, and goods, culminating in a final tally where the wealthiest player emerges victorious.