The Best "Gouden Ludo๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ช" winners and nominees 2026

Looking for a good game that won or was nominated for the "Gouden Ludo" award? Then we have just the thing for you: A list with the best "Gouden Ludo" winners and games that were on the nomination list.

What is the "Gouden Ludo" game award?

The "Gouden Ludo" is an award for dice, card & board games. The prize originates from ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ชBelgium, was created in 2009 and is chosen by a jury.

The Gouden Ludo is awarded by an association of several Flemish game clubs.

Publishers can propose their games for the award; a jury then nominates four games from the proposed games. Finally, the members of the Forum Federation and other Flemish game clubs vote on which of the nominees will win the prize.

Gouden Ludo categories

The Golden Ludo award is given every year in the following categories:

  • Gouden Ludo
  • Best Expert Game
  • Best Family Game
  • Golden Ludo "Great With Two" Special Prize

More info can be found on the official homepage.

Other game awards from all over the world

There are many more game awards from around the world, you can find a list at the bottom of this page.

List of best Golden Ludo winners & nominees 2026:

This list was last updated on June 28, 2026. There's also a print version for this list .
  1. Codenames

    Codenames

    Codenames is a captivating and popular party game that involves clever wordplay and deduction. Two teams compete, each led by a spymaster who knows the secret identities of 25 agents, represented by cards bearing single-word codenames like "disease," "Germany," or even "carrot." The objective is for each team to be the first to correctly identify all their agents based on clues given by their spymaster, while avoiding the dangerous assassin.

    All details & rating
    2โ€“8 15 min 10+ Immediately playable
    + 2 โ‚ฌ above the best price
    17 โ‚ฌ at Amazon*
  2. Kingdomino

    Kingdomino

    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.

    All details & rating
    2โ€“4 15โ€“25 min 8+ Immediately playable
    + 4 โ‚ฌ above the best price
    14 โ‚ฌ at Amazon*
    Video reviews 1
  3. Love Letter

    Love Letter

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

    All details & rating
    2โ€“4 20 min 10+ Immediately playable
    + 25 โ‚ฌ above the best price
    39 โ‚ฌ at Amazon*
  4. Azul

    Azul

    Azul is a tile-laying game inspired by Portuguese azulejos: as artisans, players draft colored tiles from suppliers and place them in patterns to decorate the walls of the Royal Palace of Evora, scoring points for clever arrangements.

    All details & rating
    2โ€“4 30โ€“45 min 8+ Easy to learn
    Video reviews 1
  5. The Quack of Quedlinburg

    The Quack of Quedlinburg

    Become a cunning charlatan or a quack doctor in the whimsical world of The Quacks of Quedlinburg. In this quirky board game, each player concocts their own secret brew, one ingredient at a time. But beware, for a careless addition could spoil the entire mixture!

    All details & rating
    2โ€“4 45 min 10+ Easy to learn
    + 8 โ‚ฌ above the best price
    32 โ‚ฌ at Amazon*
  6. The Crew: The Quest for Planet Nine

    The Crew: The Quest for Planet Nine

    The Crew: The Quest for Planet Nine is a cooperative trick-taking game that takes players on an adventurous space journey, filled with challenges and strategic gameplay.

    All details & rating
    2โ€“5 20 min 10+ Easy to learn
    + 2 โ‚ฌ above the best price
    11 โ‚ฌ at Amazon*
  7. Welcome To...

    Welcome To...

    Welcome To... is a unique, dice-less roll-and-write game where players take on the role of 1950s American architects, aiming to design and construct the most prosperous suburban neighborhood.

    All details & rating
    1โ€“100 25 min 10+ Easy to learn
    5 โ‚ฌ below the next retailer
    20 โ‚ฌ at Amazon*
  8. King of Tokyo

    King of Tokyo

    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.

    All details & rating
    2โ€“6 30 min 8+ Immediately playable
  9. Wingspan

    Wingspan

    Wingspan is a captivating, competitive board game from Stonemaier Games, masterfully designed by Elizabeth Hargrave. It's a medium-weight, card-driven, engine-building game that stands out with its unique theme and stunning artwork, featuring over 170 bird illustrations by artists Beth Sobel, Natalia Rojas, and Ana Maria Martinez.

    All details & rating
    1โ€“5 40โ€“70 min 10+ Easy to learn
    Video reviews 1
  10. Bรคrenpark

    Bรคrenpark

    Bรคrenpark is a charming and strategic board game that invites players to delve into the world of bear parks. Your task is to construct a visually appealing and efficiently designed bear park.

    All details & rating
    2โ€“4 30โ€“45 min 8+ Easy to learn
  11. Wandering Towers

    Wandering Towers

    Players aim to bring all their wizards home to the Raven Castle before their opponents. The game board is set up in a circle with towers placed in a specific order, and each player starts with a certain number of wizards and movement cards. Players move their wizards or towers based on their played cards, capture opponents' wizards to fill their potion bottles, and ultimately try to place their last wizard in the Raven Castle to win. The game can also be played in teams with a variant that adds various spells.

    All details & rating
    1โ€“6 30 min 8+ Easy to learn
  12. Century: Spice Road

    Century: Spice Road

    Century: Spice Road is the first game in a series that delves into the rich and vibrant history of spice trading. Set against the backdrop of the legendary Silk Road, players take on the roles of caravan leaders, journeying across continents to trade spices and achieve fame and glory. This game combines elements of strategy and resource management, making it an engaging experience for players who enjoy economic and trading games.

    All details & rating
    2โ€“5 30โ€“45 min 8+ Easy to learn
    Video reviews 1
  13. 7 Wonders

    7 Wonders

    In 7 Wonders, you step into the role of a leader of one of the seven great cities of the Ancient World. Your objective is to gather resources, establish commercial routes, and assert your military might. The game is not just about managing resources but also about building an architectural wonder that will stand the test of time.

    All details & rating
    2โ€“7 30 min 10+ Easy to learn
  14. Spot it!

    Spot it!

    Spot it!, also known as Dobble, is a fast-paced, fun-filled pattern recognition game. It's a simple yet engaging game where players race to find matching symbols between two cards.

    All details & rating
    2โ€“8 15 min 6+ Immediately playable
  15. Dominion

    Dominion

    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.

    All details & rating
    2โ€“4 30 min 13+ Easy to learn
    + 2 โ‚ฌ above the best price
    37 โ‚ฌ at Amazon*
  16. Concept

    Concept

    In Concept, the challenge is to convey words using a network of icons. A pair of players, seated as neighbors, collaborate to select a word or phrase that others must deduce. Working in tandem, they strategically place markers on the available icons on the game board.

    All details & rating
    4โ€“12 40 min 10+ Immediately playable
    + 10 โ‚ฌ above the best price
    35 โ‚ฌ at Amazon*
  17. It's a Wonderful World

    It's a Wonderful World

    It's a Wonderful World is a strategic card drafting and engine-building game, where players take on the role of leaders of expanding empires. The game is designed for 1 to 5 players and offers a compelling blend of careful planning and resource management.

    All details & rating
    1โ€“5 45 min 14+ Easy to learn
    + 3 โ‚ฌ above the best price
    40 โ‚ฌ at Amazon*
  18. Calico

    Calico

    Calico is a delightful, tile-laying board game that combines the art of quilt-making with the charm of cats. It's designed to offer a relaxing yet engaging puzzling experience for players.

    All details & rating
    1โ€“4 30โ€“45 min 10+ Easy to learn
  19. Colt Express

    Colt Express

    Colt Express is a fast-paced, action-packed board game set in the Wild West, where players take on the roles of bandits attempting to rob a moving train.

    All details & rating
    2โ€“6 40 min 10+ Easy to learn
    + 8 โ‚ฌ above the best price
    23 โ‚ฌ at Amazon*
  20. Lost Ruins of Arnak

    Lost Ruins of Arnak

    Lost Ruins of Arnak is an adventurous board game that blends deck-building with worker placement, set on an unexplored island filled with remnants of an ancient civilization.

    All details & rating
    1โ€“4 30โ€“120 min 12+ Medium complexity
    + 14 โ‚ฌ above the best price
    55 โ‚ฌ at Amazon*
  21. Everdell

    Everdell

    Everdell invites players to immerse themselves in the enchanting valley of Everdell, where a thriving civilization of forest critters seeks to expand their territories and establish new cities beneath towering trees, meandering streams, and mossy hollows. As the leader of a group of ambitious critters, you have a busy year ahead, filled with construction, character encounters, and hosting events. Can you ensure that the sun shines brightest on your city before the winter moon rises?

    All details & rating
    1โ€“4 40โ€“80 min 10+ Medium complexity
    + 5 โ‚ฌ above the best price
    50 โ‚ฌ at Amazon*
    Video reviews 1
  22. Terraforming Mars

    Terraforming Mars

    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.

    All details & rating
    1โ€“5 120 min 12+ Medium complexity
    Video reviews 1
  23. Pandemic

    Pandemic

    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.

    All details & rating
    2โ€“4 45 min 8+ Easy to learn
    10 โ‚ฌ below the next retailer
    30 โ‚ฌ at Amazon*
  24. Raiders of the North Sea

    Raiders of the North Sea

    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.

    All details & rating
    2โ€“4 60โ€“80 min 12+ Medium complexity
  25. Magic Maze

    Magic Maze

    Magic Maze presents an unconventional and exhilarating cooperative gaming experience where players embody a mage, a warrior, an elf, and a dwarf. Stripped of their possessions, this diverse group embarks on a unique adventure: robbing the local Magic Maze shopping mall to gather equipment for their next quest.

    All details & rating
    1โ€“8 15 min 8+ Easy to learn
  26. Under Falling Skies

    Under Falling Skies

    Under Falling Skies is a solo board game with a focus on strategic defense against an alien invasion. It features a multi-mission campaign where players defend cities from extraterrestrial threats.

    All details & rating
    1 20โ€“40 min 12+ Easy to learn
    + 6 โ‚ฌ above the best price
    33 โ‚ฌ at Amazon*
  27. Flamecraft

    Flamecraft

    In Flamecraft, you delve into a whimsical world where artisan dragons, smaller yet magically adept relatives of their larger kin, are the stars. As a Flamekeeper, your role is to communicate with these dragons, finding them the perfect shop to call home and using enchantments to coax them into creating marvelous things. Your success in aiding the dragons and shopkeepers boosts your reputation, with the goal of becoming the Master of Flamecraft.

    All details & rating
    1โ€“5 60 min 10+ Easy to learn
    + 9 โ‚ฌ above the best price
    35 โ‚ฌ at Amazon*
  28. Qwirkle

    Qwirkle

    The abstract game of Qwirkle unfolds with 108 wooden blocks, each featuring six different shapes in six distinct colors. Unlike traditional board games, there is no designated board; players utilize any available flat surface.

    All details & rating
    2โ€“4 45 min 6+ Easy to learn
    + 4 โ‚ฌ above the best price
    28 โ‚ฌ at Amazon*
  29. Orlรฉans

    Orlรฉans

    Orlรฉans is a strategic board game set in medieval France, where players compete to gain supremacy through trade, construction, and science by assembling a diverse following of characters like farmers, merchants, knights, and monks.

    All details & rating
    2โ€“5 90 min 12+ Medium complexity
    + 22 โ‚ฌ above the best price
    49 โ‚ฌ at Amazon*
  30. Tiny Towns

    Tiny Towns

    Tiny Towns is a charming and strategic board game where players take on the role of mayors building their own tiny towns in a forest. The game challenges players to manage resources wisely and plan their towns carefully to maximize prosperity.

    All details & rating
    1โ€“6 45โ€“60 min 14+ Easy to learn

Frequently asked questions

Which game ranks first on this list?

Codenames (Spiel des Jahres 2016 winner) currently tops our list. The ranking is derived from player community ratings and is recalculated continuously.

How many players do the games on this list support?

Most games on this list support 2 to 5 players. The exact player count is listed with each game.

What age are these games suitable for?

Publisher age recommendations on this list start at 6 years. Each game carries its own age rating.

How long does a game take?

A typical game takes about 30 to 45 minutes. Each game's playing time is listed individually.

Didn't find the game you were looking for?

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