This year's Spiel in Essen will be a bit amputated for me unfortunately. Even more important to arrive prepared! So, I made a list. Maybe it can be of interest for others. Who knows. (A BGG Geek List with the same info: https://www.boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/197261)
This year's Friedeman Friese seems fascinating. "504 is a game that creates 504 different games out of one box.", they say, but will any of them be worth our time (and shelf space (and money))?
Antoine Bauza teams up with Bruno Cathala to revisit "7 Wonders" as a two player game with intriguing drafting mechanics inspired by... pyramid solitaire.
Splendor is one of my favourite games from last year. Marc André is back with a seemingly (slightly) heavier game.
Coop Ghost Murder Mystery Dixit! (Technically it was at Essen last year, but only in Polish.)
This year's Martin Wallace (A Study In Emerald, A Few Acres of Snow, Mythotopia...)
Probably too heavy to get much play time these days, but it sounds intriguing.
http://opinionatedgamers.com/2015/09/21/liga-first-impressions-of-bretagne/
Steampunk worker placement game.
A new dice game from Tom Lehman. (Roll for the Galaxy, etc.)
The new Ryan Laukat sounds intriguing. City building meets story telling... (Not entirely sure this will be presented at Essen, but LudoVox seems to think so... )
"Dice crafting"?
Deckbuilding meets Minivilles? Push your luck with a card flipping gimmick... Why not?
Another mayor-sim?
Dice-version of Village.
Pandemic. Legacy.
The new game from Stonemaier Games. (Viticulture w/Tuscany, Euphoria, Between two Cities...)
Star Realms meets Lovecraft? This must be tried.
Another two player drafting game... in a small box. From Portal Games.
The new Ticket Ride? (Supposedly a great gateway game.)
Great reviews.
Dominoes with cavemen-theme? Made in Lyon, but I haven't tested it yet... (A video: https://www.boardgamegeek.com/blogpost/46133/spiel-2015-preview-sapiens-or-dominoes-dawn-time )
Suburbia! (Along wiht the "Con Tiles" promo?)
I wouldn't mind revisiting Nations, and why not including an expansion.
Port Royal expension pack. Interesting.
From the makers of Star Realms.
Stonemaier Games' first game from external designers. A fascinating take on drafting. Casual 20 minutes game for 1-7 players.
Played this at Essen last year. Excellent take on trick taking.
This was missing at last year's Messe, but it has an expansion out this year, so I hope they demo it somewhere... (https://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgameexpansion/175754/roll-galaxy-ambition)
Didn't prioritize this last year as I thought it was too close to the Suburbia that I already have in my collection... Expansion coming out, so it might be fun to try -- if possible. (https://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgameexpansion/174296/castles-mad-king-ludwig-secrets)
Spiel des Jahres 2015, didn't prioritize it last year. Expansion out. Hope to test it. (https://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgameexpansion/181158/colt-express-horses-stagecoach)
Yet another much raved about game that I missed last year that has an expension coming out. (https://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgameexpansion/181693/russian-railroads-german-railroads)
With the new Salsa-expansion coming out maybe this will be demoed?
(https://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgameexpansion/181084/concordia-salsa)
New expansion... etc. (https://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/172505/)
Main Releases
504
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/175878/504This year's Friedeman Friese seems fascinating. "504 is a game that creates 504 different games out of one box.", they say, but will any of them be worth our time (and shelf space (and money))?
7 Wonders: Duel
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/173346/7-wonders-duelAntoine Bauza teams up with Bruno Cathala to revisit "7 Wonders" as a two player game with intriguing drafting mechanics inspired by... pyramid solitaire.
Barony
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/167513/baronySplendor is one of my favourite games from last year. Marc André is back with a seemingly (slightly) heavier game.
Mysterium
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/181304/mysteriumCoop Ghost Murder Mystery Dixit! (Technically it was at Essen last year, but only in Polish.)
Ships
https://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/153737/shipsThis year's Martin Wallace (A Study In Emerald, A Few Acres of Snow, Mythotopia...)
Bretagne
https://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/179350/bretagneProbably too heavy to get much play time these days, but it sounds intriguing.
http://opinionatedgamers.com/2015/09/21/liga-first-impressions-of-bretagne/
Inhabit the Earth
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/181797/inhabit-earthThe Gallerist
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/125153/galleristSteam Works
https://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/143176/steam-worksSteampunk worker placement game.
Favor of the Pharaoh
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/171011/favor-pharaohA new dice game from Tom Lehman. (Roll for the Galaxy, etc.)
Above and Below
https://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/172818/above-and-belowThe new Ryan Laukat sounds intriguing. City building meets story telling... (Not entirely sure this will be presented at Essen, but LudoVox seems to think so... )
Dice City
https://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/179572/dice-city"Dice crafting"?
Flip City
https://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/168679/flip-cityDeckbuilding meets Minivilles? Push your luck with a card flipping gimmick... Why not?
Small City
https://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/130486/small-cityAnother mayor-sim?
My Village
http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/172381/Dice-version of Village.
Pandemic Legacy
https://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/161936/pandemic-legacyPandemic. Legacy.
Scythe
http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/169786/The new game from Stonemaier Games. (Viticulture w/Tuscany, Euphoria, Between two Cities...)
Automobiles
Third game in the series that started with the excellent Trains. A bag-builder. My collection could do with a bag builder...Cthulhu Realms
http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/179303/Star Realms meets Lovecraft? This must be tried.
Tides of Time
https://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/176229/tides-timeAnother two player drafting game... in a small box. From Portal Games.
Codenames
Another take on the Dixit association party game sub genre? From a fascinating designer. Why not?
To call it "6 nimmt" with donosaur theme would be unfair, but I had a quick introduction to this game at the Octogônes fair in Lyon this weekend and I am looking forward to try it for real.
Nippon
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/154809/nipponDino Twist
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/179723/dino-twistTo call it "6 nimmt" with donosaur theme would be unfair, but I had a quick introduction to this game at the Octogônes fair in Lyon this weekend and I am looking forward to try it for real.
Games released earlier in 2015 that might be playable
New York 1901
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/174660/new-york-1901The new Ticket Ride? (Supposedly a great gateway game.)
The Voyages of Marco Polo
https://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/171623/voyages-marco-poloGreat reviews.
Sapiens
https://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/169649/sapiensDominoes with cavemen-theme? Made in Lyon, but I haven't tested it yet... (A video: https://www.boardgamegeek.com/blogpost/46133/spiel-2015-preview-sapiens-or-dominoes-dawn-time )
Expansions
Suburbia 5★
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgameexpansion/171007/suburbia-5Suburbia! (Along wiht the "Con Tiles" promo?)
Nations: Dynasties
https://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgameexpansion/180539/nations-dynastiesI wouldn't mind revisiting Nations, and why not including an expansion.
Port Royal: Ein Auftrag geht noch...
https://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgameexpansion/181899/port-royal-ein-auftrag-geht-nochPort Royal expension pack. Interesting.
Already Kickstarted
I have kickstarted a couple of games that might be demoed this year.Epic
https://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/175621/epicFrom the makers of Star Realms.
Between Two Cities
https://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/168435/between-two-citiesStonemaier Games' first game from external designers. A fascinating take on drafting. Casual 20 minutes game for 1-7 players.
Black Hat
https://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/148282/black-hatPlayed this at Essen last year. Excellent take on trick taking.
Things that have excaped me in earlier year(s) that I would like to try
Roll for the Galaxy
https://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/132531/roll-galaxyThis was missing at last year's Messe, but it has an expansion out this year, so I hope they demo it somewhere... (https://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgameexpansion/175754/roll-galaxy-ambition)
Castles of Mad King Ludwig
https://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/155426/castles-mad-king-ludwigDidn't prioritize this last year as I thought it was too close to the Suburbia that I already have in my collection... Expansion coming out, so it might be fun to try -- if possible. (https://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgameexpansion/174296/castles-mad-king-ludwig-secrets)
Colt Express
https://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/158899/colt-expressSpiel des Jahres 2015, didn't prioritize it last year. Expansion out. Hope to test it. (https://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgameexpansion/181158/colt-express-horses-stagecoach)
Russian Railroads
https://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/144733/russian-railroadsYet another much raved about game that I missed last year that has an expension coming out. (https://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgameexpansion/181693/russian-railroads-german-railroads)
Concordia
https://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/124361/concordiaWith the new Salsa-expansion coming out maybe this will be demoed?
(https://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgameexpansion/181084/concordia-salsa)
Istanbul
https://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/148949/istanbulNew expansion... etc. (https://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/172505/)
Resources
- The "Essen Geek" tool website: http://essengeek.pcs-box.ch/index.php
- A huge spiel 2015 preview geek list at BGG: https://boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/174654/spiel-2015-preview
- "Dale Yu getting ready for Essen": http://opinionatedgamers.com/2015/09/11/dale-yu-getting-ready-for-essen/
- Spiel in Essen android app: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.gioconomicon.android.essen
- Gus & Co - "Absolument tous les chiffres pour Essen 2015": http://gusandco.net/2015/10/01/absolument-tous-les-chiffres-dessen-2015/
(Photos by myself taken at previous Essen trips.)
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