From about 9, children can play the same modern classics adults love: building train routes, collecting gems, saving an island together. They often beat their parents.
Every game here won or was shortlisted for the Spiel des Jahres, the Kennerspiel des Jahres or another major prize. These are the games that bring whole families back to the table.
Designed by Alan R. Moon
2–530–60′8+Great for a family's first modern game
Collect coloured train cards and claim railway routes across America. Simple enough for a 9-year-old, tense enough for adults. One of the most popular Spiel des Jahres winners ever.
2004 Spiel des Jahres (Game of the Year) winner
Designed by Michael Kiesling
2–430–45′8+Great for a kid who likes puzzles
Draft colourful tiles and lay them in a wall, scoring for rows and sets. The tiles feel wonderful and the rules take five minutes. It won the Spiel des Jahres.
2018 Spiel des Jahres (Game of the Year) winner
Designed by Matt Leacock
2–430′10+Great for a family that likes to work together
A team of adventurers grabs four treasures from an island that sinks a little more every turn. A perfect first cooperative game; shortlisted for the Spiel des Jahres.
2010 Mensa Select
Designed by Klaus-Jürgen Wrede
2–635′7+Great for a gift that lasts years
Draw a tile, add it to the map of roads, cities and fields and place a follower. The modern classic that won the Spiel des Jahres in 2001.
2001 Spiel des Jahres (Game of the Year) winner
Designed by Reiner Knizia
2–430′10+Great for a kid who loves races
Explorers race through the jungle, buying better cards to move faster. A light deck-building game by Reiner Knizia.
2017 Spiel des Jahres (Game of the Year) nominee
Designed by Wolfgang Warsch
2–445′10+Great for a kid who loves pushing their luck
Brew a potion by drawing ingredients from a bag, and stop before it explodes. Cheers and groans every round; it won the Kennerspiel des Jahres.
2018 Kennerspiel des Jahres (Connoisseurs' Game of the Year) winner
Designed by Marc André
2–430′10+Great for a budding strategist
Collect gems to buy mines and attract nobles. A quick, clever strategy game that is easy to set up.
2014 Spiel des Jahres (Game of the Year) nominee
Designed by Thomas Sing
2–520′10+Great for a kid who likes card games
A cooperative card game across 50 space missions: the team must win the right tricks without saying what they hold. It won the Kennerspiel des Jahres.
2021 As d'Or Expert Grand Prix winner
Designed by Johannes Sich
1–415–45′12+Great for young detectives
One giant black-and-white map of a city holds dozens of crimes. Find the clues with a magnifying glass and solve the case together. It won the Spiel des Jahres.
2021 Spiel des Jahres (Game of the Year) winner
Great for a nature lover
Build landscapes from coloured tokens and bring animals to live in them. Calm, pretty and quick.
2024 Deutscher Spiele Preis, 7th place
Ticket to Ride, Azul and Carcassonne are reliable favourites. For a cooperative game, Forbidden Island; for a mystery, MicroMacro: Crime City.
Most of them are. The Spiel des Jahres rewards family games, and many winners are marked 8+.
The Spiel des Jahres is for family games. The Kennerspiel des Jahres, given since 2011, rewards somewhat more demanding games for players with some experience.
See every award-winning game for big kids
