Highlights include the Cyberpunk TCG, the Diablo board game, and a Gloomhaven spinoff

SPIEL Essen, the world’s biggest board game fair, smashed records again this year, bringing in 230,000 people from around the world to try 2,012 new games from 997 exhibitors representing 53 countries. Attendees sprinted across the convention hall as soon as the doors opened to have the chance to buy some of the hottest games, sign up for demos of games that won’t be available until next year, and pick up exclusive promotional cards and miniatures.

I filled my days and nights in Essen, Germany with playtesting and interviews, trying some of the most anticipated upcoming releases along with small titles from up-and-coming designers worth watching. Here are the seven best games I played at SPIEL Essen and when you’ll be able to buy them.

A session of Gloomhaven takes hours to set up and complete, but Mercenaries Wanted offers a taste of its rich fantasy universe in just 45 minutes. One to six players draft a team of characters from Gloomhaven’s mercenary packs and then send them on jobs. You’ll need to assemble synergies based on each card’s type and special abilities while also carefully considering which ones you’ll want to keep between rounds so they can earn lots of points in the final tournament. Secret loot adds some extra strategy as you try to outmaneuver your opponent by nabbing the best job first.

Hatch sea turtle eggs and navigate them safely onto an algal mat in this sweet board game from the designer of Apiary and Wyrmspan .

Source link