Games_World_of_Puzzles 2019-12-01

34 GAMES WORLD^ OF PUZZLES | december 2019

By^ Thomas^ L.^ McDo

nald

First^ awarded^ in^1979 to^

promote^ excellence^ in^ gami

ng, the^ Spiel^

des^ Jahres^ (German^ for^ “

Game^ of^ the^ Year”)^ has^ bec

ome^ one^ of^ the^ most^

prominent^ awards^ in^ the^ g

aming^ world.^ Selected^ by^ a

jury^ of^ German-

language^ game^ critics,^ the

honor^ has^ played^ a^ large^ ro

le in^ the^ emergence^

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success^ was^ The^ Settlers

of^ Catan^ (^1995 Spiel^ des^ J

ahres^ winner),^ and^

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and^ many^ others^ have^ foun

d a^ large^ and^ receptive^ aud

ience^ in^ the^ United^

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Walmart^ and^ Target.^

Three^ awards^ are^ given^ e

ach^ year,^ with^ three^ nomi

nees^ in^

each^ category^ and^ one^ wi

nner.^ The^ Game^ of^ the^ Ye

ar usually^ has^

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Expert^ (sometimes^ calle

d the^ “Connoisseur”)^ Ga

me of^ the^ Year^

tends^ to^ have^ more^ comp

lex^ gameplay^ elements^ o

r niche^ appeal.^

The^ Children’s^ Game^ of^ th

e Year^ favors^ ages^6 and

up.^ All^ of^ the^

winners^ are^ available^ a

t American^ retail^ stores,^

Amazon,^ specialty^

outlets,^ or,^ in^ the^ case^ o

f this^ year’s^ children’s^ ga

mes,^ direct^ from^

the^ publisher.^

Repos^ Production

Designers:^ Ludovic^ Rou

dy, Bruno^ Sautter

3 –^7 players.^20 minutes

. Ages^8 +^

Available^ from^ Amazon

: $ 25

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pares^ them.^ If^ two^ peop

le write^ down^ the^ same^ w

ord,^ it’s^ eliminated.^ The

remaining^ words^ are^ sho

wn^ to^ the^ guesser,^ who^ t

ries^

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Gam

e^ of

the

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r

Winner

: Just^ O

ne