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Best International Game - 2008 Shortlist
The Judging Panel for the Best International Game congratulates the designers of the following games, which have been shortlisted for the Best International Game Award.
10 Days in Asia
| Game Name: | 10 Days in Asia |
|---|---|
| Designer: | Alan R. Moon and Aaron Weissblum |
| Publisher: | Out of the Box |
| Players: | 2-4 |
| Playing time: | 30 minutes |
| Suitable for: | Families (Ages 10 and up), Adults |
| We shortlisted it because: | 10 Days in Asia is an easy to learn, fun and educational race game. The goal is to be the first person to complete a 10 day journey in Asia. You receive a random deal of 10 cards describing countries and transportation methods that must then be rearranged to make a connected trip. The trick is that you must discard and draw new cards into your existing positions to make the 10 day trip. |
Chang Cheng
| Game Name: | Chang Cheng |
|---|---|
| Designer: | Walter Obert |
| Publisher: | Tenkigames (Distributed by Z-Man Games) |
| Players: | 2-4 |
| Playing time: | 60 minutes |
| Suitable for: | Families (Ages 10 and up), Adults |
| We shortlisted it because: | You get to place wall sections of the Great Wall of China and curb the Mongol threat. Players work together to build the great wall but gain individual reputations along the way. Cards are used to help or hinder wall-building and your reputation. This is a not-too-complex game of controlling areas and is wonderfully produced. |
Notre Dame
| Game Name: | Notre Dame |
|---|---|
| Designer: | Stefan Feld |
| Publisher: | Rio Grande Games (original German language edition by Alea) |
| Players: | 2-5 |
| Playing time: | 75 minutes |
| Suitable for: | Families (Ages 10 and up), Adults |
| We shortlisted it because: | Players are well-to-do 15th century Parisians, whose job it is to improve the quartier around the great and famous Notre Dame cathedral. Improving certain elements in your region, eg hospital, school, park, etc, while balancing the impact of these improvements, is the main thrust of the game. But watch out, the plague is approaching and also needs to be dealt with. |
Portobello Market
| Game Name: | Portobello Market |
|---|---|
| Designer: | Thomas Odenhoven |
| Publisher: | Playroom Entertainment |
| Players: | 2-4 |
| Playing time: | 30 minutes |
| Suitable for: | Families (Ages 8 and up), Adults |
| We shortlisted it because: | Players try to secure the lucrative market stalls where the bobby is located, but to get the real money you need to attract the right sort of customer. By placing stalls and customers, players try and maximise their earnings while hampering their opponents. Turns are controlled by action points and the game moves quite quickly. |
Qwirkle
| Game Name: | Qwirkle |
|---|---|
| Designer: | Susan McKinley Ross |
| Publisher: | Mindware |
| Players: | 2-4 |
| Playing time: | 45 minutes |
| Suitable for: | Familes (Ages 6 and up), Adults |
| We shortlisted it because: | A very easy to learn and engaging game. It is Scrabble meets Blink but suitable for the whole family! Players try and create colour, or pattern, sets in a criss-cross maze of pieces. Tactics come into it as players get bonus points for creating 6 of a kind while yelling out QWIRKLE to their opponents. |
Thebes
| Game Name: | Thebes |
|---|---|
| Designer: | Peter Prinz |
| Publisher: | Queen |
| Players: | 2-4 |
| Playing time: | 60 minutes |
| Suitable for: | Families (Ages 10 and up), Adults |
| We shortlisted it because: | As archaeologists travelling around Europe, players need to manage their time and digging sites based on requests from the museums of Europe. Using a unique mechanism for taking turns, players have 2-3 years in the game to be the archaeologist with the best reputation, but every action they take, whether it's researching or digging or travelling, results in a certain amount of time being lost. Players need to balance the time they have with the treasures they need. |
Vikings
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| Game Name: | Vikings |
|---|---|
| Designer: | Michael Kiesling |
| Publisher: | Rio Grande Games |
| Players: | 2-4 |
| Playing time: | 60 minutes |
| Suitable for: | Families (Ages 10 and up), Adults |
| We shortlisted it because: | Manage your band of Vikings to build up your Scandinavian lands and protect yourself from marauding pillagers. The challenge is to make sure you balance gaining reputation and money against feeding and protecting your Viking band. Players build up their lands by choosing tiles and Vikings from a nifty wheel system that determines the value of each purchase. |
Zooloretto
| Game Name: | Zooloretto |
|---|---|
| Designer: | Michael Schacht |
| Publisher: | Rio Grande Games |
| Players: | 2-4 |
| Playing time: | 45 minutes |
| Suitable for: | Families (Ages 8 and up), Adults |
| We shortlisted it because: | As the manager of a zoo you need to balance the animals you have in your zoo against the number of enclosures you have. But as animals and money become available on the delivery barges, players need to time when they will stock their enclosures and with what sort of animal. |