New Games at the Nuremberg Toy Fair
From Whence These Came
The following news from the Nuremberg Toy Fair was forwarded to me by
Merfyn Lewis, a friendly games collector on Isle of Anglesey, but I'm not sure who
wrote it. It may have been Merfyn but I have the impression that it was
a copy of a missive that he had received from one of the many English
spielfreaks.
Merfyn went on to say that Linie 1 was a great little end
of session game and that he liked High Society.
If there is anyone else out there that has played these games I would
like to hear from you.
Best of Show
- Sternenhimmel (by Tom Schoeps, for 3-5 players)
- A fascinating game about
scoring most points by putting star tokens on zodiac game boards. But sometimes
it's better to become second than to be the first. Lots of bluffing with
beautiful game components.
- Die Siedler von Catan
- Here is one more very hot tip. Watch out for another new game by Klaus Teuber.
Die Siedler von Catan is an ever changing game with hexagonal cardboard tiles
about settling and spreading out on an newly discovered island. Lots of new ideas
in it, no fights, much trading between players. Believe me. it definetly is this
year's best game.
Further Recommendations
- High Society (by Reiner Knizia, Ravensburger, 3 - 5 players )
- A cleverly designed card game about bidding for different point cards to
scoring most points at the end.
- Die Maulwurf Company (Ravensburger, 2-4 players)
- A family game which was already on the market as Inner Circle (MB)
and Topstar (Spear's). Move your moles through certain levels to
the center of the card board staple.
- Medici (by Reiner Knizia. Amigo. 3-5 players)
- A very good auction game, very similar to his Mercator in
Neue Spiele im alten Rom.
- See You Later (by Heinz Meister, F.X. Schmid, 2-6 players)
- A game of all-or-nothing. Each turn you decide whether to draw one more card
or stop your turn voluntarily. Good family game.
- Set (F.X. Schmid, 2-8 players)
- A card game of concentration and quick reaction. 12 cards are layed out on the
table. Everybody tries to find a set of three matching card at the same time.
[Ken: This is a German edition of the American game.]
- Auf Achse Card Game (by Wolfgang Kramer, 2-5 players)
- Loosely based on the best selling board game. I'm sorry I can't tell you
more about it.
- Bakschisch (by Kara Ben Hering, for 2-4 players)
- A beer & pretzel game of
bluff and double-dealing. In each round players secretly put some coins or their
thief token in their hands, trying to outscore the others to move forward, lf
they put a thief token, they don't move but steal other's coins.
- Galopp Royal (by Klaus Teuber, for 3 - 6 players )
- A funny racing game with
sedan-chairs. Within 6 races you try to win most money. But before the races can
start you must bid for a team of four sedan-chair men. The crux is that you only
know one man of the team but must bid for the whole lot.
- Linie 1 (by Stefan Dorra, for 2-5 players)
- A cardboard tile laying game where
you build a track for street cars. Nobody knows which street cars the other
players have and what task they must fulfill. After a player's track is finished
he starts the street car race to be first at his target station.
The Game Cabinet
- editor@gamecabinet.com
- Ken Tidwell