{"id":259556,"date":"2024-09-20T08:01:03","date_gmt":"2024-09-20T13:01:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/?post_type=articles&#038;p=259556"},"modified":"2024-09-20T08:18:54","modified_gmt":"2024-09-20T13:18:54","slug":"most-anticipated-games-of-essen-spiel","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/articles\/most-anticipated-games-of-essen-spiel\/","title":{"rendered":"The 35 Most Anticipated Games of Essen Spiel 2024"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>.previously-reviewed {display: flex;flex-wrap: wrap;justify-content: space-between;}.previously-reviewed div {flex: 0 32%;margin-bottom: 20px;}@media only screen and (max-width: 600px) and (min-width: 400px) {.previously-reviewed div {flex: 0 49%;}}<\/style>\n<p>In just under two weeks, Spiel 2024 kicks off. The largest board game convention in the world, Spiel (sometimes just called Essen, or Essen Spiel) is the mecca for board gamers of all stripes. Over 1,100 new games will debut in the European market at the event, many of which will make their way to the United States next year. The Meeple Mountain crew will be there in force, so let\u2019s see what we recommend as we comb through the new releases and help you find the diamonds in the rough.<\/p>\n<h2>Tom Franklin<\/h2>\n<h3><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-306268 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/matrx-gipf.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" data-wp-pid=\"306268\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/matrx-gipf.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/matrx-gipf-150x150.jpg 150w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 200px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 200\/200;\" \/>MATRX GIPF<\/h3>\n<p>I love all the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/include-project-gipf-list\/\">GIPF Project games<\/a>. They embody my two essentials for a great abstract strategy game: simple rules, complex strategy. While revisiting <i>GIPF<\/i> to write <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/gipf\/\">my review for Meeple Mountain<\/a>, I was taken by how difficult this simple game is. You can win by capturing all your opponent\u2019s pieces; you\u2019ll lose if you run out of pieces. Brilliant. When designer Kris Burm announced a new game that features movement options from the other games in the GIPF Project, I was stunned. Burm is a genius at abstract design and I am SO looking forward to this game!<\/p>\n<p><i>Publisher<\/i>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/publishers\/huch\/\">HUCH!<\/a><br \/>\n<i>Designer<\/i>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/designers\/kris-burm\/\">Kris Burm<\/a><\/p>\n<h3><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-306256 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/colosseum.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" data-wp-pid=\"306256\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/colosseum.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/colosseum-150x150.jpg 150w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 200px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 200\/200;\" \/>Colosseum<\/h3>\n<p>In <i>Colosseum<\/i>, you\u2019ll compete with your opponents to create the greatest spectacles in the Roman arenas and attract the most $pectators. Originally released in 2007, <i>Colosseum <\/i>combines an auction mechanic with trading, set collection, and (<i>shudder<\/i>) dice rolling as you work to increase the size and scope of your presentations. It\u2019s a game that surprised me by how much I enjoyed it. One of my gaming group owns a hard-to-find copy of the original, so I\u2019ve had a chance to play the original <i>Colosseum<\/i> several times. I\u2019m very interested to see what this new edition has to offer.<\/p>\n<p><i>Publisher: <\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/publishers\/days-of-wonder\/\">Days of Wonder<\/a><br \/>\n<i>Designer: <\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/designers\/wolfgang-kramer\/\">Wolfgang Kramer<\/a> and Markus L\u00fcbke<\/p>\n<h3><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-306262 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/endeavor-deep-sea.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" data-wp-pid=\"306262\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/endeavor-deep-sea.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/endeavor-deep-sea-150x150.jpg 150w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 200px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 200\/200;\" \/>Endeavor: Deep Sea<\/h3>\n<p>An underwater Eurogame of research, exploration, and conservation. <i>Endeavor: Deep Sea<\/i> is based on the same design team\u2019s <i>Endeavor: Age of Sail<\/i>, but streamlines some of the rules of the original. It makes for a straightforward game of taking actions to advance your abilities in order to take more and better actions\u2014just what a concise Eurogame should do. <i>Endeavor: Deep Sea<\/i> comes with eight different scenarios, and three ways to play each one (multiplayer cooperative, multiplayer adversarial, and solo). This alone piques my curiosity. Add\u00a0 in the gameplay and I\u2019m sold.<\/p>\n<p><i>Publisher<\/i>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/publishers\/burnt-island-games\/\">Burnt Island Games<\/a><br \/>\n<i>Designer<\/i>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/designers\/carl-de-visser\/\">Carl de Visser<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/designers\/jarratt-gray\/\">Jarratt Gray<\/a><\/p>\n<h2>David McMillan<\/h2>\n<h3><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-306289 alignright lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/black-forest.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" data-wp-pid=\"306289\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/black-forest.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/black-forest-150x150.jpg 150w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 200px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 200\/200;\" \/>Black Forest<\/h3>\n<p><i>Black Forest<\/i> takes players back to the world of the Uwe Rosenberg classic, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/glass-road\/\"><i>Glass Road<\/i><\/a>. In fact, some have touted it as <i>Glass Road<\/i> 2.0. I\u2019m not sure how accurate that is. I\u2019ve watched a few videos and, while I can definitely see some similarities between the two, gone is the clever card game, and there\u2019s a strong worker placement element involved now.\u00a0If there\u2019s one thing at which Uwe Rosenberg excels, it\u2019s worker placement. I\u2019m giddy with excitement just thinking about this, y\u2019all.<\/p>\n<p><i>Publisher:<\/i> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/publishers\/capstone-games\/\">Capstone Games<\/a><br \/>\n<i>Designer: <\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/tag\/ave-uwe\/\">Uwe Rosenberg<\/a><\/p>\n<h3><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-306290 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/civolution.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" data-wp-pid=\"306290\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/civolution.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/civolution-150x150.jpg 150w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 200px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 200\/200;\" \/>Civolution<\/h3>\n<p>What Most Anticipated Games of Essen Spiel\u00a0 list would this be without me gushing about an upcoming Stefan Feld title? When I heard that Stefan Feld had a new game on the horizon, I was excited. When I heard that Stefan Feld\u2019s new game was going to be a heavy euro, I was even more excited. When I heard that Stefan Feld\u2019s new game was going to be a civ game, I couldn\u2019t contain my excitement anymore. This game has got it all. Resource management, exploration, tech trees, dice placement, hand management, and more.<i> Civolution<\/i> looks to be the heaviest game that Stefan Feld has ever designed, and I\u2019m here for it.<\/p>\n<p><i>Publisher:<\/i> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/publishers\/deep-print-games\/\">Deep Print Games<\/a><br \/>\n<i>Designer:<\/i> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/tag\/focused-on-feld\/\">Stefan Feld<\/a><\/p>\n<h3><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-306291 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/resafa.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" data-wp-pid=\"306291\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/resafa.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/resafa-150x150.jpg 150w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 200px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 200\/200;\" \/>Resafa<\/h3>\n<p>Over the last few years, Vladim\u00edr Such\u00fd has become a designer that\u2019s constantly on my radar. Among the various titles he\u2019s got coming out this year is this gem of a game about merchants working to build up the titular desert outpost of Resafa. Players will be buying and selling goods, building cisterns to supply water to the town, and constructing gardens, among other things. The trick is that each player begins the game with a set of double-sided cards. Each card features two different actions. Each round, players will be performing just three actions. So, the action economy is very tight. I\u2019m always in the mood for a Such\u00fd title, and I\u2019m definitely in the mood for this one.<\/p>\n<p><i>Publisher:<\/i> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/publishers\/delicious-games\/\">Delicious Games<\/a><br \/>\n<i>Designer:<\/i> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/designers\/vladimir-suchy\/\">Vladim\u00edr Such\u00fd<\/a><\/p>\n<h2>Andy Matthews<\/h2>\n<h3><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-306259 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/diluvium.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" data-wp-pid=\"306259\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/diluvium.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/diluvium-150x150.jpg 150w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 200px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 200\/200;\" \/>Diluvium<\/h3>\n<p>I\u2019ve had my eye on <i>Diluvium<\/i> since it was announced back in 2022. The combination of the rich color palette, hex-tile based game board, and the fact that it\u2019s billed as \u201cA 4x game that lasts less than an hour.\u201d really captured my imagination. I\u2019m certainly going to be making a beeline for the Nuts! Publishing booth in order to see <i>Diluvium<\/i> for myself. Here\u2019s hoping it doesn\u2019t disappoint!<\/p>\n<p><i>Publisher: <\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/publishers\/nuts-publishing\/\">Nuts! Publishing<\/a><br \/>\n<i>Designer: <\/i>Antoni Guillen<\/p>\n<h3><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-306270 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/minecart-town.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" data-wp-pid=\"306270\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/minecart-town.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/minecart-town-150x150.jpg 150w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 200px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 200\/200;\" \/>Minecart Town<\/h3>\n<p>While browsing through this year\u2019s Essen SPIEL list I noticed that most of the games I gravitated towards were from Asian designers. I think it\u2019s because they\u2019re looking at games through a lens that I\u2019m not as familiar with. <i>Minecart Town<\/i> is one that caught my eye, in part because the publisher is, like Randolph in Canada, a chain of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/articles\/the-ultimate-guide-to-board-game-cafes\/\">board game cafes<\/a> throughout Japan. The game itself is a delightful tile-laying game (one of my weaknesses) with colorful artwork and a whimsical feel about it. I liked it so much that I backed the Kickstarter.<\/p>\n<p><i>Publisher: <\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/publishers\/jelly-jelly-games\/\">JELLY JELLY GAMES<\/a><br \/>\n<i>Designer: <\/i>Aya Taguchi, Shun Taguchi<\/p>\n<h3><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-306279 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/vegetable-stock.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"140\" height=\"200\" data-wp-pid=\"306279\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 140px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 140\/200;\" \/>Vegetable Stock<\/h3>\n<p>Early last year I came across mention of a light card game about stock manipulation called <i>Vegetable Stock<\/i>. Since I love card games, and I also appreciated the pun, I found out that I could order it from Taiwan (and did so). Originally published by the Taiwan Boardgame Design publishing house, it\u2019s now been picked up by Arcane Wonders for distribution in North America. And even though I already own a copy of the original, and love it, I\u2019m terribly excited for more people to find out about this game and enjoy themselves playing it.<\/p>\n<p><i>Publisher: <\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/publishers\/arcane-wonders\/\">Arcane Wonders<\/a><br \/>\n<i>Designer: <\/i>Zong-Ger(\u8525\u54e5)<\/p>\n<h3><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-306263 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/farland.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"156\" height=\"200\" data-wp-pid=\"306263\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 156px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 156\/200;\" \/>Farland<\/h3>\n<p>Back in 2022 I came across a game called <i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/sriracha\/\">Sriracha<\/a><\/i>, a water-themed game from a Thai-based publisher called Siam Board Games. It turned out to be a pleasure to play, with clever card and tile play, and really unique illustrations. Now Siam Board Games is back with a new release called <i>Farland<\/i>. It\u2019s set on a distant planet and requires players to raise crops and livestock. It might not be the most unique theme, but based on how much I enjoyed <i>Sriracha<\/i>, I expect the same to be true of <i>Farland<\/i>.<\/p>\n<p><i>Publisher: <\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/publishers\/siam-board-games\/\">Siam Board Games<\/a><br \/>\n<i>Designer: <\/i>T-raz Bank Piamdumrongsak<\/p>\n<h2>Clayton Schoonover<\/h2>\n<h3><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-306249 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/altay-dawn-of-civilization.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" data-wp-pid=\"306249\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/altay-dawn-of-civilization.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/altay-dawn-of-civilization-150x150.jpg 150w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 200px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 200\/200;\" \/>Altay: Dawn of Civilization<\/h3>\n<p>Combining deck-building, civilization-building, and area control, for me, is a dream come true. These are some of my favorite mechanisms. Plus, Pauliina Hannuniemi\u2019s artwork makes this game absolute eye candy. This isn&#8217;t one to miss.<\/p>\n<p><i>Publisher<\/i>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/publishers\/ares-games\/\">Ares Games<\/a><br \/>\n<i>Designer<\/i>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/designers\/paolo-mori\/\">Paolo Mori<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/designers\/ole-steiness\/\">Ole Steiness<\/a><\/p>\n<h3><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-306275 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/seti.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"140\" data-wp-pid=\"306275\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 200px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 200\/140;\" \/>SETI: The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence<\/h3>\n<p>Call me a UFO nut, but I am deeply fascinated by all things alien. <i>SETI<\/i> represents, for me, a passion that goes way back to when I was a child. Explore nearby planets, gather samples, search for exoplanets, analyze data, and upgrade your equipment in your search for intelligent life among the stars.<\/p>\n<p><i>Publisher<\/i>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/publishers\/czech-games-edition\/\">Czech Games Edition<\/a><br \/>\n<i>Designer<\/i>: Tom\u00e1\u0161 Holek<\/p>\n<h3><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-306253 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/babylon.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" data-wp-pid=\"306253\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/babylon.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/babylon-150x150.jpg 150w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 200px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 200\/200;\" \/>Babylon<\/h3>\n<p>If there&#8217;s one thing I&#8217;ve learned about gaming, it&#8217;s that table presence turns heads. What could be more eye-grabbing than building a 3D structure of Babylon&#8217;s Hanging Gardens, which was likely the most beautiful of the Ancient Wonders? I&#8217;m hoping the gameplay is equally as attractive.<\/p>\n<p><i>Publisher<\/i>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/publishers\/geek-attitude-games\/\">Geek Attitude Games<\/a><br \/>\n<i>Designer<\/i>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/designers\/olivier-gregoire\/\">Olivier Gr\u00e9goire<\/a><\/p>\n<h3><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-306248 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/age-of-comics.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" data-wp-pid=\"306248\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/age-of-comics.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/age-of-comics-150x150.jpg 150w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 200px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 200\/200;\" \/>Age of Comics: The Golden Years<\/h3>\n<p>I&#8217;ve always loved comics. The thought of a game about publishing and selling them has me super excited. Worker placement is the primary mechanism here, which isn&#8217;t my strong suit, but I love it all the same. Really looking forward to getting my hands on this one!<\/p>\n<p><i>Publisher<\/i>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/publishers\/lirius-games\/\">Lirius Games<\/a><br \/>\n<i>Designer<\/i>: Giacomo Cimini and S\u00f3nia Gon\u00e7alves<\/p>\n<h2>Justin Bell<\/h2>\n<h3><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-306278 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/the-white-castle-matcha.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"156\" height=\"200\" data-wp-pid=\"306278\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 156px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 156\/200;\" \/>The White Castle: Matcha<\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/the-white-castle\/\"><i>The White Castle<\/i><\/a> was one of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/articles\/justins-highs-and-lows-for-2023\/\">the 10 best games I played last year<\/a>, and I think Devir is the hottest publisher in the tabletop space today (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/the-red-cathedral\/\"><i>The Red Cathedral<\/i><\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/sand\/\"><i>Sand<\/i><\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/bitoku\/\"><i>Bitoku<\/i><\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/3-ring-circus\/\"><i>3 Ring Circus<\/i><\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/rock-hard-1977\/\"><i>Rock Hard: 1977<\/i><\/a>, and many others). So, when this expansion was announced, this immediately rose to the top of my most-wanted list. <i>The White Castle: Matcha<\/i> addresses one of the very few things on the list called out by many of my peers\u2014<i>The White Castle<\/i> is really short, so the expansion adds a tenth turn as well as a new location to visit.<\/p>\n<p><i>Publisher<\/i>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/publishers\/devir\/\">Devir<\/a><br \/>\n<i>Designer<\/i>: Llama Dice (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/designers\/isra-c\/\">Israel Cendrero<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/designers\/shei-s\/\">Sheila Santos<\/a>)<\/p>\n<h3><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-306269 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/men-nefer.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" data-wp-pid=\"306269\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/men-nefer.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/men-nefer-150x150.jpg 150w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 200px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 200\/200;\" \/>Men-Nefer<\/h3>\n<p>I\u2019m a big fan of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/sabika\/\"><i>Sabika<\/i><\/a>, designer Germ\u00e1n P. MIli\u00e1n\u2019s historically-themed Euro that featured one of my favorite gaming mechanics, a worker-placement rondel system that forced some of the toughest decisions in a game in recent years. From one look at the artwork for Milian\u2019s latest big piece of chicken, <i>Men-Nefer<\/i>, I know we are going to get another interesting series of decisions in a heavy strategy game in line with the experience Mili\u00e1n delivered with <i>Sabika <\/i>as well as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/bitoku\/\"><i>Bitoku<\/i><\/a>. Based on the number of thumbs on the SPIEL preview page on BGG, <i>Men-Nefer<\/i> is definitely going to sell out at the show so I\u2019m hoping to be one of the lucky ones to get a copy!<\/p>\n<p><i>Publisher<\/i>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/publishers\/ludonova\/\">Ludonova<\/a><br \/>\n<i>Designer<\/i>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/designers\/german-p-millan\/\">Germ\u00e1n P. Mili\u00e1n<\/a><\/p>\n<h3><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-306250 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/andromedas-edge.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" data-wp-pid=\"306250\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/andromedas-edge.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/andromedas-edge-150x150.jpg 150w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 200px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 200\/200;\" \/>Andromeda\u2019s Edge<\/h3>\n<p>I\u2019ve been waiting for Andromeda\u2019s Edge since December 2022, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/articles\/meeple-mountain-at-pax-unplugged-2022\/\">when I first had the chance to demo<\/a> the game at PAX Unplugged with the team from Cardboard Alchemy. As a massive fan of <i>Dwellings of Eldervale<\/i>, <i>Andromeda\u2019s Edge<\/i>\u2014an updated and reimagined version of <i>Dwellings<\/i>, designed by Luke Laurie (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/cryo-and-conversation\/\"><i>Cryo<\/i><\/a>) and Maximus Laurie\u2014should be a big hit. While some have minor issues with the dice-driven combat elements of the base game, I love how chaotic this makes the overall design as players vie to build a new civilization in a distant corner of space. A sci-fi theme and sick minis only drew me in further when I saw the demo!<\/p>\n<p><i>Publisher<\/i>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/publishers\/cardboard-alchemy\/\">Cardboard Alchemy<\/a><br \/>\n<i>Designer<\/i>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/designers\/luke-laurie\/\">Luke Laurie<\/a> and Maximum Laurie<\/p>\n<h3><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-306252 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/asian-tigers.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" data-wp-pid=\"306252\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/asian-tigers.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/asian-tigers-150x150.jpg 150w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 200px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 200\/200;\" \/>Asian Tigers: A Story of Prosperity<\/h3>\n<p><i>Asian Tigers<\/i> is one of the wildcard picks I\u2019m following, so I really need to do a demo of the game before being sure I should be so excited about it. The theme here is a little different, featuring Asian economic powers in the 1960s, a boring-looking spreadsheet for a board, and cute wooden pieces. But the designers previously gave us <i>Madeira<\/i>, a game I tried on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/articles\/bravo-board-game-arena\/\">Board Game Arena<\/a> with my fellow Mountaineer David and really enjoyed. So, there are signs of life here that I\u2019m intrigued to see on the table.<\/p>\n<p><i>Publisher<\/i>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/publishers\/pythagoras\/\">PYTHAGORAS<\/a><br \/>\n<i>Designer<\/i>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/designers\/nuno-bizarro-sentieiro\/\">Nuno Bizarro Sentieiro<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/designers\/paulo-soledade\/\">Paulo Soledade<\/a><\/p>\n<h3><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-306258 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/DerrocAr.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"125\" height=\"200\" data-wp-pid=\"306258\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 125px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 125\/200;\" \/>DerrocAr: The Week of Five Presidents<\/h3>\n<p>I met with Ion at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/articles\/justin-and-andrew-go-to-spiel-2023\/\">SPIEL 2023<\/a> and we discussed <i>DerrocAr <\/i>at that show, so this game was already on my radar. The theme is wild\u2014back in 2001, Argentina\u2019s economic and political crisis led to a scenario where five different people had a claim on the country\u2019s presidency. In the game, players need to find ways to prove themselves as a contender\u2026the \u201cleast bad\u201d of the five options, an acknowledgement of the poor reception of politicians back in the day (a theme that rings true even today, depending on your perspective). The gameplay is the question, so <i>DerrocAr <\/i>(designed by a native Argentinian) is high on my list of games to demo at the show.<\/p>\n<p><i>Publisher<\/i>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/publishers\/ion-game-design\/\">Ion Game Design<\/a><br \/>\n<i>Designer<\/i>: Bruss Brussco<\/p>\n<h3><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-306265 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/house-of-fado.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"143\" height=\"200\" data-wp-pid=\"306265\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 143px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 143\/200;\" \/>House of Fado<\/h3>\n<p>If you\u2019ve followed my content you are already aware of my appreciation for anything touched by strategy game enthusiast <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/interviews\/interview-with-vital-lacerda-designer-extraordinaire\/\">Vital Lacerda<\/a>. <i>House of Fado<\/i>, a lighter release co-designed by Lacerda and Jo\u00e3o Quintela Martins (the two also gave us <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/bot-factory\/\"><i>Bot Factory<\/i><\/a>), might cap an exceptional year for Lacerda\u2019s footprint\u2026<a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/inventions-evolution-of-ideas\/\"><i>Inventions: Evolution of Ideas<\/i><\/a> and <i>Speakeasy <\/i>were both fantastic, so I\u2019m hoping <i>House of Fado<\/i> will continue to cement Lacerda\u2019s legacy as one of the greatest designers to ever lace \u2018em up.<\/p>\n<p><i>Publisher<\/i>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/publishers\/eagle-gryphon-games\/\">Eagle-Gryphon Games<\/a><br \/>\n<i>Designer<\/i>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/designers\/vital-lacerda\/\">Vital Lacerda<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/designers\/joao-quintela-martins\/\">Jo\u00e3o Quintela Martins<\/a><\/p>\n<h3><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-306274 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/neko-syndicate.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"167\" height=\"200\" data-wp-pid=\"306274\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 167px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 167\/200;\" \/>Neko Syndicate<\/h3>\n<p>Last year, prolific Italian designer Simone Luciani gave us like a half-dozen games in the same year\u2026this year\u2019s designer of the moment has got to be Dani Garcia. Garcia\u2019s medium-weight Euro <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/barcelona\/\"><i>Barcelona<\/i><\/a> was a big hit last year, and it\u2019s not a surprise that Garcia\u2019s designs seem to be everywhere now\u2013this year, we have <i>Windmill Valley<\/i> (a review will hit later this fall), the upcoming heavy strategy game <i>Daitoshi <\/i>(Garcia + Devir = 100% go!), a <i>Barcelona <\/i>expansion, and <i>Neko Syndicate<\/i>, a tableau builder featuring cats, an animal mafia theme, and\u2026sushi? Where Garcia goes, we follow, so I\u2019m hoping to try this one out and see if Garcia can continue to turn water into wine. (Dani\u2014don\u2019t forget to sleep!)<\/p>\n<p><i>Publisher<\/i>: Combo Games<br \/>\n<i>Designer<\/i>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/designers\/dani-garcia\/\">Dani Garcia<\/a><\/p>\n<h3><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-306267 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/kraftwagen-age-of-engineering.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"201\" height=\"200\" data-wp-pid=\"306267\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/kraftwagen-age-of-engineering.jpg 201w, https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/kraftwagen-age-of-engineering-150x150.jpg 150w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 201px) 100vw, 201px\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 201px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 201\/200;\" \/>Kraftwagen: Age of Engineering<\/h3>\n<p><i>Kraftwagen <\/i>is a 2015 design from Matthias Cramer, and this new version changes the setting from Germany to the US in an attempt to reboot the production for audiences both old and new. Even though the theme is why I was originally interested in <i>Kraftwagen: Age of Engineering<\/i>, the discovery that this is a Cramer game (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/glen-more-ii-chronicles\/\"><i>Glen More II: Chronicles<\/i><\/a> is one of the best games I\u2019ve ever played, and I loved <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/rococo-deluxe\/\"><i>Rococo: Deluxe Edition<\/i><\/a> as well) got me all tabletop hot-and-bothered when I did a little more digging. I can\u2019t wait to try the new <i>Kraftwagen <\/i>at the show.<\/p>\n<p><i>Publisher<\/i>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/publishers\/arcane-wonders\/\">Arcane Wonders<\/a><br \/>\n<i>Designer<\/i>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/designers\/vital-lacerda\/\">Vital Lacerda<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/designers\/joao-quintela-martins\/\">Jo\u00e3o Quintela Martins<\/a><\/p>\n<h3><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-306257 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/dead-cells-the-rogue-lite-board-game.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" data-wp-pid=\"306257\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/dead-cells-the-rogue-lite-board-game.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/dead-cells-the-rogue-lite-board-game-150x150.jpg 150w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 200px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 200\/200;\" \/>Dead Cells: The Rogue-Lite Board Game<\/h3>\n<p>Scorpion Masqu\u00e9 is one of the very few (only?) publishers I\u2019ve worked with that has never made a bad game. In fact, it\u2019s gone the complete opposite direction for me\u2014everything I\u2019ve tried from the Montreal-based publisher has been solid gold, including <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/decrypto-5th-anniversary-edition\/\"><i>Decrypto<\/i><\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/turing-machine\/\"><i>Turing Machine<\/i><\/a>, a number of party games like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/zero-to-100\/\"><i>Zero to 100<\/i><\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/sky-team\/\"><i>Sky Team<\/i><\/a>. The long wait for <i>Dead Cells: The Rogue-Lite Board Game<\/i> (based on the video game) is finally over, and now we get to find out if the hot streak for Scorpion Masqu\u00e9 continues. The safe money says yes, because one of this game\u2019s designers is Antoine Bauza\u2026and Bauza is in my personal game designer hall of fame, with credits including <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/7-wonders-duel\/\"><i>7 Wonders Duel<\/i><\/a>, the best dedicated two-player game I have ever played.<\/p>\n<p><i>Publisher<\/i>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/publishers\/le-scorpion-masque\/\">Scorpion Masqu\u00e9<\/a><br \/>\n<i>Designer<\/i>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/designers\/antoine-bauza\/\">Antoine Bauza<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/designers\/corentin-lebrat\/\">Corentin Lebrat<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/designers\/ludovic-maublanc\/\">Ludovic Maublanc<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/designers\/theo-riviere\/\">Th\u00e9o Rivi\u00e8re<\/a><\/p>\n<h3><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-306272 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/minos-dawn-of-the-bronze-age.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" data-wp-pid=\"306272\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/minos-dawn-of-the-bronze-age.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/minos-dawn-of-the-bronze-age-150x150.jpg 150w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 200px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 200\/200;\" \/>Minos: Dawn of the Bronze Age<\/h3>\n<p>Board&amp;Dice has given us some of my favorite games over the last five years, including <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/tiletum\/\"><i>Tiletum<\/i><\/a> (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/articles\/justins-highs-and-lows-for-2022\/\">my game of the year from 2022<\/a>), <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/nucleum\/\"><i>Nucleum<\/i><\/a>, <i>Teotihuacan: City of Gods<\/i>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/origins-first-builders\/\"><i>Origins: First Builders<\/i><\/a>. In fact, every single one of the SPIEL games Board&amp;Dice has released the last four years has been great, so I don\u2019t even need to open the box to know that <i>Minos: Dawn of the Bronze Age<\/i> is going to be great. But, trust me\u2014I\u2019m going to open the box, so I\u2019m hoping to pick up a copy at this year\u2019s show and find out if Board&amp;Dice has done it again.<\/p>\n<p><i>Publisher<\/i>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/publishers\/boarddice\/\">Board&amp;Dice<\/a><br \/>\n<i>Designer<\/i>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/designers\/stan-kordonskiy\/\">Stan Kordonskiy<\/a><\/p>\n<h3><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-306254 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/battalion-war-of-the-ancients.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" data-wp-pid=\"306254\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/battalion-war-of-the-ancients.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/battalion-war-of-the-ancients-150x150.jpg 150w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 200px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 200\/200;\" \/>Battalion: War of the Ancients<\/h3>\n<p>I\u2019ve had great experiences with games from Osprey, including <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/wildlands\/\"><i>Wildlands<\/i><\/a> and the sadly-underrated <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/crescent-moon\/\"><i>Crescent Moon<\/i><\/a>. (I still think back to my plays as the Nomad faction in <i>Crescent Moon<\/i> and shed a tear from time to time.) Paolo Mori co-designed <i>Battalion: War of the Ancients<\/i> with Francesco Sirocchi, and while I don\u2019t know Sirocchi\u2019s work, I do know Mori\u2026and, like my fellow Mountaineer Clayton, I know Mori does great work. All this and a playtime that runs under an hour for a card-driven wargame with dice chucking and Osprey\u2019s typically handsome production gives me the warm and fuzzy feeling that <i>Battalion <\/i>will be a winner.<\/p>\n<p><i>Publisher<\/i>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/publishers\/osprey-games\/\">Osprey Games<\/a><br \/>\n<i>Designer<\/i>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/designers\/paolo-mori\/\">Paolo Mori<\/a> and Francesco Sirocchi<\/p>\n<h3><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-306251 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/ascendancy.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" data-wp-pid=\"306251\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/ascendancy.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/ascendancy-150x150.jpg 150w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 200px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 200\/200;\" \/>Ascendancy<\/h3>\n<p>Ascendancy was one of the few crowdfunding campaigns where I was intrigued enough by a game\u2019s marketing strategy to actually subscribe and follow it, in part because I enjoyed its pitch: worker placement meets 4X-style strategy game with options for single play and campaign-style sessions. (It\u2019s cool\u2014<a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/brazil-imperial\/\">my<\/a> 4X <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/voidfall\/\">bonafides<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/empires-of-the-void-ii\/\">check out<\/a>.) <i>Ascendancy<\/i>\u2019s production elements looked insane, so I\u2019m curious to see if the game turns out to be what it purports to be. I\u2019m excited to demo this at SPIEL so I can see if this is the game that brings me back around to campaign experiences. First-time designer Matthew Meeple clearly has a labor of love on his hands with <i>Ascendancy <\/i>and it must have been an adventure to bring this game to market.<\/p>\n<p><i>Publisher<\/i>: One More Turn Games<br \/>\n<i>Designer<\/i>: Matthew Meeple<\/p>\n<h2>Bob Pazehoski, Jr.<\/h2>\n<h3><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-306261 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/drachentreppe.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"194\" data-wp-pid=\"306261\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 300px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 300\/194;\" \/>Drachentreppe<\/h3>\n<p>I cannot tell a lie. This selection is driven purely by table presence and the desire to play it with my kids. Walking these wooden wizards up the steps, eggs in hand, trying to avoid the dragon\u2014well, it all sounds just lovely after a day at work. The information is limited at this point, but the gameplay seems to be fraught with randomness and, to be honest, I love it. I can get behind a puzzle that fights against you for a short time if it means a few laughs with the family and maybe an epic victory of sorts. Sign me up.<\/p>\n<p><i>Publisher<\/i>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/publishers\/clemens-gerhards\/\">Clemens Gerhards<\/a><br \/>\n<i>Designer<\/i>: Werner Hodel<\/p>\n<h3><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-306273 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/moving-wild.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"114\" height=\"200\" data-wp-pid=\"306273\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 114px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 114\/200;\" \/>Moving Wild<\/h3>\n<p>I have little doubt that my interests this year are guided by my current life situation. I\u2019ve just not had as much time for grand adventures lately. I am in the mood for small boxes, short play times, and approachable themes and mechanics. Enter Oink. <i>Moving Wild <\/i>is a drafting card game of sorts that\u2019s all about matching animals and habitats in the name of building a better zoo.I love the Oink aesthetic, and I definitely love the space their games don\u2019t take up in my collection. I\u2019m ready to move\u2014wild.<\/p>\n<p><i>Publisher<\/i>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/publishers\/oink-games\/\">Oink Games<\/a><br \/>\n<i>Designer<\/i>: Chris Prescott<\/p>\n<h3><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-306276 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/souvenirs-from-venice.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"114\" height=\"200\" data-wp-pid=\"306276\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 114px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 114\/200;\" \/>Souvenirs from Venice<\/h3>\n<p>While I\u2019m singing the Oink song, I was also immediately drawn to <i>Souvenirs from Venice. <\/i>Gondolas and souvenirs on the waterway in a design by Sasaki and Sasaki? This one has my attention. I am a fan of simple set-collection games, so the idea of hunting down matching tiles to maximize memories sounds like an after-dinner title that we can enjoy in the household. As for the aesthetic, I\u2019m digging the silhouetted, two-tone look. I say take me to Venice and take me now.<\/p>\n<p><i>Publisher<\/i>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/publishers\/oink-games\/\">Oink Games<\/a><br \/>\n<i>Designer<\/i>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/designers\/jun-sasaki\/\">Jun Sasaki<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/designers\/goro-sasaki\/\">Goro Sasaki<\/a><\/p>\n<h2>Abram Towle<\/h2>\n<h3><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-306255 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/chants-for-the-old-ones.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" data-wp-pid=\"306255\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/chants-for-the-old-ones.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/chants-for-the-old-ones-150x150.jpg 150w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 200px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 200\/200;\" \/>Chants for the Old Ones<\/h3>\n<p>I&#8217;m not usually big on Cthulian horror games, but the production of Chants for the Old Ones caught my eye with its cult member figurines and double-layered boards. Advertised as having deck construction elements mixed with worker placement promises an approachable game that offers a different experience depending on which Old One you&#8217;re trying to summon. Factor in some noir-adjacent art and the price of admission is already paid.<\/p>\n<p><i>Publisher<\/i>: Cthulhu Project<br \/>\n<i>Designer<\/i>: Bernat Buxaus<\/p>\n<h3><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-306277 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/speakeasy.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"161\" height=\"200\" data-wp-pid=\"306277\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 161px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 161\/200;\" \/>Speakeasy<\/h3>\n<p>Lacerda and O&#8217;Toole are back with a 1920s mobster game in Manhattan featuring delivery trucks and mobster meeples that scream table presence. Expect another heavy-weight game with plenty going on during your turn. Once again, this also gives initial impressions of an optimization puzzle reliant on timing to expand your influence across the island. I&#8217;m really looking forward to transporting goods across the map and making my speakeasy empire shine while practicing my mobster voice.<\/p>\n<p><i>Publisher<\/i>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/publishers\/eagle-gryphon-games\/\">Eagle-Gryphon Games<\/a><br \/>\n<i>Designer<\/i>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/designers\/vital-lacerda\/\">Vital Lacerda<\/a><\/p>\n<h3><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-306264 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/hermit.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"155\" height=\"200\" data-wp-pid=\"306264\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 155px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 155\/200;\" \/>Hermit<\/h3>\n<p>While being released only in German &#8211; having a German degree certainly helps me out here &#8211; <i>Hermit<\/i> seems like it avoids any language barrier mishaps through its gameplay. There is a set path for the hermit crab to navigate and it&#8217;s your job to play cards to create sequences of shells that match its planned journey. I get some <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/a-gentle-rain\/\"><i>Gentle Rain<\/i><\/a> vibes coming out of this, so I hope that it has that same relaxing kind of feel. Summer may be drawing to a close but that doesn&#8217;t mean I have to stop thinking of the beach!<\/p>\n<p><i>Publisher<\/i>: Board Game Circus<br \/>\n<i>Designer<\/i>: Amelie Le-Roche<\/p>\n<h2>Andrew Holmes<\/h2>\n<h3><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-306266 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/kimono-memories.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"141\" height=\"200\" data-wp-pid=\"306266\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 141px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 141\/200;\" \/>Kimono Memories<\/h3>\n<p>Ok, I&#8217;m cheating here as I was sent a copy of this to review a couple of weeks back and therefore I already know it&#8217;s worth looking out for (as is my review!). The fourth game in the Hanamikoji line (after <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/hanamikoji\/\"><i>Hanamikoji<\/i><\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/hanamikoji-geishas-road\/\"><i>Geisha&#8217;s Road<\/i><\/a> and <i>Shadows of Kyoto<\/i>), <i>Kimono Memories<\/i> adds a spatial puzzle twist to the usual tug-of-war shenanigans. With the usual gorgeous artwork by Maisherly it&#8217;s a worthy addition to the Hanamikoji series.<\/p>\n<p><i>Publisher<\/i>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/publishers\/emperors4\/\">EmperorS4<\/a><br \/>\n<i>Designer<\/i>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/designers\/nao-shimamura\/\">Nao Shimamura<\/a><\/p>\n<h3><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-306271 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/minecraft-explorers.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"158\" height=\"200\" data-wp-pid=\"306271\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 158px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 158\/200;\" \/>Minecraft Explorers<\/h3>\n<p>I have a seven year old who loves both Minecraft and games, so this one feels like a win for me. We&#8217;ve played <i>Heroes of the Village <\/i>together and he&#8217;s beaten the whole family at <i>Minecraft Uno<\/i> (although we&#8217;ve yet to try <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/minecraft-builders-and-biomes\/\"><i>Builders and Biomes<\/i><\/a>). This latest game feels like it covers the adventure side of the original game a little more and it&#8217;ll be good to see how it plays and how our son reacts.<\/p>\n<p><i>Publisher: <\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/publishers\/ravensburger-spieleverlag-gmbh\/\">Ravensburger<\/a><br \/>\n<i>Designer: <\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/designers\/matthew-dunstan\/\">Matthew Dunstan<\/a><\/p>\n<h3><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-306260 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/dorfromantik-sakura.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"201\" height=\"200\" data-wp-pid=\"306260\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/dorfromantik-sakura.jpg 201w, https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/dorfromantik-sakura-150x150.jpg 150w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 201px) 100vw, 201px\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 201px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 201\/200;\" \/>Dorfromantik: Sakura<\/h3>\n<p>A sequel to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/dorfromantik-the-board-game\/\">2023 Spiele des Jarhes winner<\/a>, <i>Dorfromantik: Sakura <\/i>looks to provide a Japanese-inspired take on the original. Featuring the titular cherry blossom (Sakura being the Japanese for cherry blossom) and a host of other surprises to be found across 6 boxes, it&#8217;ll be interesting to see how designers Palm and Zach have built on the original and whether this version can step out from under its older sibling&#8217;s shadow.<\/p>\n<p><i>Publisher: <\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/publishers\/pegasus-spiele\/\">Pegasus Spiele<\/a><br \/>\n<i>Designer:<\/i> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/designers\/michael-palm\/\">Michael Palm<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/designers\/lukas-zach\/\">Lukas Zach<\/a><\/p>\n<h2>Previously Reviewed<\/h2>\n<p>In addition to the games we\u2019re looking forward to, we\u2019ve already covered a number of titles that will make their first appearances in the European market at Essen Spiel 2024.<\/p>\n<div class=\"previously-reviewed\">\n<div><a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/ai-space-puzzle\/\">AI Space Puzzle<\/a><\/div>\n<div><a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/alibi-3-intricate-mysteries\/\">Alibi: 3 Intricate Mysteries<\/a><\/div>\n<div><a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/archeologic\/\">ArcheOlogic<\/a><\/div>\n<div><a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/arcs\/\">Arcs<\/a><\/div>\n<div><a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/art-society\/\">Art Society<\/a><\/div>\n<div><a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/bamboo\/\">Bamboo<\/a><\/div>\n<div><a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/beyond-the-horizon\/\">Beyond the Horizon<\/a><\/div>\n<div><a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/bottle-imp\/\">Bottle Imp<\/a><\/div>\n<div><a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/cascadia-landmarks\/\">Cascadia: Landmarks<\/a><\/div>\n<div><a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/cascadia-rolling-hills\/\">Cascadia: Rolling Hills<\/a><\/div>\n<div><a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/compile-main-1\/\">Compile: Main 1<\/a><\/div>\n<div><a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/cosmic-frog\/\">Cosmic Frog<\/a><\/div>\n<div><a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/courtisans\/\">Courtisans<\/a><\/div>\n<div><a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/dinosaur-island-rawr-n-write\/\">Dinosaur Island: Rawr &#8216;n Write<\/a><\/div>\n<div><a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/divinus-first-impressions\/\">Divinus<\/a><\/div>\n<div><a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/doggerland\/\">Doggerland<\/a><\/div>\n<div><a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/dorfromantik-the-board-game\/\">Dorfromantik: The Board Game<\/a><\/div>\n<div><a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/faraway\/\">Faraway<\/a><\/div>\n<div><a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/forbidden-jungle\/\">Forbidden Jungle<\/a><\/div>\n<div><a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/inventions-evolution-of-ideas\/\">Inventions: Evolution of Ideas<\/a><\/div>\n<div><a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/oranienburger-kanal\/\">Kanal<\/a><\/div>\n<div><a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/kelp\/\">Kelp: Shark vs Octopus<\/a><\/div>\n<div><a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/king-of-tokyo-origins\/\">King of Tokyo: Origins<\/a><\/div>\n<div><a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/kyoto-no-neko\/\">Kyoto no Neko<\/a><\/div>\n<div><a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/league-of-six-complete-edition\/\">League of Six: Complete Edition<\/a><\/div>\n<div><a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/lets-go-to-japan\/\">Let&#8217;s Go! To Japan<\/a><\/div>\n<div><a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/looot\/\">Looot<\/a><\/div>\n<div><a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/mesos\/\">MESOS<\/a><\/div>\n<div><a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/middle-ages\/\">Middle Ages<\/a><\/div>\n<div><a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/motor-city\/\">Motor City<\/a><\/div>\n<div><a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/nekojima\/\">Nekojima<\/a><\/div>\n<div><a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/nocturne\/\">Nocturne<\/a><\/div>\n<div><a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/northgard-uncharted-lands\/\">Northgard: Uncharted Lands<\/a><\/div>\n<div><a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/pampero\/\">Pampero<\/a><\/div>\n<div><a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/perch\/\">Perch<\/a><\/div>\n<div><a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/raising-robots\/\">Raising Robots<\/a><\/div>\n<div><a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/rebel-princess-deluxe-edition\/\">Rebel Princess<\/a><\/div>\n<div><a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/rival-restaurants\/\">Rival Restaurants<\/a><\/div>\n<div><a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/river-valley-glassworks\/\">River Valley Glassworks<\/a><\/div>\n<div><a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/rock-hard-1977\/\">Rock Hard: 1977<\/a><\/div>\n<div><a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/sandbag\/\">Sandbag<\/a><\/div>\n<div><a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/seaside\/\">Seaside<\/a><\/div>\n<div><a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/shackleton-base-a-journey-to-the-moon\/\">Shackleton Base: A Journey to the Moon<\/a><\/div>\n<div><a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/shake-that-city\/\">Shake That City<\/a><\/div>\n<div><a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/snap-ships-tactics\/\">Snap Ships Tactics<\/a><\/div>\n<div><a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/tangram-city\/\">Tangram City<\/a><\/div>\n<div><a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/terminus\/\">Terminus<\/a><\/div>\n<div><a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/undergrove\/\">Undergrove<\/a><\/div>\n<div><a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/waffle-time\/\">Waffle Time<\/a><\/div>\n<div><a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/xylotar\/\">Xylotar<\/a><\/div>\n<div><a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/yokohama\/\">Yokohama<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<hr \/>\r\n\r\nCheck out our previous most anticipated lists for Essen Spiel and find out if we picked some winners!\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/articles\/most-anticipated-games-of-essen-spiel-2023\/\">The 40 Most Anticipated Games of Essen Spiel 2023<\/a><\/li>\r\n \t<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/articles\/most-anticipated-games-of-essen-spiel-2022\/\">The 43 Most Anticipated Games of Essen Spiel 2022<\/a><\/li>\r\n \t<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/articles\/most-anticipated-games-of-essen-spiel-2021\/\">The 29 Most Anticipated Games of Essen Spiel 2021<\/a><\/li>\r\n \t<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/articles\/the-34-most-anticipated-games-of-essen-spiel-2020\/\">The 34 Most Anticipated Games of Essen Spiel 2020<\/a><\/li>\r\n \t<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/articles\/most-anticipated-games-of-essen-spiel-2019\/\">The 48 Most Anticipated Games of Essen Spiel 2019<\/a><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Join Meeple Mountain as we look at our most anticipated games of Spiel 2024, the world\u2019s largest board game convention, taking place in Essen, Germany.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":306283,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"MSN_Categories":"Uncategorized","MSN_Publish_Option":false,"MSN_Is_Local_News":false,"MSN_Is_AIAC_Included":"Empty","MSN_Location":"[]","MSN_Add_Feature_Img_On_Top_Of_Post":false,"MSN_Has_Custom_Author":false,"MSN_Custom_Author":"","MSN_Has_Custom_Canonical_Url":false,"MSN_Custom_Canonical_Url":"","footnotes":""},"tags":[1363,2478,2479],"coauthors":[895],"class_list":["post-259556","articles","type-articles","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-article","tag-board-game-convention","tag-essen-spiel","tag-most-anticipated"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v24.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>The 35 Most Anticipated Games of Essen Spiel 2024 &#8212; Meeple Mountain<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Join Meeple Mountain as we look at our most anticipated games of Spiel 2024, the world\u2019s largest board game convention, taking place in Essen, Germany.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/articles\/most-anticipated-games-of-essen-spiel\/\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/articles\/most-anticipated-games-of-essen-spiel\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Board Game Articles\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/articles\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"The 35 Most Anticipated Games of Essen Spiel 2024\"}]}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"The 35 Most Anticipated Games of Essen Spiel 2024 &#8212; 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