Reviewer Award „Spiel des Jahres“

Founders

The reviewer award “Spiel des Jahres” was founded in 1978 by an association of leading games reviewers from the German speaking countries.

Agency

The agency of the award is the association “Spiel des Jahres e.V.” a federation of games columnists from the German speaking countries.

 Purpose

The awarded distinctions of the reviewer award “Spiel des Jahres” are to promote the cultural asset games, to stimulate the idea of playing games with family and friends and to give orientation within the large choice of games available.

 Awards

The focus is on the main award “Spiel des Jahres”, for which every year games of special quality are nominated. At the same time the award “Kinderspiel des Jahres” is bestowed. Additionally every year special awards for outstanding performance may be bestowed. The jury publishes a recommendation list with a selection of the best games of the current year which, since 2004, replaces the so-called selection list

 Activities of the Association

Further to the awards “Spiel des Jahres” and “Kinderspiel des Jahres” the association “Spiel des Jahres e.V.” does public relations work throughout the year for games in the family and community and supports the media by reporting on games. At trade fairs and game festivals it gives consumer advice. It supports social institutions with the adoption of games. The association assists young games authors by giving grants, additionally making available subsidies and printing grants for scientific research on games.

The Jury

For participation in the jury only specialized journalists are called up, who have reported about games for a longer period in newspapers, journals and radio and television stations and thus have proven their competence and their power of judgment. The same applies to the Children’s game committee, who are called in for the selection of the “Kinderspiel des Jahres”. People, who are connected to the manufacture and marketing of games in whatever form, are forbidden to work in the jury by the association’s by-laws.

Game Selection Procedure

The jury includes in their selection all new publications in the area of family and grown up games from the production of the current and the previous calendar year. An open competitive bidding phase does not take place. The selection procedure is in two phases: an information phase followed by  a first evaluation cycle.

After these two phases there follows a convention of the jury during which the recommendation list is created. During this convention the up to five nominees for the main award are chosen, too. The selection for the main award takes place the evening before the announcement of the winner.

The award “Kinderspiel des Jahres” is chosen at the same time in a separate selection procedure.

Judging criteria

Judging criteria for the main award and the special awards are:

1. game concept (originality, playability, game value)

2. rule structure (composition, clearness, comprehensibility)

3. layout (box, board, rules),

4. design (functionality, workmanship)

Scope of the award

The reviewer award “Spiel des Jahres” is a merit award with no financial component. The award winners can advertise that they have received the award. The use of the award emblem requires the payment of a licence fee.

 Financing

In the interest of independence the jury abstains from any external financing. Its work is financed exclusively from contributions and licence fees for the Spiel des Jahres emblem.

Reviewer Award „Kinderspiel des Jahres“

Founder

The award “Kinderspiel des Jahres” was founded in 2001 by the jury of the reviewer award “Spiel des Jahres “ as a second main prize. It replaces the “Sonderpreis Kinderspiel“ (special prize children’s game).

Purpose

The reviewer award is to give an independent orientation for families with children as well as for educators and to draw attention to good children’s games. The focus is on games that give enjoyment to children up to the age of 8 years, but also is enjoyable when being played with parents or older brothers and sisters.

Awards

Along the lines of the award for “Spiel des Jahres” the best games of the current year are included in a recommendation list. With this reviewer award too, up to five games are nominated and finally the main award “Kinderspiel des Jahres”.

The Jury

The jury for the “Kinderspiel des Jahres” consists of three members of the jury “Spiel des Jahres” and three additional members who are working in the children’s media area, so called advisory council, and are appointed for one year at a time.

Game Selection procedure

The “Kinderspiel des Jahres” is chosen with the same procedure and at the same times as the “Spiel des Jahres”. All games of the current year and the last year are in the selection list.  During a convention the games for the recommendation list are chosen as well as up to five games nominated for the “Kinderspiel des Jahres”. The final vote for the main prize “Kinderspiel des Jahres” takes place one day before the announcement of the winner.

Judging Criteria

The judging criteria for the selection of “Kinderspiel des Jahres” follows the criteria catalogue of “Spiel des Jahres” (game concept, rule structure, layout, design) with its own orientation to the target group.

Scope of the Reward

The “Kinderspiel des Jahres” also is a merit award with no financial component. Here the same conditions apply as for the “Spiel des Jahres”. The award winners can advertise with the fact of having received the award. The use of the protected award emblem requires the payment of a licence fee.