Game of the Year Award
The Spiel des Jahres (Game of the Year), the most prestigious award for board and card games, is awarded annually by a jury of German game critics.
Games here include winners and nominees of the main prize the Spiel des Jahres
Since 1989 the Kinderspiel des Jahres (Children's game of the Year) has also been annually awarded. Since 2011 the Kennerspiel des Jahres for more complex games is also annually awarded.
The German Kennerspiel des Jahres, first awarded in 2011, expands the prestigious Spiel des Jahres to recognize the "connoisseur/expert game of the year". ("Kenner" can be translated as both "connoisseur" and "expert", among other terms.)
These are games which are meant for a more experienced audience, and where the Spiel des Jahres typically recognizes the best games for the entire family, the Kennerspiel des Jahres is more for gamers looking for games which present more of a challenge. According to the committee's description, "The award is intended to give guidance to those people who have already been playing games for a longer time and are experienced in learning new rules."
