An Energizing Start

The day began with a hearty breakfast at a charming local café, where we fueled up on strong coffee and delicious pastries. Armed with our well-worn event map and a list of must-visit booths, we set out for the convention center, ready to make the most of our final day at Essen Spiel. The bustling energy of the event greeted us as we entered, the air filled with the excited chatter of fellow board game enthusiasts, cosplay, and the colorful displays of countless game booths stretching as far as the eye could see. With renewed vigor, we dove into the sea of gaming wonders.

Exciting Acquisitions and Inquiries

Our day was filled with a whirlwind of game demonstrations, publisher meetings, and exciting acquisitions. One of the standout finds was “Unconscious Mind,” a game that immediately captured our imagination with its intriguing premise and stunning artwork. We had the pleasure of meeting some of the designers behind this title, gaining fascinating insights into the creative process and the game’s development. We also inquired about several other games that piqued our interest:

1. Seti: This space-themed game caught our eye with its beautiful components and promise of strategic depth. We chatted with the publisher about the game’s mechanics.
2. Little Alchemist: A charming family game combining resource management and potion-making elements.
3. Stamp Swap is an innovative card game with a unique spin on set collection. We were intrigued by its portable nature and quick play time, perfect for gaming on the go.
4. Refasa: This economic strategy game impressed us with its intricate mechanics and beautiful production quality. We’re looking forward to reviewing it further.
5. Steam Power: This steampunk-inspired game caught our attention with its unique blend of worker placement and engine-building mechanics.
6. Monster Rock: This quirky party game combines elements of rhythm and bluffing, promising hilarious moments as players try to out-rock each other’s monster personas.
7. Black Forest: This enchanting game caught our eye with its beautiful artwork inspired by the mystical Black Forest of Germany. Combining elements of tile-laying and resource management, Black Forest offers players a chance to build their own magical woodland realm.

Each of these games offers something unique to the board gaming world, and we can’t wait to bring you more detailed information and reviews in the coming weeks.

Party Game Pickups

No gaming collection is complete without some great party games, and we made sure to round out our haul with a few crowd-pleasers.

“Lama Kadabra” caught our attention with its whimsical theme and promise of laugh-out-loud moments. We also picked up “No Thanks,” a classic that we believe every gamer should have in their collection for those impromptu gaming sessions.

A Glimpse Into the Future: Colosseum Demo

One of the highlights of our day was attending a demo for Colosseum, an upcoming game set for release next year. The demo left us thoroughly impressed and eager for more. The game’s blend of strategic depth and thematic immersion promises to make it a standout release in 2025. For those interested, here’s a brief overview of what we experienced in the Colosseum demo. (We apologize for the portrait mode of the video, we were simply too excited to understand the game, and we missed to pay attention to the video :). We’ll bring you a more detailed breakdown of Colosseum in a future article, so keep an eye out for that!

Networking and Community

One of the most rewarding aspects of attending Essen Spiel is the opportunity to connect with fellow gamers, designers, and industry professionals. Throughout the day, we engaged in countless conversations, sharing our passion for board games and learning about new trends and upcoming releases. We had the chance to talk with some of the designers and their insights about the games they created. These discussions not only informed our perspective on the games we saw at the fair but also gave us exciting new angles to explore in our future coverage.

Wrapping Up and Shipping Out

As the day drew to a close, we gathered our impressive haul of games – a testament to the incredible variety and quality on display at Essen Spiel. With careful planning (and perhaps a bit of Tetris-like skill), we managed to pack and arrange shipping for our newly acquired treasures. The anticipation of diving into these games and bringing you comprehensive reviews is already building!

Reflections on Essen Spiel 2024

Our time at Essen Spiel was nothing short of amazing. The event continues to be a cornerstone of the board gaming world, showcasing the creativity, passion, and community that make this hobby so special. While we unfortunately couldn’t stay for the final day to take advantage of the discounted games (a pro tip for future attendees!), we’re already planning for next year. Our goal is to attend the entire event in 2025, making the most of every moment at this board gaming paradise.

The sheer scale of Essen Spiel is awe-inspiring, with hundreds of exhibitors and thousands of attendees from around the globe. It’s a melting pot of cultures, languages, and gaming styles, all united by a shared love of tabletop gaming. From heavy strategy games to light party games, from established publishers to indie designers, Essen Spiel truly has something for everyone.

To our readers: Thank you for following our Essen Spiel journey. We can’t wait to share more detailed insights, reviews, and stories from our experience. The world of board gaming is ever-evolving, and events like Essen Spiel showcase the best of what’s current and what’s to come. Stay tuned for all the exciting content we’ve gathered! In the coming weeks, expect to see in-depth reviews of the games we’ve acquired, interviews with designers we met, and our thoughts on the trends and innovations we observed at the fair. Essen Spiel may be over for another year, but the excitement and inspiration it generates will continue to ripple through the board gaming community. As for us at BoardGamesLand, we’re already counting down the days until Essen Spiel 2025. See you there!

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Hall 7

This hall had a little bit of everything. Most notable were the board game discount vendors, which had terrific sales of 75% off. Unfortunately, the games on sale were only in German, and none of us spoke German, so it was a disappointment for us. Besides discount stores, there were also major German publishers like Schmidt. There was also the business lounge where many famous designers hang out to meet and greet.  The hall was a bit overcrowded because it was the entry point, and common people who were not into the hobby were visiting also.

Hall 6

When we entered hall 6, we noticed a change in the atmosphere from a common area to a more family-friendly space. Clearly, this hall was designed for family-friendly and party games. We played shooting elephants and many other dexterity games. One noticeable game we played was making our own toast or sandwich with cards, which made us hungry. Also, no one can forget the River Valley Glassworks and its beautiful gems. We also got free coffee.

Hall 5

Hall 5 was the crossing threshold into board games or, more specifically, gateway games. There were some famous board games suitable for newcomers and advanced gamers. Some of the most renowned publishers, like Hasbro, Haba, and Iello, presented their old-time favorites like Monopoly, Stratego, and King of Tokyo and some new ones like Diamant, Flip Circus, and Clash of Magic Schools. After day one, when we were still jet lagged and exhausted, it was very nice to see old-time favorites reprinted in the latest versions and also play some new games like Diamant. 

Hall 4

Entering Hall 4 was like traveling into the future of board games because this hall contained games that were about to be published on Kickstarter and gamefound. It was amazing to see what the future holds for board games. One game in particular caught our eye, Harakiri by Synergic Games. We have a more than 20-minute video of the designer himself explaining the game, leaving us speechless and in awe of its remarkable story, theme, and mechanics.

The game was so masterfully crafted it made us want to play it immediately, but unfortunately, playing such a great game would take us more than a day, and we had only three days to experience as many games as we could. The game’s core mechanic was similar to Gloomhaven, where players are put into roles of different characters fighting monsters and recovering treasures and ancient artifacts while simultaneously rescuing innocent people from the jaws of great evil. However, a character’s death does not mean the game is lost. On the contrary, players can sacrifice their character to receive ultimate power for a few turns, enough to beat the final bosses and rejoice in the team’s victory.  

Hall 3

We have mentioned a bit on day one about Hall 3. It is our favorite hall because there were some of the best board games and their publishers, like CGI, Pegasus Spiel, Archona games, Queen Games, Feurland, and the Dice Tower. Many of these publishers graced us with their fantastic games, and we can’t wait to tell you more about them in the following month, so visit us regularly for juicy reviews. One game, in particular, fascinated us, Colosseum, by Fantasia Games, where players are put into the roles of noble Roman families organizing gladiatorial games and getting prestige, which is like victory points. Unfortunately, we could not procure a copy because the game was still in early development and will be released through Gamefound. On the bright side, we gained many other great games like SETI, Unconscious Mind, Stamp Swap, Resafa, and many more.

 Hall 2

With all these great games we mentioned, to make the experience even more immersive, we need some cool accessories like custom dice and minis, and these can be found right here in Hall 2. This hall was a mixture of all the halls, with discount stores, significant publishers like Hans im Glück, major toy brands like Hot Wheels, and even wine tasting. However, the best feature of Hall 2 was the game accessories like dice, wooden meeples, player mats, custom 3d printed Miniatures, and even whole 3d printed battlefields for D&D and similar games. There were also different types of artists, like painters, sculptors, weavers, and toy makers; on top of all that, there were unbelievable gaming tables, which were every gamer’s dream.

  Hall 1

We have seen all kinds of board games and even their accessories, and now it is time for the ultimate games, TCGs and CCGs. That’s right, Hall 1 was all about trading card games like Magic the Gathering, Yu Gi Oh, and Pokemon. The first thing that caught our eye was the golden demon’s head in the air beside the Warhammer stand. We have visited many famous publishers like  Asmodee, Fantasy Flight, and CMON and saw their unique products. Another thing that piqued our interest was the library of extra rare trading cards. From Yu Gi Oh to Pokémon, this library contained every rare card you could find on the market, pricing from 25 euros up to 3.000 for the ultra-rare Pikachu card.

Highlight of Day 2 – Meeting Mike DiLisio and Tom Vasel

The bustling halls of Essen Spiel were filled with excitement, but nothing could compare to the thrill of encountering two giants of the board game world. As we navigated through the crowded aisles, we stumbled upon none other than Tom Vasel and Mike DiLisio, the dynamic duo behind The Dice Tower. Their friendly demeanor immediately put us at ease, and we found ourselves engrossed in a passionate discussion about the latest gaming trends and hidden gems of the convention. Tom’s infectious enthusiasm and Mike’s insightful commentary provided a unique perspective on the industry, making this chance meeting an unforgettable highlight of our Essen Spiel experience. The opportunity to share our love for board games with these influential figures left us inspired and eager to explore more of what the convention had to offer.

Summary

Now that we have gained our bearings, we could not be more thrilled to be here at this marvelous event. Nevertheless, Hall 3 remains our favorite hall, and we will probably visit there again tomorrow for some quick gaming. However, we might also see other halls for some game merchandise and discount stores.  We will most likely visit Hall 6 for some hilarious party games, and who knows, some of us might buy some rare Pokémon cards in Hall 1.

The post Essen Spiel 2024: Day 2 Overview – Adventuring and Exploring Halls appeared first on Board Games Land.

Halls Packed With Pure Board Game Bliss

With seven massive halls filled to the brim, every inch of Messe Essen was packed with games, publishers, players, and eager fans waiting to dive into the latest releases. From indie designers with passion projects they’ve nurtured for years to major publishers with highly polished new entries, the convention was an overwhelming sensory overload in the best way possible. We couldn’t resist wandering through each hall, soaking in the electric atmosphere and the literal walls of board games around us.

But let’s be honest, if you’ve been to Essen Spiel before, you know it’s easy to feel lost among the sea of titles, demos, and booths. Yet, as we navigated our way through the convention on Day 1, one game hall stood out in particular.

Hall 3 is Like a Treasure Trove of Kickstarter Gold

While each hall had its charm, Hall 3 is our top pick. Why, you ask? Well, it was the hub for some of the most exciting and soon-to-be-published Kickstarter games. It’s clear that many of these games are poised to make waves in the months to come. There was a tangible buzz in the air as gamers previewed games that would be launching just days after the convention, giving everyone that ‘exclusive sneak peek’ feeling.

Hall 3 had everything from expansive, high-stakes strategy games to quirky, quick-to-play card games—enough to cater to all types of gamers. But what caught our eye the most was the sheer innovation on display. This hall was brimming with creativity, bold mechanics, and daring themes. You could almost see the gears turning in every designer’s mind as they explained their latest passion project. It’s no surprise that Hall 3 was constantly crowded, with eager backers lining up to see what these upcoming Kickstarter campaigns had to offer.

Among the games that immediately caught our attention were Tidal Blades: Banner Festival, Nightfall, and Moonrakers: Titan Edition. But even these fan favorites paled in comparison to the real star of the day, a game we had been itching to try since its announcement.

Our Highlight of Day 1 Was Black Forest

If there’s one thing we are certain about after Day 1 of Essen Spiel, it’s this: Black Forest is an instant classic in the making. For the uninitiated, Black Forest is the latest Euro-style worker placement game from Uwe Rosenberg and his collaborator Tido Lorenz. And let us tell you, it absolutely delivered. We were fortunate enough to snag a demo early in the day, and our expectations were exceeded in every way possible.

The game brings back the famous dials that Uwe Rosenberg originally introduced in Glass Road, but with a fresh new twist that fits perfectly into the game’s deep and engaging mechanics. We walked away from the Black Forest demo deeply impressed, and we are already itching for the official release. It’s clear that Rosenberg and Lorenz have crafted a game that is both deep and accessible, offering layers of strategy without overwhelming new players. We are predicting this one will be favorite for years to come.

Wrapping Up

As we wrapped up our first day at Essen Spiel 2024, one thing was abundantly clear: board gaming is alive and thriving. The sheer energy of the crowd, the excitement of players trying new games, and the passion of designers pitching their projects are all testaments to how incredible this hobby is.

From the seven jam-packed halls to the countless booths showcasing games for all tastes, Day 1 set the bar sky-high. While Hall 3 stole the show with its Kickstarter treasures, there’s still so much more to explore in the coming days. We’re looking forward to diving deeper into more demos, meeting even more creators, and, of course, bringing you the inside scoop on all the hottest games.

Stay tuned for more in-depth reviews and updates from Essen Spiel 2024—this is just the beginning!

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