My Essen Hot Picks

Hundreds of new games are debuting at Essen this year. Some are brand new, some are returning favorites, and a handful are already working their way onto wishlists everywhere. Here are a few I’ve played and thoroughly enjoyed

🍖 Barbecubes

This is like an appetizer filled with chaos. You are trying to grill tiny pixelated proteins with a pair of tongs while everyone watches and silently judges you and prays that your hand-eye coordination fails you. If you drop a cube, you take a card. If you ever take two, you are out! This one is small enough to go with you anywhere. There’s a veggie version I desperately want as some of my family is vegan

• Players: 2–6

• Publisher: Alley Cat Games

• Playtime: ~10 minutes

• Designers: Brett J. Gilbert and Rob Sparks

• Artist: Rory Muldoon

• Mechanism: party, dexterity

📦 Depot

This tiny box packs surprisingly big thrills. Picking cards feels like opening a mystery package in the mail: you never quite know what you’re getting, but every choice matters. Do you go for multiples or sequences? Every choice matters. Timing, memory, and a dash of daring can make the difference between first and last place

• Players: 3–5

• Publisher: Playte Games

• Playtime: ~20 minutes

• Designer: Yusuke Sawaguchi

• Artist: Tansan Inc

• Mechanisms: Hand management, set collection, push-your-luck

💎 Etherstone

Mystical, gorgeous, and surprisingly crunchy under the hood. This engine builder blends

tactical combat, clever dice, and unique leaders that make every choice matter. The icons and abilities can feel like a lot at first, but once you dive in, the dice, leaders, and looming threats create fast, fun, high-stakes gameplay. Multiple paths to victory, minimal downtime, and thrilling combat make this one endlessly replayable

• Players: 2–4

• Publisher: ThunderGryph Games

• Playtime: ~15 minutes per player

• Designers: Virginio Gigli and Simone Luciani

• Artist: Paolo Voto

• Mechanisms: Engine building and resource management

🌿 Everdell Duo

Woodland city-building for two (or solo), bursting with charm and strategy. Place your workers, gather twigs, resin, pebbles, and (the same delicious squishy) berries from the original, and play critter and construction cards to grow the most prosperous valley. Seasons pass, Sun and Moon tokens shift, and you weigh whether to grab resources, play cards, or plan for end-game bonuses. Cozy, tactical, and surprisingly competitive for two players. If you love Everdell, Duo is a faster, lighter two-player alternative. Still full of charm, just in bite-sized sessions

• Players: 1–2

• Publisher: Starling Games

• Playtime: ~30 minutes

• Designers: James A. Wilson, Clarissa A. Wilson

• Artists: Enggar Adirasa, Andrew Bosley

• Mechanisms: Worker placement, resource management, card play, engine building

🔄 Flip 7

The 2025 Spiel des Jahres nominee from The Op Games (KOSMOS in Germany) by designer Eric Olsen. I’m obsessed with this pocket-sized gem. It’s a push-your-luck race to 200 points with clever twists: special cards give second chances, force extra flips, or freeze players (sometimes even yourself!). Every turn makes you second-guess, do you push high or play it safe? Quick, addictive, and endlessly replayable, Flip 7 sneaks onto the table again and again. You can play it anywhere and with anyone, from hardcore gamers to total newbies

• Players: 3 or more (though I've played it at two just fine)

• Publisher: The Op Games / KOSMOS

• Playtime: ~20 minutes

• Designer: Eric Olsen

• Artist: O'Neil Mabile 

• Mechanisms: Card play, push-your-luck, hand management

🚀 Galactic Cruise

Ready to run your own luxury space resort? Of course you are! But beware, everyone else is gunning for the corner office. You’ll juggle ship construction, guest satisfaction, and impressing the Board of Directors while trying to keep your resources under control. The components are top notch. Each turn is a delicate dance of assigning workers, launching ships, and completing company goals. The winner? The supervisor with the most Victory Points after three years of interstellar corporate chaos 

• Players: 1–4

• Publisher: Kinson Key Games

• Playtime: ~30 minutes per player

• Designers: T.K. King, Dennis Northcott, Koltin Thompson

• Artist: Ian O'Toole

• Mechanisms: Worker placement, resource management, engine building

🖋 Ink

Ink is like speed-painting under pressure. You pick tiles from the Quill Wheel, add them to your painting, and place your ink bottles to complete objectives. Hit the right combos and trigger bonus actions to manipulate your painting or extend your turn. The goal is simple: be the first to play with all your ink bottles. Every turn is a mix of planning, pattern-building, and tiny uh-oh moments when you realize your perfect tile has already been taken

• Players: 1-4

• Publisher: Final Score Games

• Playtime: ~40 minutes

• Designer: Kasper Lapp

• Artist: Chris Quilliams

• Mechanisms: Tile placement, pattern building, resource management

⚓ Leuchtturm voraus

Beacon Patrol finally makes its German debut, and it’s a delight. Explore the North Sea coast, place tiles to map buoys and lighthouses, and rack up points with your crew. The game is cooperative, relaxing, and surprisingly brainy once the board fills up. Quick turns, clever tile placement, and a little friendly rivalry when you just miss the Captain rank. It’s the kind of game you set up again and again

• Players: 1–4

• Publisher: frechverlag

• Playtime: ~30 minutes

• Designer: Torben Ratzlaff

• Artist: Torben Ratzlaff

• Mechanisms: Cooperative, tile placement, route building

🏖 Tenby

I’m biased because I playtested this one, but Tenby is a joy. Build the colorful streets of a Welsh town using terraces, piers, landmarks, and local contracts. Score the most points, and you win! Every turn feels like painting a little piece of the town, and bonus points for a soundtrack composed by designer Benjie Talbott? Chef’s kiss. Charming, clever, and full of personality

• Publisher: Mighty Boards

• Players: 1–5

• Playtime: ~45 minutes

• Designer and artist: Benjie Talbott

• Mechanisms: Tile placement, area majority, set collection

Wrapping It Up

From chaotic cube-grilling to cozy woodland city-building, these are just a few of the sparks that will light up Essen this year. Whether you’re walking the crowded halls in Germany or plotting your preorder strategy from home, Spiel Essen marks the official start of the most exciting season in board gaming. The reveals, the buzz, the wishlists, it all kicks off here. Every new game is a little spark of joy (and, let’s be honest, another addition to my Christmas list). I’ll be keeping an eye out, and I should probably start clearing some shelf space