From Erik Arneson,
Your Guide to Board / Card Games.
FREE Newsletter. Sign Up Now!

Definition: "Designer games" is a term used to denote a genre of board and card games that tend to feature relatively simple rules, playing times of less than two hours, mid-level to deep strategy, a high level of player interaction, excellent replay value, and appeal to both hardcore gamers and casual gamers.

The term "designer" refers to the fact that the game designer usually is credited right on the box cover, much in the way that the author of a book is credited on the book cover.

Many designer games come from Europe, and specifically Germany, though American game companies like 3M and Avalon Hill were publishing quality designer games, such as Acquire, as far back as the 1960s.

Also Known As: German Games, German-Style Games, Euro Games, TGOO ("These Games of Ours"), Family Strategy Games

Examples: (1) Settlers of Catan is the designer game which introduced many American gamers to the genre. (2) One of the best introductory designer games is Carcassonne, a tile-laying game in which players take turns laying tiles to build roads, farms, cloisters and cities.