The Deutscher Spiele Pries is a German award given to the Strategy Game of the Year. These are typically games that hardcore gamers will enjoy, but some of them may be a bit too complex for family gaming. These are my picks for the best five games to ever win the DSP.
More than any other single game, Settlers of Catan was responsible for the growth of a new generation of "designer" games in the U.S. On the uncharted island of Catan, players work to obtain the resources they need to build roads, towns and cities. A variable game board, a good mix of luck and skill, and strong player interaction all combine to make it a classic.
Players control four leaders (agriculture, government, religion and trade), competing to collect victory points in those categories. The most unique thing about T&E is that the winner is determined by the category in which you have the fewest victory points -- so balance is critical.
This is an auction game set in India's famous palace. A variety of ways to score points adds to the challenge, as players can take different paths to victory.
Deep in the jungles of Central America, players compete to uncover treasure among archeological ruins. The gameboard and other components are wonderful to look at, the rules are straight-forward, and the theme will appeal to the Indiana Jones in you. Just don't play with opponents who over-analyze -- doing so can make the game drag a bit.
Another auction game, but this one features numerous different kinds of auctions: open, sealed, once-around, fixed price and double. The key to victory is to know when to bid and when to fold. Players collect art created by several different modern artists. In the end, the best collector wins.
