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Germans take board gaming ernst<\/strong>.\u00a0 <\/span>In German culture, it\u2019s considered a family-oriented hobby, popular to the point that a whole genre of board games exists known as \u201cGerman-style games,\u201d\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cEuro-games,\u201d or \u201cdesigner board games.\u201d\u00a0 <\/span>These Spiele<\/strong> aren\u2019t your Grandma\u2019s Monopoly (though Germans play that, too).\u00a0 <\/span>The genre is known for high production value, favoring wooden pieces over plastic ones, and die Spielzeit<\/strong> is often about an hour, the sort of time a busy Familie<\/strong> has on a weeknight to come together for some face time.\u00a0 <\/span>These games tend to rely less on luck and more on Strategie<\/strong>, and aim to keep all Spieler<\/strong> participating – even when it isn\u2019t their turn.\u00a0 <\/span>Regeln<\/strong> that are \u201cquick to learn and a lifetime to master\u201d are the staple of German-style games.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n The popularity is especially evident each year between October 22nd<\/sup> and 25th<\/sup> in the small German town of Essen, home to the Messe convention center.\u00a0 <\/span>When it\u2019s not hosting automobile shows, this is where SPIEL, the worlds\u2019 largest open-to-the-public games convention is held.\u00a0 <\/span>This year, over 150,000 people from all over the Welt<\/strong> (Origins and GenCon see about a 1\/10th<\/sup> of that attendance) attended convention.\u00a0 <\/span>And unlike the Besucher<\/strong> of the big game conventions in the United States, the primary reason people attend is to play Brettspiele<\/strong>, and see the latest new ones.\u00a0 <\/span>Dieses Jahr<\/strong> alone, 600 neue<\/em><\/strong> board games debuted at SPIEL.\u00a0 <\/span>The designers of these games, many of whom are also present, have a certain degree of rock star status, and spend a good deal of time autographing copies of their work for eager fans.\u00a0 <\/span>Besonders<\/strong> the designer a given year\u2019s Spiel des Jahres<\/em> (\u201cGame of the Year\u201d) award winner!\u00a0 <\/span>That Typ<\/strong> gets NO rest, and probably carpal tunnel to boot\u2026 this year that was Donald X. Vaccarino, American designer of Dominion<\/em>.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Every Halle<\/strong> is light and bright, and the Essen<\/strong> is amazing. Check out high-quality armor and staves in one hall, then snag some comic books, Kuscheltiere<\/strong>, Holzschnitzereien<\/strong>, or Sesame Street-grade hand puppets in the next.\u00a0 <\/span>As you\u2019re carried along in the wave of milling humanity, you might come across a booth of bunte<\/strong> game-inspired dishware, and then move on to entdecken<\/strong> a copy of that rare game you\u2019ve been looking for.\u00a0 <\/span>Or, just plop down at a Tisch<\/strong> (or on the Boden<\/strong>) at your favorite publisher\u2019s booth to play a game or get a demo of the latest cardboard hotness.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n The mid-nineties arrival of The Settlers of Catan<\/em>, a quintessential designer game from German designer Klaus Teuber, to the United States through publisher Mayfair Games began the mainstream discovery of German board gaming here.\u00a0 <\/span>Seitdem<\/strong>, more and more people every year are discovering this refreshingly non-electronic and social hobby.\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n