ARCTICA is a competitive, card-driven, engine-building Eurogame based on the development of Arctic ecosystems, especially fauna. The game features more than 160 animals, and you want to build a viable ecosystem.

In the end, the player with the highest biodiversity score wins.

Two popular classic games with a twist – Carcassonne Labyrinth combines the best of both worlds. For 40 years, Labyrinth has been thrilling families worldwide – and for 25 years, Carcassonne has been an international game night favorite. Now, both classics come together in a completely new game.

The player who moves the most cleverly and builds the most skillfully wins this creative reinterpretation of two timeless games.

—description from the publisher

In Dorfromantik: Kopf an Kopf, exactly two players can enjoy a fast-paced game of Dorfromantik in which they compete against each other in a friendly contest. During the selection phase, the two opponents take turns choosing landscape or task tiles. In the subsequent laying phase, both players create their own landscape, aiming to score as many points as possible. To do this, they each reveal one tile at a time and place it. At the end of the game, points are awarded for forest, grain, and village tasks; for the longest river in one’s own territory; for flags in completed areas; and—brand new—for complete mountains and lakes.

The player who best fulfills the villagers’ tasks while also creating an idyllic landscape with rivers, mountains, and lakes wins the duel.

In Dorfromantik: Südsee players can experience a new, standalone campaign set in the world of Dorfromantik. The award-winning cooperative tile-laying gameplay takes place this time in the setting of an idyllic island paradise. Here, the trees of the forest become mighty mangroves, and the river transforms into a colorful school of fish. In addition to the new theme, this expansion also introduces new game elements that can be unlocked over the course of the campaign. A total of five boxes contain new components and mechanics never before seen in any of the previous games. For example, players can now collect fish by boat—the only way for the group to move from island to island on the campaign sheet and unlock additional achievements.

Collaboratively laying out the landscape proves to be just as challenging as in Dorfromantik – Sakura, offering even experienced Dorfromantik players an incentive to immerse themselves once again in the idyllic Dorfromantik world.

As a Zoologist, you're doing fieldwork collecting samples to gather data on the endangered Tasmanian devil. You're deep in a Tasmanian forest when you hear an alarming sound signaling danger. Can you get to safety quickly and deliver the samples to the lab before they're compromised?

Tasmanian Devil, title #3 in the Endangered Rescue line, is an escape room style game in just 18 cards! As a group, you will solve a series of puzzles to unravel a mystery.

When you have solved a puzzle, you will enter the answer into the companion web app (compatible with all smart phones and computers) and it will check whether you are correct. If you are, the app will tell you which card or cards to take next.

The app also contains a graduated hint system, so if you get stuck you can get just a small hint about the current puzzle to get moving again without giving too much away.

Puzzles may test your perception, wordplay, and lateral thinking. English language fluency is required.

Most groups take about an hour to solve the game. You can write on the cards to help solve puzzles, but this is not required (or you could use penny sleeves) and the game is otherwise non-destructible. So while you can't play again yourself, you could give the used game to someone else to play.

—description from the publisher

Step into a world where art defies gravity and stone becomes dream. Shape forms, balance light and nature, and bring to life the visionary style that redefined architecture.

The game unfolds over three rounds. In each round, players take turns moving around the central Chandelier on the main board, carefully choosing where to stop in order to perform key actions—drawing cards and collecting various types of Trencadís tiles. These resources are then used to play cards and progress up the Chimneys on their personal boards. Each round concludes once all players have completed a full circuit around the Chandelier. At the end of the third round, the player with the highest and most balanced combination of VP will be declared the winner!

—description from the publisher

Step into a world where art defies gravity and stone becomes dream. Shape forms, balance light and nature, and bring to life the visionary style that redefined architecture.

The game unfolds over three rounds. In each round, players take turns moving around the central Chandelier on the main board, carefully choosing where to stop in order to perform key actions—drawing cards and collecting various types of Trencadís tiles. These resources are then used to play cards and progress up the Chimneys on their personal boards. Each round concludes once all players have completed a full circuit around the Chandelier. At the end of the third round, the player with the highest and most balanced combination of VP will be declared the winner!

—description from the publisher

Eureka! Gold flows like an endless sea in the rich hills and forests of California, and countless would-be prospectors have flocked to the lush landscape to stake their claim and make their fortune. Gather your pickaxe and pan, scout the land, and invest in the richest mines to collect the most gold!

Gold Country is a new California Gold Rush strategy game created by Reiner Knizia and gorgeously illustrated by Beth Sobel. While the design is inspired by a cult-classic Knizia game called Spectaculum, it has undergone extensive redevelopment by Reiner Knizia (closely collaborating with Bitewing Games) to become the ultimate stock market manipulation game. It features a completely reworked core game, all-new maps, exciting tactical abilities, and the lush landscapes of California.

Each turn, you’ll develop mining companies, buy and sell shares of those mining companies, spend your money on powerful abilities cards, and more! Gold Country enables shared incentives, encourages tactical pivoting, and rewards strategic foresight amid its simple rules and challenging decisions. The game ends once all the gold veins have been discovered, then the richest player wins.

—description from the publisher

In Got Five!: Ghost, your tiles are haunted by a mischievous ghost that hides crucial information from you! As in the base game, you must deduce the numbers on your five tiles by comparing them with those of the other players—but now, the colors of some of your tiles are hidden from you, making your deductions even trickier.

During setup, two Ghost tokens are placed over the tiles at the ends of your stand. The Ghosts hide those tiles' colors from you while leaving their numbers visible to the other players. During the game, play proceeds as normal, with players comparing tiles and using the information revealed by their opponents to work out their own five numbers. You cannot ask for clues about the hidden colors, so you must carefully deduce them from the information available—and choose which colors to reveal to others with care.

The game ends as soon as a player shouts "GOT FIVE!" and correctly announces the five numbers on their stand. A 3-Ghost variant adds another Ghost token to the center tile, hiding the color of three tiles and making deduction even more challenging.

After a series of bad omens, you seek refuge at a secluded cabin in the woods, hoping to turn your luck around. But as you settle in, strange things begin to happen. Can you shake off the bad vibes, or is something darker lurking in the shadows?

The Friday Fright, title #13 in the Holiday Hijinks line, is an escape room-style game in just 18 cards! As a group, you will solve a series of puzzles to unravel a mystery. Puzzles may test your perception, wordplay, and lateral thinking. English language fluency is required.

When you have solved a puzzle on the cards, you will enter the answer into the companion website (compatible with all smart phones and computers) and it will check whether you are correct. If you are, the website will tell you which card or cards to take next. The website also contains a graduated hint system, so if you get stuck you can get just a small hint about the current puzzle to get moving again without giving too much away.

This system is non-destructible: some groups may choose to write on cards, but this is not required. A group cannot re-play the game, but can pass it on to another group for their use. This entry in the series takes about an hour to solve.

Why did they have to put you in charge of last minute Hanukkah preparations? It's a race against the clock as you scour the neighborhood for clues that will remind you of cherished traditions, tell you what items to bring...and most importantly, let you know where the celebration is!

The Dreidel Dilemma, title #14 in the Holiday Hijinks line, is an escape room-style game in just 18 cards! As a group, you will solve a series of puzzles to unravel a mystery. Puzzles may test your perception, wordplay, and lateral thinking. English language fluency is required.

When you have solved a puzzle on the cards, you will enter the answer into the companion website (compatible with all smart phones and computers) and it will check whether you are correct. If you are, the website will tell you which card or cards to take next. The website also contains a graduated hint system, so if you get stuck you can get just a small hint about the current puzzle to get moving again without giving too much away.

This system is non-destructible: some groups may choose to write on cards, but this is not required. A group cannot re-play the game, but can pass it on to another group for their use. This entry in the series takes about an hour to solve and is rated 1 out of 3 in difficulty.

—description from the publisher

Avast, ye scurvy dog! You're treading where you don't belong; the bowels of a dread pirate vessel. Your very life is at stake, unless you can gather your wits to blend in with the crew, find allies among these unsavory fellows, and find refuge on dry land. 'Tis a puzzling endeavor, ye can be sure!

The Mutiny Mystery is part of the 18Escape line of games, each of which pack a full escape room game experience into a tiny package! As a group, you will solve a series of puzzles to unravel a mystery.

Puzzles may test your perception, wordplay, and lateral thinking. English language fluency is required.

When you have solved a puzzle on the cards, you will enter the answer into the companion website (compatible with all smart phones and computers) and it will check whether you are correct. If you are, the website will tell you which card or cards to take next. The website also contains a graduated hint system, so if you get stuck you can get just a small hint about the current puzzle to get moving again without giving too much away.

This system is non-destructible: some groups may choose to write on cards, but this is not required. A group cannot re-play the game, but can pass it on to another group for their use.

This entry in the series takes about an hour to solve, and is rated 3 out of 3 in difficulty.

—description from the publisher

You’ve met someone cute — and now your brain is scrambled. Pride festivities are in full swing, the streets are packed, and the clock is ticking for you to collect what you need for your first Pride celebration. Solve clues, gather decorations, and piece together the perfect fit before time runs out. Can you escape the chaos and kick off Pride Month with a bang?

The Pride Pursuit is part of the 18Escape line of games, each of which pack a full escape room game experience into a tiny package! As a group, you will solve a series of puzzles to unravel a mystery.

Puzzles may test your perception, wordplay, and lateral thinking. English language fluency is required.

When you have solved a puzzle on the cards, you will enter the answer into the companion website (compatible with all smart phones and computers) and it will check whether you are correct. If you are, the website will tell you which card or cards to take next. The website also contains a graduated hint system, so if you get stuck you can get just a small hint about the current puzzle to get moving again without giving too much away.

This system is non-destructible: some groups may choose to write on cards, but this is not required. A group cannot re-play the game, but can pass it on to another group for their use.

This entry in the series takes about an hour to solve, and is rated 1 out of 3 in difficulty.

—description from the publisher

In Ikebana, players collect flower cards and arrange them into floral arrangements in their personal display. The aim is to complete arrangements that meet as many of the currently available scoring conditions as possible.

On your turn, you may first exchange one card from your hand with a card from the shared display. You then play one or two cards from your hand, either starting a new arrangement or adding them to existing ones. Cards in an arrangement must be placed in ascending numerical order, although numbers may be skipped or repeated.

After adding cards, you may score eligible arrangements that contain at least four cards and meet at least one of the current scoring conditions. Once scored, an arrangement is completed and can no longer be changed. Its value at the end of the game is the number of cards in the arrangement multiplied by the number of scoring conditions it fulfilled when it was completed. At the end of your turn, you refill your hand to four cards, either by drawing cards from the deck or by taking cards back from your unfinished arrangements.

When the end-of-game card is drawn, the current round is completed so that all players have taken the same number of turns, followed by one final round. Players then add up the values of their completed arrangements. The player with the most points wins; ties are broken in favor of the player who collected the most scoring markers.

—description from the publisher

In Jolly Christmas, the Christmas tree is decorated from top to bottom. It is filled with complete strings of lights, cleverly placed ornaments, and finished with the finest tree topper. Make sure to pay attention to what your opponents need so you can snatch ornaments away from them. Whoever has the most beautifully decorated tree at the end wins the game!

Each player builds their own Christmas tree by collecting decorations. In each round, players take turns placing their elf on one of the decoration cards to claim it. The claimed card is then added to the player’s personal Christmas tree. The way in which the elves claim the cards determines the turn order for the next round. By placing ornaments strategically in the tree, players earn points. You must also pay attention to the lights in the tree: if you manage to complete full light strands between the cards, you earn additional points.

After fourteen rounds, it’s time to place the tree topper. Everyone has now created a beautiful tree with fourteen cards. The topper is placed above the two topmost cards, completing the tree. Then all points from the ornaments in the tree are counted, together with the points from completed strings of lights and the topper placed at the top. The player with the highest score has created the most beautiful Christmas tree and wins the game!

—description from the publisher

Ra: The Dice Game takes all the major thematic elements of "Ra" and uses them very creatively in a dice game. Pharaohs, The Nile, Civilizations, and Monuments as well as the occasional catastrophe are all here.

Instead of the auction mechanism of Ra, each player rolls 5 dice and can reroll any of them up to two times. The five dice have identical sides, but different colors - the die color matters in some occasions (eg. a player can't claim purple civilization square with a green die). Then, according to the roll, the player claims some squares on the central board (civilizations, monuments, Niles etc.) or moves the Ra figure, which determines the remaining time in Epoch. One die side is a joker and can be used as any other side, as long as one of the other dice actually shows the mentioned other side. Players need to consider how to utilize their roll for the best personal gain.

Players still try to score by collecting Pharaohs, Niles and floods, monuments and civilizations. Scoring takes place in three Epochs and is nearly identical as in the original Ra, but this time the score is kept on a score track on the edge of the board.

True to the original game, players must watch out for disasters and each of the three rounds ends when "Ra" shows up a set number of times, so players need to watch Ra and decide when the round may end and when they have more time. After three rounds, the player with the most points is the winner!

It's summertime in Maple Valley, and the river market is open for business! The narrow streets and waterways are bustling with vendors hawking their wares and with customers in search of a good bargain. The market is growing, with new businesses opening all the time. Pick your path carefully, hire the right help, and set up a shop (or two) of your own in this quick, lively game for the whole family!

River Market is the new standalone game set in the cozy world of Creature Comforts. As forest critters, players take turns moving around the river market, activating the buildings they visit, hiring helpful new employees, and adding their own new businesses. Gameplay is quick, and before you know it, the market will be closed for another day. Will you make the biggest contribution to growing the river market? You'll have to play to find out!

—description from the publisher

Similo is a co-operative deduction game, and each version of the game — e.g., Fables, History, Myths — comes with a deck of thirty cards, beautifully illustrated by Naïade, showing the portrait and the name of a series of characters with a common theme.

Your goal is to make the other players guess one secret character (out of the twelve characters on display in the middle of the table) by playing other character cards from your hand as clues, stating whether they are similar to or different from the secret character. After each turn, the other players must remove one or more characters from the table until only the right one remains and you win — or it is removed and you lose!

You can play with one of the Similo sets on its own, using the cards from, say, Fables both for the characters being laid out and for the clues being given to the guessers, or you can use the cards from one set for the twelve characters on display and the cards from another set as the clues. The game is far trickier this way!

This expansion add 8 new Royal cards and a daring new twist: the Counterfeiters — 4 paste gem tokens and 17 cards that bring deeper asymmetry and reshape all strategies.

This tiny expansion fits seamlessly into the base game box — because once you've played it, there's no going back.
Are you ready to play by your own rules?

TFTC – an adventurous card game for geocachers!

Are you ready to dive into the exciting world of geocaching? TFTC is a fast-paced and tactical card game where players create geocaches, competing with each other to collect the most points. However, geocachers’ preferences can change quickly, so you have to be attentive to catch the right moment exactly – but if you don’t succeed, you can always slow down your fellow competitors a little.

—description from the publisher

Reserve your game and pick it up at Essen Spiel 2026: https://forms.gle/VxY1BbRb8iVWFT8H6

Will you become a legend?

Torii Valley is renowned for the delicacy and harmony of its landscapes. Each year, artists from all over the world gather there to paint it, yet none have managed to capture all of its poetry. Your goal: to create the most beautiful painting ever made of Torii Valley.

Take on the role of Artists and choose an available tile around the two wheels, but be careful what you leave for your opponents! Place it on your Paint Board. Fulfill the requirements of each landscape to score points.

• A tile placement game with interaction.
• Special effects to turn the tide of the game
• Multiple strategies for scoring points
• Modular game boards
• A single-player mode to learn the rules and challenge yourself

—description from the publisher

If we are able to maintain the health and diversity of our garden, then it will fill up with life and become a refuge for fascinating creatures. Hummingbirds and bees are the first to arrive, filling the air with color and movement, but if we stop and observe with more attention, we will discover a hidden and unknown world: tiny inhabitants abound in the mushrooms, puddles, and foliage. They are under our feet, living out their lives without being perceived...until we decide to look under the leaves.

Each turn in Under the Leaves is played in two phases: the placement of a garden tile, then the possible arrival of new beings. Whoever gets the most pieces in total wins.

—description from the publisher

The Bordeaux alternative board expansion to Viticulture offers players a starting boost, 4 full worker placement seasons, a wake-up chart full of benefits, a major new “expert” action that permanently upgrades an action for you, revisions to existing actions, a trade market, face-up vine and wine order cards to choose from when drawing, and end-game conversion of grapes, wine, and coins to victory points.

--Compatibility: This expansion is compatible with most modules in other expansions (Tuscany structures and special workers, Moor Visitors, and Rhine Valley).

--Box Fit: The new board easily fits into the Viticulture box (or the Wine Crate), especially since the back side is the original Viticulture board, allowing it to permanently replace the space that board currently occupies in the box.

--Not Standalone: The Viticulture core game is required to play the Bordeaux expansion.

The sun rises over the tulip fields in the valley, where tall windmills stand against the horizon and ships wait to carry your blooms across the sea. In Windmill Valley Duel, two rival horticulturists compete for prestige, wealth, and victory by cultivating the finest tulips, investing in powerful enhancements, and claiming the most strategic ports in this vibrant and picturesque land. In this valley, you are not alone. Your windmill’s gears interlock with your opponent’s, forcing every decision you make to send ripples through the land while setting your rival’s plans in motion. Will you offer them an advantage to gain the edge you need, or will you wait for the perfect move?
Plant your tulips with care. Build your windmills with purpose. Navigate the seas for trade. In a world where beauty and timing reign supreme, only the best horticulturist blooms victorious!

—description from the publisher

If we are able to maintain the health and diversity of our garden, then it will fill up with life and become a refuge for fascinating creatures. Hummingbirds and bees are the first to arrive, filling the air with color and movement, but if we stop and observe with more attention, we will discover a hidden and unknown world: tiny inhabitants abound in the mushrooms, puddles, and foliage. They are under our feet, living out their lives without being perceived...until we decide to look under the leaves.

Each turn in Under the Leaves is played in two phases: the placement of a garden tile, then the possible arrival of new beings. Whoever gets the most pieces in total wins.

—description from the publisher