Caves and tables, listen up! The jury of the Nederlands Spellenprijs 2025 has finished their scheming, and the nominees are out. They’ve picked nine games that scraped through the dungeon of submissions—only the sharpest, loudest, or prettiest survive. On 11 October at Spellenwereld Assen, one winner per category gets the shiny crown. Let me tell you who’s bleeding for recognition.
Categories and Nominees
They divided them into Familie, Kenners, Experts — three games each to fight for glory.
Familie (Family – games you can play without needing elf-PhD):
- Bomb Busters (999 Games)
- Faraway (White Goblin Games)
- Pixies (Gamin’BIZ)
Kenners (Connoisseurs – tougher puzzles & deeper choices):
- Botanicus (999 Games)
- Komeet (HOT Games)
- Pirates of Maracaibo (Geronimo Games)
Experts (For the goblin brain that likes long hunts & deep complexity):
- Men-Nefer (Keep Exploring Games)
- SETI: Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (DSV Games)
- Windmill Valley (Board & Dice)
What This Means
- This 25th year of the prize (yes, they’ve dragged this jug around for a quarter-century) shows serious respect for variety: light family fun, thoughtful mid-weight, and beastly expert games.
- Bomb Busters looks like a secure pick for Familie—quick, tense, possibly panic-inducing. Goblins like panic.
- Botanicus and Windmill Valley are catching my eye—flora and Dutch themes, but with enough complexity to make me grunt.
- SETI and Men-Nefer might war with the expert goblins. These are the games you bring out when you’ve already smashed your nose on simpler stuff.
When the Shiny Crowns Will Drop
Mark the date: Saturday 11 October 2025, Spellenwereld Assen. That’s when the winners will be revealed—when the jury decides which of the nine gets the glory in each category. If you’re nearby, come watch. If not, listen for the triumphant—or defeated—roars.
Final Grumble
Nominees are strong this year. If your game is on this list: bravo, you dodged the dragons. If not: stew in your prototypes, tweak your rules, and try again next year. The Nederlandse Spellenprijs demands polish, heart, and cleverness. And maybe, just maybe, a sprinkle of chaos.