For seven years now, the Spillfabrik association from Lintgen, in collaboration with Horesca, has been awarding the annual “Bistrospill” prize. Last Wednesday, the invited jury members met at the Brasserie Kirchberg to select this year’s winner from among the five nominations.
The Bistrospill is an award for board games specifically designed to be played in pubs or cafés. This prize is awarded annually by the Luxembourg organization Spillfabrik, in partnership with Horesca. It recognizes games that are quick to learn and suitable for sociable evenings in public venues. The unique aspect of these games is their accessibility and emphasis on simple rules with high replay value.
The prize is subsequently awarded to the publishers of the winning game on the first weekend of October at the Essen Game Fair.
And the winner is…
…Quando! A simple card game from Kendi Games, a small studio from Middle Franconia, founded in 2023 and specializing in small, uncomplicated party games.
The rules are simple: Each player starts with 7 cards, with numbers ranging from 0 to 10. Players take turns laying down a card, multiple cards of the same value, or a run of three consecutive numbers, then draw a new card. The goal: to have the lowest sum in hand at the end. The twist: the cards are double-sided. When a player lays down three of a kind, they force all other players to flip their 0 cards and continue playing with the reverse side!
Despite its simplicity, the twist with the double-sided cards brings an unexpected depth to the game and greatly increases its replay value. In my opinion, Quando is a worthy title holder of the Bistrospill 2024, as it’s neither too simple nor too complex — ideal for social rounds with friends or strangers in a bistro over a beer or a rhubarb spritzer. And that round after round!
The Other Nominations
Alongside Quando, there were four other games up for selection, each bringing its own brand of fun and deserving mention:
Schnitzeljagd (Scavenger Hunt) by Edition Spielwiese unfortunately scored the lowest with the jury, despite its charm. The card game uses a system similar to “Rock, Paper, Scissors,” which works well and is fun. However, it suffers from a lack of complexity, which diminishes the replay value for more experienced players. For beginners or players looking for a quick, uncomplicated game without having to wrestle with complex rules, it’s ideal.
Blockits strongly resembles Tetris with its shapes: Players roll dice, choose a shape, and draw it on alternating sheets. The goal is to fill as many rows as possible, with gaps costing points. The unique aspect: After each round, the sheet is passed on, demanding strategic thinking. Blockits combines strategic thinking with the luck of the dice. However, it requires concentration, which makes it less suitable for social bistro rounds. For relaxed gaming at home on a rainy Sunday afternoon, it’s ideal, either with friends or children.
Klick! is a rather abstract game that’s likely to provoke plenty of laughter and conversation in the right group. Players try to match their hand cards to a starting photo based on associations such as colors or stories. A random picture is added, and the active person sorts all cards according to how well they match the original image. Points are awarded for cards that land before the random picture, with bonus points for particularly fitting photos. A solid third place.
Mind Up! is a tactical card game where players offer and collect cards to score as many points as possible. Players make hidden bids, with the lowest bids receiving the lowest cards from the display. These cards are collected on scoring cards, with colors playing a role. Points are calculated by multiplying the number of cards by their respective value. After three rounds, the player with the most points wins. The game mechanics are very dynamic, and the constantly changing starting conditions give it high replay value. A well-deserved second place.
