Dito! is Spiel des Jahres 2026

Dito! is the game, Die Insel der Mookies is the Kinderspiel des Jahres and Rebirth is the Kennerspiel des Jahres 2026. Reiner Knizia, the author of Rebirth, has achieved a historic triple with this.

Reiner Knizia is the first author ever to receive the three most important titles in the board game industry: the Spiel des Jahres, the Kennerspiel des Jahres and the Kinderspiel des Jahres. In 2008, Knizia managed a double. Back then, he won with Keltis the Spiel des Jahres, and with Wer war’s? the Kinderspiel des Jahres. Almost twenty years later, he won the Kennerspiel des Jahres with Rebirth. “That it has now become a triple makes me personally very happy and means a lot to me” said Knizia at the award ceremony.

Die Insel der Mookies is Kinderspiel des Jahres 2206

In the card game Die Insel der Mookies by Florian Sirieix (Kosmos/Scorpion Masqué), children try to collect as many family trophies as possible. “Two card piles – two game ends. Turn by turn, two decisions: the left or the right card? The front or the back? On each card, children find wonderfully illustrated Mookies from one of five families. Do they choose the plant Mookie, the fossil Mookie or the sun Mookie? The chosen card goes on their own pile – with the chosen Mookie facing up. This goes back and forth until one of the piles is empty. Whoever has collected the most creatures from a family then receives their trophy,” writes the jury.

With few rules, Die Insel der Mookies creates an exciting duel at the gaming table that children can’t get enough of. The task is elegantly reduced to the essentials and grows tactically with the children. Thanks to the loving design, a small box turns into not just an island but a small world in just a few minutes.

Jurybegründung

For the Kinderspiel des Jahres 2026, alongside Die Insel der Mookies, Buh Party by Florian Sirieix and Benoit Turpin (Loki) and Verflixt Verzaubert by Thomas Dagenais-Lespérance (Game Factory) were also nominated.

Dito! is the Spiel des Jahres 2026

In Dito! by Marting Ang (Game Factory, Carletto), players try to write down the same terms as other players for given categories. “In each round, one of two categories on the task card is chosen – from ‘countries with good food’ to ‘things people would sell their soul for’. Although you play against each other, you can only win if you can really get into the associative worlds of the others,” writes the jury.

At first glance, Dito! is a competition for the most points. But at its core, it brings us together as a group, because only by correctly guessing commonalities can we ourselves be successful. Along the way, we get to know our fellow players better. Knowledge isn’t what’s needed here, but rather an understanding of others’ perspectives – and a tactical instinct for the best placement of the terms.

Jurybegründung

Nominated for the Spiel des Jahres 2026 alongside Dito! were Cozy Sticker Ville by Corey Konieczka (Unexpected Games/Asmodee) and Morty Sorty Magic Shop by Markus Slawitscheck (Schmidt Spiele).

Rebirth is Kennerspiel des Jahres 2026

Rebirth by Reiner Kinzia (Frosted Games/Mighty Boards) is a tile-laying game. “Place a tile, collect points, achieve goals: the basic game principle of Rebirth is quickly learned – after that, it becomes challenging: with three types of tiles – power plants, farms – we cover a map of either Ireland or Scotland. In doing so, we want to access castles and ports, build cathedrals, expand settlements and complete contracts. Every tile scores points, sometimes more, sometimes less,” writes the jury.

The simple basic principle of “Rebirth” opens up a wealth of tactical possibilities. The rulebook is elegant and forces you to focus on the essentials. The direct competition on the shared board leads to a lively and interactive experience where constructive planning takes centre stage.

Jurybegründung

Nominated for the Kennerspiel des Jahres 2026 alongside Rebirth were Boss Fighter QR by Michael Palm and Lukas Zach (Pegasus Spiele) and Moon Colony Bloodbath by Donald X. Vaccarino (Alea/Ravensburger).