Nominations for the 2011 Spiel des Jahres awards were announced yesterday, and they look a lot different than they have in past years.  The most important change is the inclusion of the Kennerspiel des Jahres, "expert" or "enthusiast" game of the year, which will be an ongoing prize given to games that are more complex and are aimed at people already in the gaming hobby, while the regular SdJ is clearly aimed at families and relative non-gamers.

The biggest surprise in the nominations is that only three games were nominated for each prize, rather than the normal 5 game list.  It does make sense, though, especially considering that the same jury is making the decisions about both the SdJ and the KdJ.  But anyway, here are the nominations!
 
Spiel des Jahres Nominees:
• Asara, by Wolfgang Kramer and Michael Kiesling (Ravensburger)
• Forbidden Island, by Matt Leacock (Gamewright, Schmidt Spiele)
• Qwirkle, by Susan McKinley Ross (Mindware, Schmidt Spiele)

I find it interesting that 2 of the 3 games on this list are actually imports from the US into Germany over the last year.  Qwirkle has been around in the States since 2006 and is already available in some mass-market venues (like Target and Barnes & Noble).  It's a pretty good game, especially for non-gamers, but I don't know that it's strong enough to win.

For some reason, the "experts" aren't giving Forbidden Island much of a chance to win the award, but it would definitely be my choice.  Plus, I don't think that a cooperative game has even been the SdJ, so I think it would be a cool thing to introduce more typical families to.  And while I didn't necessarily plan it this way, I just wrote a rather timely review of Forbidden Island, so you can check that out if you want to know more about it.

I haven't had the chance to see Asara in person, but I've heard things ranging from the mediocre to "the best thing Kramer & Kiesling have ever done" about it, so I'd like to give it a try to see for myself.  Again, the "experts" (mostly by which I mean the writers over at Opinionated Gamers) think this will win, but I really don't have a clue.  

Kennerspiel des Jahres Nominees:
• 7 Wonders, by Antoine Bauza (Repos Production)
• Lancaster, by Matthias Cramer (Queen Games)
• Strasbourg, by Stefan Feld (Pegasus Spiele)
 
The Kennerspiel des Jahres sort of grew out of some individual prizes that they've given in past years for "advanced" games or (last year) for the "Spiel des Jahres Plus".  I think it's a really great move, mostly to help silence those of us in the hobby who can't get the idea that the "Game of the Year" award is actually a Game of the Year for families through our thick skulls. 

Buy anyway, 7 Wonders is the only nominee that I've played, and I really don't even know anything at all about the others.  Everyone in the boardgaming world is assuming that 7 Wonders will win, though, so any other result will be quite a surprising upset.

Recommended List:
• Blockers!
• Freeze
• Die Burgen von Burgund
• Geistesblitz
• Luna
• Mondo
• Safranito
• Skull & Roses
• Sun, Sea & Sand
• Uluru

Another slightly interesting event was that there was only one recommendation list shared between the two awards.  But you really need to go and check it out on the Spiel des Jahres website, though, because it breaks the list down by complexity and length, which does a lot to show the jury's ideas about where the line may be between regular SdJ and the new KdJ.

As far as the games on the list go, though, the only one I really know much about is Die Bergen von Burgund (The Castles of Burgundy), which is the newest Stefan Feld design for Alea and is at the top of my wishlist.

So, any thoughts about the SdJ?  What do you think about the new award, the nominations, and the recommended list?  Who do you think will win (and why)?