2001 – 2010: Ten Years of “German Children’s Game of the Year” Award

The German “Children’s Game of the Year” Award is a story of success and continues to acknowledge outstanding games in the year of its tenth anniversary. Also in 2010 the industry provides excellent games for nomination and recommendation. Once more designers and publishers perfectly meet the jury’s criteria for high quality games: Well-structured books of rules, child-appealing design, innovative materials and stimulative concepts. But most important: Aspirants are one-of-a-kind and encourage children to play the games time and time again.

A jury of three members and three advisors decided on this year’s “Children’s Game of the Year”. Each year, nominees and winners are chosen from all children’s games released within the past and current calendar year. For their decision the jury considers the following criteria: concept (originality, playability, and play value), rules (structure, arrangement, and comprehensibility), design (functionality and production) and layout (packaging, board, and book of rules). End of May 2010 five games were nominated in a first phase of pre-selection. Now, on 2 August in Hamburg, the jury revealed the award winner 2010: The coveted German reviewers’ award goes to “Dragon Diego Dart” by Manfred Ludwig and HABA-Spiel. This year HABA wins their third Children’s Game of the Year Award and becomes thus the most successful games publisher in the history of the German Children’s Games Award.

Dragon Diego Dart designed by Manfred Ludwig Publisher: HABA 2 - 4 players Ages 5 and up App. 15 minutes App. Euros 20

About the game: Who is the most skilled fire-breather and who wins the fiery dragon competition?
Snarl! Dragon Diego Dart missed the target once more! Even worse, he set fire to Uncle Drooge’s hat – right at the Grand Firedrakes Competition! But which target did he aim at? While the other dragons still wonder about this question, Diego fires again. Will the ball now roll onto the right track? Whatever – as long as Diego is able to make his fellow competitors believe he fully intended to fire the ball wherever it landed! And Diego’s rivals are by no means better marksmen and also miss the target more than once. Dragon Diego Dart is a game of skills and bluff, so it’s not necessarily the best marksman who wins the game, but the best shuffler and cheater.

The jury statement: The perfect mixture provides perfect game play
The game invites players to join the Grand Firedrakes Competition. No need to worry – no child room will go up in flames as the fireballs are made of glass. However, junior dragons should be able to train and master their marksmanship and subtlety as humbuggery is part of the rules. A perfect mixture of skills, bluff and judgement – combined with wonderful design and high play value.

The designer
Manfred Ludwig was born in 1936 in Munich, Germany. He loves playing games and has always invented new games for his children. As a result, the now professional games designer won his first “Children’s Game of the Year” Award in 2003 for „Viva Topo!“. Today, his five grand children help with the development process and test his prototypes.

The artist
Peter Braun was born 1970 in Munich. He studied illustration and design in Hamburg where he still lives and works today. He is specialized in illustrating children‘s non-fiction.

The publisher
HABA call themselves “Inventors for Children”. In addition to children’s and family games the Habermaaß Company from Bad Rodach also provides infant toys and children’s furniture. In 2001 the company won their first Children’s Games Award for „Klondike“ and again in 2006 for “The Black Pirate”.