he Cardboard Edison Award has officially announced its 2024 finalists, spotlighting a diverse array of unpublished board game designs. With 339 entries received this year, marking a significant increase from the previous year, the competition underscores the growing interest and innovation in the board game community globally.
This year’s finalists, selected from submissions hailing from 34 countries, showcase a rich variety of themes and mechanics. Among them are games like “Caminito” by Pedro Ometto, offering a Sudoku-inspired challenge with a colorful twist, and “Cart’nage” by Loïc Lamy, a dynamic game of construction and destruction using dominos. “Chroma” by David Walsh introduces a novel approach to trick-taking, combining both card value and suit in a unique way.
The list also includes “Comic Book Boom!” by Dan Nichols, a strategic game set in the ’90s comic book publishing scene, and “Crime Scene Party” by Leo Taylor, which turns a living room into a fast-paced crime scene investigation. Other notable finalists are “Crowded Frontier” by Myles Wallace, a game of strategic land acquisition and resource management, and “Enemar” by James Mapes, where players navigate the underground world of naked mole rats.
“Kells” by Anne Meyer invites players into the art of medieval Celtic manuscript illumination, while “Lily Hop” by Matthew Hocker offers a strategic game of frog navigation. “Single-Sort” by Corey Andalora & Donnie Coleman brings attention to recycling through gameplay, and “Snowy Peaks” by Yuri Morroni & Gabriel Toschi challenges players to cooperative mountain climbing.
Also making the list are “Soothsayers” by Jeff Grisenthwaite, an engine-building game based on the Tarot, “Starlite Diner” by Jay Bucciarelli & Liberty Kifer, where players race as robot chefs, and “Tokamak” by Alexander Simon Thrysøe, a game focused on fusion energy research.
These finalists will now proceed to the next round, where they will be evaluated by a panel of board game industry professionals. The judging criteria will focus on aspects such as engagement, originality, replayability, and the smoothness of gameplay.
The Cardboard Edison Award, run by the game design duo Chris & Suzanne Zinsli, continues to play a pivotal role in bringing forward new and exciting board game designs that might otherwise remain unseen. Past winners of the award have gone on to be successfully published, highlighting the contest’s significance in the board game development community. For further details on the finalists and the award, interested parties are encouraged to visit the official Cardboard Edison website.