The American Tabletop Awards celebrate board games Boop, Turing Machine

American Tabletop Awards is back Tuesday, celebrating the best board games for five consecutive years. The United States’ alternative to Germany’s Spiel des Jahres, the event sorts entries into several novel categories to be judged by an independent panel of industry experts. These 20 titles combine to showcase some of the most outstanding art and design. The winners are extraordinary examples of their type and would make excellent additions to anyone’s collection.

This year’s categories are the same as last years, and include titles best for Early Gamers, an assortment of Casual Games, more traditional Strategy Games, as well as Complex Games for experienced players.

We’ve indicated what the recommended winning and runner-up titles are for each category below. Most are available for sale online — or at your friendly local game store.

Boop

Photo: Charlie Hall/Polygon

BoopThe grand prize winner of the Early Gamers category was narrowly defeated by Kites Mantis. Designed by Scott Brady with illustrations by Curt Covert, it charmed us mightily even as a prototype at last year’s Gen Con. The final product was published by Smirk and Dagger. You will be able to coax cats and kittens onto a very small plush bedspread. The rounds last between 20 and 30 seconds, so it’s a good warm-up game before a long evening at the tables with your friends.

Boop

These prices were correct at the time of publication.

• 2 players, age 10+

• Playtime: 20-30 minutes

• Similar games: Shōbu

Turing Machine

Turing MachinePictured above, this year’s winner in Casual Games. London: Next station Cat in the Box. Designed by Fabien Gridel and Yoann Levet, with art by Sébastien Bizos, the game is literally an analog computer made out of cardboard — not unlike the original computational engine invented in 1936 by mathematician turned cryptanalyst Alan Turing.

A competitive deduction game is about the computer. Players query a protocomputer for clues. A handy online app makes it easy to solve more than seven millions of problems.

Turing Machine

These prices were correct at the time of publication.

• 1-4 players, age 14+

• Playtime: 20 minutes

• Similar games: Crypto

Planet Unknown

Ryan Lambert and Adam Rehberg’s Planet UnknownThe surprise winner in Strategy Games is A rotating board game with Yoma’s art. Planet Unknown This spacefaring board game is all about the exploration of other planets. Each player develops their own exoplanet and dodges stellar phenomena while they construct their engine for future colonists. The highly-regarded Return to Dark TowerAnd Guild of Merchant Explorers.

Planet UnknownYou are currently out-of-stock, but you may sign up using a Google form to be notified when new copies become available.

Carnegie

Xavier Georges’ Carnegie, featuring art by Ian O’Toole, takes home the coveted Complex Games grand prize this year. The historical economic simulation asks players to “recruit and manage employees, expand your business, invest in real estate, produce and sell goods, and create transport chains across the United States.” It also sprinkles in some historical figures that the corrupt monopolist-turned-philanthropist Andrew Carnegie would have likely encountered on his way to becoming the richest man in the Gilded Age. Players are also able to spend their wealth to curry favor — just like the notorious robber barons of old.

These are the runners-up for this highly contested category FrosthavenAnd My Father’s Work.

Carnegie

These prices were correct at the time of publication.

• 1-4 players, age 12+

• Playtime: 90-120 minutes

• Similar games: Birmingham Brass