Despite the popularity of digital games, traditional board and card games remain very popular in Germany. The selection of themes and game designs ranges from classics to modern game highlights. They all have one thing in common: they promote fun through lively communication. To win, players must either cooperate or compete against each other. Here, we present a small selection of well-known and new board games that encourage social interaction while learning about German culture and language in a playful way.

Originally published in 1934, this board game was Ravensburger's response to the success of their first publication. The game ‘Weltreise’, which had been launched exactly 50 years earlier, became one of the most popular board games ever. Inspired by Jules Verne's novel ‘Around the World in 80 Days’, the goal is to reach various destinations as quickly as possible. The destinations are assigned to the players by randomly distributing cards.

The traditional family game ‘Deutschlandreise’ is suitable for two to six players aged eight and over. A combination of tactical planning and luck with the dice determines the winner. There are information cards for each city. Reading them will teach you many interesting facts about the destinations, and therefore lots about Germany. The game encourages players to communicate with each other and share their travel experiences. After all, talking about ‘vacation’ is one of the most popular topics of conversation among Germans.

In 1983, Ravensburger won the prize for the best board game with the release of ‘Scotland Yard’ - and it is still considered the most successful cooperative game of all time. The game's appeal lies in the cooperation of all players, who act as detectives tasked with catching the mysterious Mister X. He is the sole opponent and is hiding somewhere in London while on the run.

The game ends when Mister X has driven through London once by the end of the last round without being caught. The only clues he leaves behind are used tickets. Mister X writes down his moves face down and only informs the other players of the means of transport used. However, he must show the detectives his current position at fixed intervals, giving them the chance to re-coordinate the search. The game encourages a lot of interaction between the detectives, who must work together to win by pursuing Mister X together. The team wins if one of the detectives is at the same traffic station as Mister X, or if he is surrounded and cannot make another move.

The game ‘Die Siedler von Catan’ ('The settlers of Catan'), distributed by KOSMOS, was released in 1995. As the name suggests, players aim to build on a fictitious island. Players receive victory points for settlements and cities built, as well as for the longest trade route and the largest military force. The player with the most points at the end of the game wins.

Success depends on trading resources, employing a variety of tactics and making use of the variable game board. The basic board consists of 19 land tiles, with which you which you use to build the island at the start of the game. Throughout the game, players receive resources (clay, wood, wool, grain and ore) by rolling dice. If you have a settlement on a space with the total shown on the dice, you receive a resource card. You receive two resource cards for an adjacent town. However, watch out for the robber who is after your earnings! ‘The Settlers of Catan’ is a strategy game that encourages social interaction through mutual action and teaches German building vocabulary in a playful way. The original version is designed for three to four players aged ten and over. The expansion allows 5 to 6 people to play.

The cooperative game ‘Die Legenden von Andor’ ('The legends of Andor') is a real adventure, and not just for fans of The Lord of the Rings. Players take on the roles of fantastic heroes (an archer, a warrior, a dwarf and a sorceress) who must protect the king from a hostile takeover. His castle is under threat from trolls, dragons and other forest creatures. The aim is to stand up to them together. However, the objective changes depending on the chosen legend. The basic version has recently been expanded by adding more modules and including five legends (i.e. game scenarios).

The game is educational because teams either win or lose together. The rules are simple, similar to those for ‘Mensch ärgere Dich nicht!’ (known as ‘Ludo’ in England and ‘Frustration’ in the USA). 'The Legends of Andor' gets players talking, promotes team spirit, and provides an enjoyable way to pass the time. In 2013, it was named 'Connoisseur Game' of the Year. Games that have won this award are aimed at experienced board game players looking for a new, more challenging game.

The presented games help you to discover the German language in a fun way. At the same time, they provide an interactive experience that fosters connection and brings joy.

As well as board games, listening to German music is a great way to strike up conversations with others and improve your language skills. You can find out more about this topic in our blog post “Learning German through music”.