After the recent birth of Gioco dell’Anno, Lucca Comics & Games award for the best gateway/family game that substituted Best of Show and the passing of Ludoteca Ideale, we miss a real award for gamers in Italy. We have one of the most active gamers community in the world, with many associations and one of the greatest gamers event in Europe (PLAY: The Games Festival), with hundreds of tables devoted to board-games, so what we really nedd was a ture award. Here the official presentation from La Tana dei Goblin’s board:

The Award “Goblin Magnifico” is born with the aim to select a shortlist of boardgames for gamers, chosen by true gamers. We are talking about heavy games…
This award is sponsored by La Tana dei Goblin (the Goblins’ Lair): the most important Italian boardgame community – and widely spread – in the country, thanks to dozens of affiliated associations throughout our national territory, which are devoted to the diffusion of gaming culture.

How beautiful would it be to have a yearly list of “Magnifici”… games that would have particularly stood out amongst the multitude of boardgames published during the year!

Something thought specifically for the boardgaming community. Of course, there would be a winner, the “Magnifico” (chosen by a selected panel of judges), and another prize called “Scelto dai Goblin” (chosen by Goblins), selected by popular vote by La Tana dei Goblin online
community registered users.

This is the Goblin Magnifico mission!

To this end, a panel of judges has selected and tested games, and more games for months.
However, even the popular vote is most relevant.
Will the users choose the same game chosen by the judges? What if the “Scelto dai Goblin” turns out to be the “Magnifico”?
In the end, what really matters is to keep on talking about games, trying games and sharing gaming experiences. And last but not least, playing and letting people play.
The goal of Goblin Magnifico Award is not only to establish a list of nominees, but mainly to give the people the opportunity to play these nominees as well. What’s the purpose of a game if it’s not played?
So, starting with Modena “PLAY: The Games Festival”, the most important Italian boardgame fair, there will be a big demo area dedicated to the nominated games. Actually there was 20 tables, 2 for each games and 3 for some of the game.
Afterwards, the Goblin Magnifico Award will keep on touring: there will be an area at the Carrara Show, and then at the many game conventions of the year!

The winner was

Wir Sind das Volk! from Richard Sivél, Peer Sylvester (Histogame, 2014)

And we are proud to have a such good game as first Magnifico!

A special mention also to

Arkwright from Stefan Risthaus (Spielworxx, 2014)

Alchimisti/Alchemists from Matúš Kotry (Cranio Creations, Czech Games Edition, 2014) won the “Scelto by Goblins” award

The other nominated games were:

Castles of Mad King Ludwig from Ted Alspach (Bezier Games, 2014)
Kanban: Automotive Revolution from Vital Lacerda (Giochix.it, Stronghold Games, 2014)
Panamax from Gil d’Orey, Nuno Bizarro Sentieiro, Paulo Soledade (HC Distribuzione, MESAboardgames, 2014)
Patchistory from Yeon-Min Jung, Jun-Hyup Kim (dV Giochi, StuntKite Publishing, Deinko Games, 2014/2013
The Golden Ages from Luigi Ferrini (Ergo Ludo Editions, Ghenos Games, Quined Games, 2014)