Origins Award / board games
This list contains the winners of the Origins Award for board games .
At the first Origins International Game Expo in 1975, the first Origins Awards for 1974 were presented. The winners were two conflict simulations and two game magazines. Other prizes were added later. Until 1986, board game awards matched the Charles S. Roberts Awards ; thereafter the prizes were awarded independently. Initially only conflict simulations were offered, but later there were also prizes for fantasy and science fiction games. Other board games were added later.
Games with a historical background
For 1974 and 1975 there were awards for the best professional game and the best amateur game. 1976 and 1977 awards for the best strategic game and the best tactical game. From 1978 there was then a prize for the best game, which had the period up to 1900 as a theme. In 1987 and 1988 there were then two prizes for the period from 1900 to 1946 and the period from 1947 to today. These two prices were combined again in 1989 to form the price for the modern age. The two remaining prizes (period up to 1900, modern age) were then combined in 1997 to form the “best historical board game”, while a prize for general board games was awarded at the same time.
The first prizes
| year | price | game | Authors | publishing company |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | Best professional game | Third Reich | John Prados | Avalon Hill |
| 1974 | Best amateur game | Mannasas | Tom Eller | Historical simulations |
| 1975 | Best professional game | Kingmaker | Andrew McNeil | Philmar / Avalon Hill |
| 1975 | Best amateur game | La Bataille de la Moscowa | Lawrence Groves | Martial Enterprises |
| 1976 | Best strategy game | The Russian Campaign | John Edwards | Avalon Hill |
| 1976 | Best tactical game | Terrible Swift Sword | Richard Berg | SPI |
| 1977 | Best strategy game | Victory in the Pacific | Richard Hamblen | Avalon Hill |
| 1977 | Best tactical game | Squad Leader | John Hill | Avalon Hill |
| 1978 | Best amateur game | Source of the Nile | David Wesely , Ross Maker | Discovery Games |
| 1979 | Best New Release ( Initial Release ) | Ironclads | John Fuseler | Yaquinto |
| 1980 | Best new release | Streets of Stalingrad | Dana Lombardy | Phoenix Games |
| 1981 | Best new release | Iron bottom sound | Jack Greene | Quarterdeck Games |
Best game for the period before 1900
Best game for the period from 1900 (modern)
Best historical board game
Science fiction and fantasy games
From 1977 onwards, science fiction and fantasy board games were also awarded prizes in addition to conflict simulations. From 1981 to 1984 there were two separate awards; the rest of the time until 2001 there was a prize. In 1993 the card game Magic: the Gathering was awarded as the best fantasy board game . Probably because of this, a card game prize was introduced the following year . When The Settlers of Catan was awarded in 1996 , which is a board game but has little to do with science fiction or fantasy , a general board game award was introduced in 1997.
Best science fiction or fantasy board game
Board games in general
At the Origins Awards, there were general board game awards only from 1997.
| year | game | Authors / graphic artists | publishing company |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Kill Doctor Lucky | James Ernest | Cheapass Games |
| 1998 | What Were You Thinking? | Richard Garfield | Wizards of the Coast |
| 1999 | Button Men | James Ernest | Cheapass Games |
| 2000 | Icehouse: The Martian Chess Set | Andrew Looney , John Cooper | Looney Labs |
| 2001 | Cosmic Coasters | Andrew Looney | Looney Labs |
| 2002 | Kingdoms | Pure Knizia | Fantasy Flight Games |
| 2003 | Zendo | Kory Heath | Looney Labs |
| 2003 | A Game of Thrones | Christian T. Petersen | Fantasy Flight Games |
| 2004 | Ticket to Ride | Alan R. Moon | Days of Wonder |
| 2005 | Parthenon: Rise of the Aegean | Andrew Parks , Jason Hawkins | Siren Bridge Publishing , Z-Man Games |
| 2006 | Treehouse | Andrew Looney | Looney Labs |
| 2007 | StarCraft: The Board Game | Corey Konieczka , Christian T. Petersen | Fantasy Flight Games |
| 2008 | Pandemic (Pandemic) | Matt Leacock | Z-Man Games |
| 2009 | Space Hulk | Games workshop | |
| 2010 | Castle Ravenloft | Wizards of the Coast | |
| 2011 | Conquest of Nerath | Richard Baker , Mons Johnson , Peter Lee | Wizards of the Coast |
Best board game expansion
Only in 2002–2003 was there a prize for the best board game expansion.
| year | game | Authors / graphic artists | publishing company |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Marvel HeroClix: Clobberin 'Time | Jon Leitheusser | WizKids |
| 2003 | Zombies !!! 3: Mall Walkers | Todd Breitenstein | Twilight Creations |
Best kids, family or party game
Since 2008, the best children's, family or party game has also been awarded annually.
| year | game | Authors / graphic artists | publishing company |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Say anything | North Star Games | |
| 2009 | Are You The Traitor? | Andrew Looney | Looney Labs |
| 2010 | Zombie Dice | Steve Jackson Games | |
| 2011 | Get bit! | Dave Chalker | Mayday Games |
Best graphics
The best graphic in a board game was awarded a prize as early as 1976 and 1978; From 1984 to 2003 there was then a regular award for the best board game graphics. Initially only conflict simulations were awarded, but that changed in the mid-1990s when Magic: the Gathering and RoboRally won this award.