One of the things we like to do here at the Malted Meeple is give some extra attention to our favorite board game publishers and designers. In our monthly Publisher’s Spotlight we provide a bit of a background on the publisher, discuss a few of their games, and may even announce a visit to The Meeple by some of the publisher’s representatives!
This month, as we march out of the cold embrace of winter, we shine the warmth of our Publisher’s Spotlight on a company that has produced many of our favorite games, Days of Wonder.
Days of Wonder was co-founded by Eric Hautemont, Pierre Gaubil, Mark Kaufman, and Yann Corno in 2002 and specializes in German-style hobby board games. With the assistance of the company’s Creative Director, Cyrille Daujean, Days of Wonder has made a name for itself as a publisher of board games that integrate game design with aesthetically pleasing components. They produce their games in more than a dozen languages and distribute to more than 40 countries worldwide.
The company received the coveted Spiel des Jahres (Game of the Year) in 2004 for their best-selling board game: Ticket to Ride. Designed by Alan R. Moon, Ticket to Ride offers players the chance to play as railway barons claiming routes in turn of the century America. Players take turns picking train cards, claiming routes, and selecting secret destination cards. Ticket to Ride has sold over 3 million copies worldwide and currently boasts 20 different expansions.
In 2006, Days of Wonder received a special Spiel Des Jahres for “Best Fantasy Game” for their hit game Shadows Over Camelot. In Shadows Over Camelot, players are knights in King Arthur’s court fighting against the encroaching darkness, but there could be a traitor in their midst! This game is a Malted Meeple favorite and was our game of the month in December. It supports a large number of players and is a fantastic game!
Days of Wonder introduced Small World in 2009 which won three Dice Tower Gaming Awards. The awards included “Best Game of the Year,” “Best Family Game,” and “Best Game Artwork.” In Small World, players become the leaders of fantasy races such as Orcs, Elves, Halflings, Dwarves, and more, each of which has a special ability that helps it to conquer other races. After the passage of time races go into decline, though this is alright because you are a fickle leader, just abandon your old race and chose a new one!
Each of these games have been honored as Ravenwood Castle’s Game of the Month, and this last December, Shadows Over Camelot was chosen as the Malted Meeple’s Game of the Month. Days of Wonder has also produced many other fabulous games over the years including: Five Tribes, and Mystery of the Abbey.
We hope that next time you visit The Malted Meeple you enjoy one of the many titles from Days of Wonder in our library. Grab a cold drink and come play!
Karington Hess is a lifelong gamer whose passions for hospitality and all things game-related led him to Ravenwood Castle, where he served as an Innkeeper before joining The Malted Meeple. When not pouring beers, crafting milkshakes, or teaching boardgames, Karington can be found behind the DM’s screen, weaving intricate stories for his fellow gamers.