Since our recent move up North in the Netherlands we hadn’t had the chance of visiting any of the Dutch conventions there yet, but now we were only 45 minutes away from Groningen so we couldn’t pass up visiting Noorderspel 2018 in the beautiful venue of the Der Aa-Kerk.
The local friendly board game shop, Wir War Spellen, is the driving force behind this wonderful convention and with proud one of the owners, Kim, told us they expected this year to be the biggest turnstile event yet. Congratulations on that fact!
The diversity of crowd and a lot of board game hotness
There was no lack of great publisher houses and the venue was packed to the brim with board game hotness from recent years, but also some new tasteful 2018 titles were present. What also stood out for us was the variety of different kind of people which were present. Let me explain, from people who never had played any board games, besides the classics of Monopoly or Trivial Pursuit, light casual gamers with their Munchkin or Cards against Humanity fun and the expected many players, who are well aware of what the modern board games have to offer to them. Also, the diversity between male and female was something which we were pleasantly surprised to see.
There were tons of tables and enough possibilities to demo the games. All tables were hosted by friendly and capable demoing guys & girls. One little quibble, with the growing crowds, some paths could get a little crowded, so with the hobby sitting in an upswing of popularity, they may outgrow this atmospheric place in coming years. Which is a great thing, of course, more great souls enjoying the board game hobby is a very positive one.
We could say many more things about this wonderful event, something about the very affordable price for entree (2,50 euro and free for kids below 11), the practical place it has in the city center of Groningen, the huge giveaway of great games for a lot of visitors with the big raffle, but we prefer speaking in visuals and let you have a sense of being there yourself. So without further ado, let’s get to the photos, which are quite a few again. We have sort them by the publisher, and with the present games they showcased and they are without a particular order to them.
Enjoy 🙂
The Goblins space with a variety of titles out to play
Professor Evil and the Citadel of Time
More Professor Evil en de Toren van Tijd
Still on our personal top 6 of favorite two player cardgames Hanamikoji
The cool tower from Queendomino
Passion for games shining through in demoing at White Goblin Games
Holmes from White Goblin Games
The hit from last year’s Spiel, Ganges or out loud, Rajas of the Ganges. Now by 999 Games in Dutch
Drop it by 999 Games looks wonderful and quite a clever design
Manhattan looks great out and about. 999 Games
More Ganges is a good thing, one of those perfect midweight titles playable with a huge variety (non)gamers
Ilôs is a wonderful light stock market and tile laying game now from 999 Games
I am loving the fact I see such a good game being picked up for a Dutch release, The Climbers! We have a review on it on the blog from the Capstone version.
It’s getting rowdy at Quined Games and there new release, Carson City The Card game by Xavier Georges
With two Carson City The Card Game is a lot of fun too. Especially with the added virtual players.
More western games inside this beautiful church venue
Gentes published by Game Brewer from Belgium
One of the newest titles out for play, Gùgōng from Game Brewer. Quite a busy main board, but it does looks wonderful
Discussing board games and having a laugh, the best thing right? Gùgōng by Game Brewer
A tiny treasure in the Game Brewer collection on the battles around Maastricht, Castellum by Game Brewer. We really love games havng some historical background done well, it don’t have to be a simulation, but some fact checking and keeping it inline is a good thing.
More fun at Game Brewer demo tables
And the talks and demo continue at Game Brewer
What to play, what to do. Ruthless by Alley cat Games and art & design by Roland MacDonald
Great playmats Ruthless by Alley cat Games and art & design by Roland MacDonald
Ruthless by Alley cat Games and art & design by Roland MacDonald
Those playmats make up for a lovely sight and are very functional too. Ruthless by Alley cat Games and art & design by Roland MacDonald
Ruthless by Alley cat Games and art & design by Roland MacDonald
Roland at work at his booth. The 2 tables were packed all day round. Ruthless by Alley cat Games and art & design by Roland MacDonald
Ruthless by Alley cat Games and art & design by Roland MacDonald
Need I say more? FUN in one word. Ruthless by Alley cat Games and art & design by Roland MacDonald
Building Amsterdam is clearly enjoyable. Make smart building choices, invest in the different companies and be at the profitable end of the mergers. Chartered The Golden Age from Jolly Dutch Productions.
Chartered The Golden Age from Jolly Dutch Productions won the Noorderspiel 2018 Design award for best Design at the convention.
Full tables at Chartered The Golden Age from Jolly Dutch Productions.
Alexander is the designer behind Chartered The Golden Age from Jolly Dutch Productions and is such a passionate guy.
Just a funny expression from Alexander. Chartered The Golden Age from Jolly Dutch Productions.
More Chartered The Golden Age from Jolly Dutch Productions.
As you can see, very accessible for younger gamers too. Chartered The Golden Age from Jolly Dutch Productions.
It does take a little table space, but it looks wonderful. We like that they added player aids, that was lacking and helps figuring out the place of the building lot without giving away your plans. Chartered The Golden Age from Jolly Dutch Productions.
Portal Games Detective: A modern Crime Board Game, being explained by our Dutchyoda.
Monolith Arena by Portal Games being explored by these adventures lot. Happy fighting!
Robinson Crusoe by Portal Games. Brutal and beautiful, just like nature.
One of the Dutch photographers, Erwin Broers from
http://www.bordspeler.nl, explaining Blue Lagoon from Geronimo to these lovely ladies.
Blue Laggon from Reiner Knizia by Geronimo
Capturing people when so deeply into what board games can do to us, just a fantastic moment. Magic Maze Kids is fun even for adults by Geronimo
More Blue Lagoon from Reiner Knizia and Geronimo
Blue Lagoon by Reiner Knizia in the wild. Geronimo publisher
Magiz Maze Kids by Geronimo
Luxor from Queen by HOT Games
Gang Up! From HOT Games
Luxor from Queen by HOT Games
Our all time favorite race game, Flamme Rouge, from HOT Games.
Luxor from Queen by HOT Games
And many more people, publishers, designers & games
Rifugio is board game inspired by the Italian Dolomites and has a lovely table presence too it.
Designer of Rifugio, Niels Pieterse, signing his games.
Games Workshop demo’s and workshops building miniatures
Kids and miniatures are always a success. Lovely little booth from Games Workshop and stellar painting on the miniatures.
The Game Master with it’s El Gaucho demo’s.
Social gaming always attracts a lot of young people and they were having a blast. Exploding Kittens and Unstable Unicorns by Asmodee
418 ART with his games of Beach Cleaner and Goudjacht. Environmental games with a low step-in and having fun while learning a thing or two too.
Beach Cleaner by 418 ART
Okavango by Jumbo Games from the hit design duo, Michael Kiesling, Wolfgang Kramer
Go Go Eskimo by Tactic
Bloqs by Pumpkin Games, looks just stunning out on the table and is fun for the whole family.
The other Forbidden City by Jumbo Games
Ravensburger and it’s Trans Europa.
Alias from Tactic, look at that ferris wheel, so lovely
Century Oosterse Rijkdom
Tactic The Great Tour
The smash hit from a few yers back, but still so good and popular. Terraforming Mars by Rabenhaupt and of course Stronghold Games
More Go Go Eskimo
Boosterbox and it’s Game of Trains.
There can never be enough train games right? Boosterbox and it’s Game of Trains.
Come on, does this guys look like that fellow helping out Deadpool? Seriously? Boosterbox and it’s Game of Trains.
What’s a convention without prizes?
Winner of the Icecool contest at Noorderspel 2018
Winner of the Design Award at Noorderspel 2018. Chartered The Golden Age by Jolly Dutch Productions
Dutch YouTube star, Nox from Nox Spellenzolder, is also present with his, Playing against Nox. From trusty sources I know he got beaten a lot 🙂
The jury behind the Design Awards from 999 Games and White Goblin Games.
Closing out
I hope you liked our contribution to one of the biggest board game conventions in the northern parts of the Netherlands and showcasing all the people enjoying these fantastic board games. We would like to thank Wir War Spellen again for such a great event. We had a ton of fun doing it and with the family there, we and even got to play some games together also. Good times with likeminded people for a moment and being entranced by the magic sitting around a table together is worth a lot in this digital age we are living.
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~ Love Your Board game Life or in Dutch, Hou van je Bordspel leven! ~
Marlon & Erna
53.216498
6.562310
Akerkhof 2, 9711 JB Groningen, Nederland
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El Crosso a board game life! 
Een mooi visueel verslag Marlon!
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Dank je wel Henk! Het was ook een leuke beurs. Jij wel eens geweest?
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Nog niet het valt vaak in een weekend van veel verjaardagen 😉
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Leuk! Hoop op het Spellenspektakel ook Detective en Ruthless te spelen. Vraag me trouwens af wat die symbolen op de achterkant van de Queendomino-toren betekenen… Was de uitbreiding ook al te spelen of te zien (De Tijd van de Reuzen / Age of Giants)?
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Durf ik helaas niet te zeggen Stijn, ik heb enkel wat foto’s gemaakt. Veel plezier op Spellenspektakel, helaas vanwege datum nooit een optie bij mij.
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