The famous Cannes Games Festival opens its doors once again in 2023, and as usual, it begins with the traditional As d’Or Ceremony. This ceremony awards prestigious prizes to the best games of the year, categorized into different groups. We offer you a review of this exceptional evening.
As every year, the International Games Festival of Cannes rewards the best games during the As d’Or Ceremony. For the year 2023, we discovered the best games in the categories Kids, Initiate, Expert, and General Audience. We present to you the selection of these happy winners, who turn out to be fascinating games we’d love to play.
As d’Or 2023: Children’s Game Category
Flashback: Zombie Kidz a game by Baptiste Derrez and Marc Antoine Doyon; published by Le Scorpion Masqué
This game, part of the Zombie Kidz series, offers a brand-new immersive experience for children. The kids will have to solve a mystery with the help of beautifully illustrated cards, providing them essential clues to complete their adventure. It’s an original cooperative game requiring good team spirit to overcome obstacles.
As D’or 2023: Initiate Game Category
Challengers! a game by Johannes Krenner and Markus Slawitscheck; published by Z-Man Games
This is a competitive confrontation game resembling a real tournament. The main mechanic is “deck-building,” a concept where each player starts with the same deck of cards, which develops throughout the game with more powerful cards. This game impeccably reimagines this mechanic by adding an absolutely addictive competitive aspect.
As d’Or 2023: Expert Game Category
Ark Nova a game by Mathias Wigge; published by Super Meeple
Expert games are a category that continues to enjoy great success. These games, with complex but well-structured rules, often require a significant time investment. Games can last several hours, so this category is for true enthusiasts of the gaming world. Ark Nova possesses all the expected qualities, accounting for its astonishing sales record. In this game, you’ll manage your own zoo with many animal species. The task will be tough, but the reward is worth the effort.
As d’Or 2023: General Audience Game Category
Akropolis a game by Jules Messaud; published by Gigamic
This is a very clever tile-laying game in which you will build your own ancient city. There are tiles of different colors that allow you to score points according to specific rules for each of them. Watching your city expand more and more, level by level, is a real pleasure. The rules are easy to understand, but the strategic aspect is very present, making it an irresistible game for any type of player.
