Arrived at Frankfurt Airport abt 6am. Enjoyed the superbly cold and crispy air here. Stuck at the airport until abt 8.45am as we need to await for the train. From there we will be heading out to the hotel. As a penguin, kinda thought that the cold would be a welcome change from hot and sticky Singapore. Next thing I knew, I was bundled up in my great coat n gloves, with the bracing breeze in my face! Brr, 3 degrees C is quite a killer! Now an excuse to ‘chew the fat’!

Anyway, next we found ourselves on the Frankfurt train platform waiting for the train. Seems like we rolled a 1 on a D20, cuz it was at the other end of the platform, and since the train stopped only for a few mins, 3 crazy Asians running loose was quite a sight to see! But on the train itself, the beautiful scenery took my breath away. And yep, those windmills in Power Grid do exist in the landscape!!! I like to think that’s how the inspiration came about.

Essen central, went to Galleria. To check out the board games session, where even before spiel, we succumbed to temptation and bought great stuff. Biug Box Thurn and Taxis? Not $120 but just abt half the price! What a steal! Of course catch is that is in German… But oh well, everything does not have much English so yea! And before spiel!!! Credit card got hit!!!! Second buy was an interesting dexterity game for kids called Wackel Brucke. Seems to be on players knights rescuing a damsel over a rickety bridge.

Night falls and temperature drops again. I am now sitting in my room, tapping this out and hoping to get a chance to upload this Essen report by tomorrow. Turning in, jet lag taking effect…

Essen Day 2 – Day One of Convention

Day 2 began with a German breakfast, heavy on meats! The buffet was extremely filling. The most important was seeing our hotel filling up with fellow convention goers as well as the manufacturers and industry people. We were blessed to be in the hotel with Pegasus Spiel folks, and gamers. Then its off to a brisk walk through to Essen (yes our hotel was that close). My luggage bag (thank you Joe!) was emptied and here’s hoping that it gets all filled up with goodies. Targets aimed and fired, and here’s hoping to get more stuff in fast!

The walk through a German park is indescribably beautiful. To say that it took my breath away is just a small inkling of the pleasure it felt. Especially when it was after rain and cold. Breath misting away, trundling my luggage bag behind Damien and Donkey and the excitement of actually visiting my gamer’s heaven. Reached the nearest gate and……… BOY WAS IT PACKED!!!!! The gates open sharply at 10am, and the crowds were patiently waiting to go in. And go in we did eventually.

Unlike most visitors to Essen Spiel, mine would mainly consists of visits to the various people that we distribute to. My job: To see what kinds of games is coming up, and especially important was how well PI was doing as distributors. As Damien puts it, we are out to see if teacher gives us an A!!!

We entered Hall 5 first. Although we were rushing for our first meeting with FFG, my eyes kept darting back and forth. A riot of colours greeted me as signs of all the great European manufacturers greeted me: Hans Im Gluck, Zoch Games, Amigo Spiel. Pegasus Spiel to name a few. The Taiwan and Korean people were in force with their own booths; makes me determined that next spiel would see Singapore coming in as well.

Our meetings also gave us insights of the games that will also be coming into the market, and those released as well as what the game manufacturers view their game. Also importantly what other retailers around the world find as good games and what moves for them. They were also generous to hand us some of the games which yours truly will be reviewing and testing out in the coming weeks ahead.

Lunchtime was the timeout for me to grab my games. A big tip I would give would be to go on weekdays; the feeling got was Comex, yep it was that crowded despite being a Thursday. And we eventually found out it is because it’s a holiday in Germany for the kids! Running around I managed to catch sight of at least two famous designers, Friedman (Power Grid) as well as Martin Wallace! How I recognise them? To be honest, I had no idea of the other famous designers looks, probably would have walked pass them if it was not for the fact their faces were also at the booths! Managed to pick up 11 games today:

• Thunderstone AEG
• Straw AEG
• Fabrik Manager 2F
• Fabrik Manager Promo Cards 2F
• Dungeon War
• Cold War – These 2 from the Japanese company that brought us Make U Gunfighters
• Confucius – JKLM
• Tinner’s Trail – JKLM
• 1860 – JKLM Preordered
• Last Train to Wensleydale – Martin Wallace
• 1829 Mainline – Mayfair

(Previous Purchases)

• Thurn Und Taxis Big Box
• Wackel Brucke

PI will also be having the following games in for review. Stand by for game playtest night in November!

• Kuznia Gier
• Wolsung
• Rice Wars
• Kung Fu
• Wypas
• Mozaika
• Da Vinci
• Lupus in Tabula
• Gonzanga
• Ragnar Brothers
• Canal mania
• History of the World
• Zoch
• Sushizoch
• Nich du fassen
• Black Rock
• Strada Romana
• Jarnac
• Winning Moves
• CirKis
• Giochix
• One More Barrel
• Acqua Dolce
• Fred Distribution
• New Packing
• For Sale
• Gem Dealer
• Money
• High Society
• Looting London

We are also in the midst of making special deals with some of our manufacturers to get some of these Essen items in early. For example, Dominion Seaside should be shipping in even as I speak and get to you guys before I return home!

Tomorrow will be more of the same in terms of meetings. Hopefully I will be able to give you more of the coverage. Its already 5.55am Singapore time as I am typing this, dying to share with you the newer games that will be coming up! For now, based on what I overhear and hear,

• Fabrik Manager is going to be good
• Greed is popular
• Gates of Loyang is hot

Too many good games and not enough gaming!!!!!!!!!!!!

Picture shots hopefully to be out tomorrow……

Target for Saturday to give you more on game reviews and pictures if possible. For now, signing out!

(Ed: PDF version of this report is here.)

(Ed: Part 2 is here!)