The Quacks of Quedlinburg is a push-your-luck bag-building game for 2–4 players, and won the 2018 Kennerspiel des Jahres. Games take about 45 minutes, with simultaneous play so nobody's ever just waiting for their turn.

How it plays

Each player draws ingredient chips from their own bag to brew a potion, choosing when to stop before their pot "explodes." Better ingredients bought between rounds make your bag stronger over nine rounds of brewing — the player with the most points at the end wins.

Quick facts: 2–4 players · 45 min · Ages 10+ · Push-your-luck bag-building · 2018 Kennerspiel des Jahres winner

FAQ

Is there a lot of downtime waiting for other players?
No — everyone draws and brews at the same time, so there's very little waiting between turns.

Is this suitable for people new to modern board games?
Yes — the rules can be explained in under 10 minutes, and the appeal (how far do you push your luck?) is immediately clear.