The As d’Or – Game of the Year ceremony was held on Thursday 22 February 2024. On this occasion, TRIO, the clever little card game by author Kaya Miyano, was crowned As d’Or – Game of the Year in the General Public category! This prize is one of the most prestigious in the world of French board games.
So it’s with great pride and emotion that we’re announcing this event.
It’s an opportunity for us to take a look back at this emblematic French-language prize, and also at the history of this little game, which has rapidly become one of the new must-have titles in games libraries!
WHAT IS L’AS D’OR – GAME OF THE YEAR ?
L’As d’Or – Game of the Year is ‘the cultural benchmark for the best board games’. It is awarded every year at the Festival International des Jeux (FIJ) in Cannes, a free event held in the Palais des Festivals that welcomes hundreds of exhibitors and tens of thousands of visitors in a very friendly atmosphere. It’s THE showcase for French-speaking board games.
Created in 1988, this label is awarded by a panel of 9 people (journalists, reviewers, game enthusiasts, game shops, game cafés) who, throughout the year:
- TEST most of the French-language games produced over the past year: more than 600 games in 2023!
- SELECT 12 games (only) to be divided into 4 categories (3 in each): Kids, Beginners, Experts, General Public.
- And finally, NOMINATE a winner for each of these categories a few weeks later.
The mission of the Label As d’Or – Game of the Year is ‘to draw the public’s attention to the diversity of game creation and to reward games with great seductive power, capable of providing real gaming pleasure and making both occasional and regular players want to play again’.
In fact, there are many very good games, and the jury’s choices are tough.
Over the years, the As d’Or – Game of the Year Label, supported by the entire industry, has become an essential marker of quality for the public and, more often than not, an accelerator for the nominees and winners, both in French-speaking countries and abroad.
AND TRIO ?
TRIO is the 8th Japanese game published by Cocktail Games: it’s simple, clever and addictive! Spotted in Tokyo at a games writers’ fair (where we’ve been going for years, twice a year), this game was released in April 2023.
It was created by Kaya Miyano, a talented Japanese author who was present at the Cannes International Games Festival for the occasion, and illustrated by Laura Michaud.
This year, TRIO stood out from several hundred other games, taking first place in the coveted Game of the Year category. A skilful blend of deduction, bluffing and memory, this board game has no end of surprises in store.
With quick games lasting between 15 and 20 minutes and accommodating between 3 and 6 players, TRIO is suitable for all ages from 7 upwards. Trio is a game of 36 cards numbered from 1 to 12, each of which is played 3 times.
The rules are very simple:
1) Unveil 2 number cards:
Either on the table
Or in a player’s hand, but only their smallest or largest number.
2) If the cards are identical, play again, revealing a third card.
3) If you find 3 identical cards, you win a trio!
The first to find 3 trios wins the game!
Its simple, ingenious mechanics, with two game modes and a team variant, make it highly replayable. TRIO offers players a fun experience where strategy, memory and conviviality come together for hours of fun and sharing. You can get together with family or friends and play over and over again.
Trio sold 200,000 copies in France in less than a year and is already available in 18 different countries.
An unprecedented victory for Cocktail Games, the game’s publisher
Cocktail Games is a board game publisher founded by Matthieu d’Epenoux in 2001. Since then, it has continued to create original, user-friendly games that are accessible to all.
With a rich and varied catalogue, Cocktail Games caters for all types of players, from novices to experienced gamers, and is committed to providing unforgettable moments of entertainment.
This year, TRIO was Cocktail Games’ 10th nomination for the Golden Ace – Game of the Year – which is quite extraordinary in itself.
But whereas the previous nine nominations ended in memorable moments but no trophies, TRIO finally picked up the Golden Ace, giving Cocktail Games a long-awaited victory in the gaming world.
This accolade marks a turning point in the history of our publishing house and rewards the work of the many people behind this little game, which has already become a phenomenon. The entire Cocktail Games team would like to extend its warmest thanks to its author, illustrator, the jury of the As d’Or, our distributors and, of course, all the players who, from near and far, have participated in this wonderful adventure through their support and recognition.
This victory encourages us to continue developing simple, original games for everyone to enjoy.
