If you like board games, then I suggest that you take a look at Catan. It’s a unique, fun gaming experience, that is suitable for beginners as an introduction to strategy board games, but has enough variation for seasoned gamers. The goal of the game is to build settlements on the island of Catan, the games focus is on using your resources wisely, while also trading with other players and of course building your settlement. There game is suitable for 3 to 4 players and ages 10+. It’s more of a pricey game at £44.99 but I think that it is worth it. Catan has been around for quite some time even winning the Spiel des Jahres (Game of the Year) back in 1995!
Catan Game Play
At the start of the game each player has two roads and two settlements to place onto the board. At each turn, you collect different resources, either brick, wool, ore, grain, or lumber dependent on the roll of the dice and where you have placed your settlements. As you build more roads out across the island using your collected resources, new settlements and cities can be placed. This will lead the player to gaining victory points. The play continues until one player has established enough of a foothold on the island to gain 10 victory points and win the game.
It’s a game where you have to play a little strategically, to build your settlements and cities in the right places and skilfully trade resources, as your opponents are doing the same as you!
The set up for the board was really easy and simple, we followed the same set up that was in the rule book. The way the rules were explained in the book weren’t always clear and we did have a look on YouTube and found some great explanation on the rules and how to play for the first time. I think once we got the first couple of rounds out the way we really got into the game. Saying that maybe we were just wanting to get on with the playing rather than reading the rule book, I would suggest you do that before playing that game.
There are only 3 simple steps in every turn, 1. Roll the dice to produce resources, 2. Trade resources with other players or the bank, 3. Build either roads, settlements or cities!
The rule book is full of pictures of the board set up and descriptions on turn order, there is also almanac for more advanced rules and clarifications.
As for the game board, I love that it is a different shape to traditional boards as it has hexagon. shaped pieces for the land and sea and allows you to have a different setup of the board every time you play. Allowing you to have endless variety of game play.
We enjoyed the game and will definitely be playing it more, well mostly me and the Mr need to beat our youngest as she clearly won, and the Mr really doesn’t like to lose. We enjoyed the trading with each other and trying to work out what they were trying to build. What I like about this game too is that there are expansions so that you can play with 5 to 6 players which I can imagine would be lots of fun.
In fact there are different expansions of Catan
- Seafarers
- Explorers and Pirates
- Cities and Knights
- Traders and Barbarians
There is also a Catan for Junior’s to this version is aimed at 6-10 year olds with slight different rules. But what I am excited about it that there is also a Game of Thrones version too!!!!!
If you would like to see last months game review you can click here
**disclosure I was sent this game as part of the Blogger Board game club for review click here to find out more**
