Name: The Settlers of Catan by Klaus Teuber
Publisher: Mayfair Games
Players: 3-4
Ages: 12+
Playing Time: 1-2 Hours
If I could recommend a great all-around game that incorporates strategy with a playing ease and enjoyment for the less-than-uber-serious gamer, then I would suggest The Settlers of Catan. It is a very fun production-based game that is visually appealing, strategically sound, and extremely fun.
In The Settlers of Catan, players’ ultimate goal is to have the most successful nation and thus win by having the most victory points. Players do this by building settlements and cities next to valuable resources they can collect to further their expansion. The roll of the dice determines which resources can be collected each turn. As players gain and trade these resources, they strengthen their nation by building roads to new settlements and cities or choosing to develop in militaries and civic buildings. Competition is ever-present as players negotiate trades for the most valuable resources, race for the best situated and most productive land, and rob other players of their sacred materials. There are often surprises as people use their resources to the best of their abilities, collecting cards that hold secret victory points to be revealed at the end of the game.
The Settlers of Catan has something to offer to the novice as well as the expert. It is an easy game to learn for beginners; the rules are simple, fairly intuitive and can often be understood within the first few turns. After just one game of The Settlers of Catan, many people have grasped the game enough to win--my dad even won on his first game! While this is true, the game does not easily grow boring; even after extensive play, it still offers strategical challenges. Much of the strategy is centered on your ability to bargain with other players, so the social aspect of the game is varies dramatically from game to game, depending on who is playing. In addition to this variation, the island’s topography is never the same. Not only do the resources vary in the amount of yield they produce, but their locations on the island vary as well. With all these possibilities on an ever-changing island, you can imagine how the game can remain strategically challenging even after many games.
I’m not going to lie: I absolutely love The Settlers of Catan and I would highly recommend it! It’s a worth-while game to learn and I’m sure you won’t be disappointed. If you enjoy strategy, competition, and the feeling of accomplishment that comes from creating something successful, then you will likely enjoy The Settlers of Catan, just as I have. It remains to this day one of my favorite games in our collection!
