About.com Rating

The Bottom Line

If you like board games, you should play Settlers of Catan. It's a unique and tremendously fun gaming experience.



Pros

• The best-selling designer/German game of all time.
• Modular board provides amazing replay value.
• Expansion sets add to the basic game.

Cons

• Some say it depends too much on luck.

Description

• For 3 or 4 players, ages 12 and up.
• Designed by Klaus Teuber, published by Mayfair Games.

• About 60 to 90 minutes per game.

Guide Review - Settlers of Catan

When Settlers of Catan won the Spiel des Jahres (Germany's Game of the Year) award in 1995, few Americans knew how much fun was in store for them. Today, the game continues to be amazingly popular. The random board, constant player interaction, delicate mix of skill and luck, and quick play time (about 90 minutes) make Settlers a wonderful family game.

Players compete to build roads, settlements and cities on the island of Catan. The island is made up of a series of hexagons, which can be placed differently every game.

The basic goal is to earn victory points, which you do by expanding your settlement on the island. You need to gather resources (by producing them yourself, or by trading with your opponents) in order to expand. Trading with other players is a major focus of the game, creating constant interaction. If you've never tried Settlers of Catan, you're missing a stellar gaming experience. The basic board game can be enhanced with expansions, and a card game also is available.