Editorial Reviews:
Editorial Review
In this award-winning board game for three or four players, Catan is an imaginary unexplored island, and players are explorers and settlers. The playing surface is made of hexagonal tiles that, depending on their placement, create a different environment each time the game is played. Settlers must use their resources to develop their island home, building roads and houses to create new towns. But watch out! There's a robber on the island, and that renegade can show up at any time to steal your valuable resources. The game includes a rules booklet, a game almanac (with examples and advanced rules), cardboard hexagonal tiles, a plastic game sheet, small wooden markers (for settlements, cities, and roads), playing cards, and wooden dice. Settlers of Catan takes only 15 minutes to learn, and the game can be played in a simple version for beginners or in a more complex version for experienced players. --Marcie Bovetz |
Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
 A Fun Game Based on Supply and Demand, Sep 14, 2023
I was first introduced to Settlers of Cataan on recommendation from an avid player of Civilizations.
The object of this game is to colonize the continent of Cataan using roads and settlements. The settlements and upgraded cities give you points with the winner being the first person to 10 points.
The board is a circular hexagonal board. Each hex (for the exception of the perimeter hexes which are water and deserts) produces 1 of 5 different resources.
Settlements are placed at locations where the hex's meet and roads run along the hex edges. Each hexagon is given a number which will give the player one unit of that resource.
Settlements are built using resources which are obtained by rolling 2 dice and then consulting the board. Wherever that number lies a resource is produced if your settlement/city lies on it's hexcorner.
At it's core, this game is a practice in trading. Throughout the game the person who trades the most is able to generate enough resources to expand out by building additional raods and settlements. Seaports provide additional means of trade
The strategy of this game is determining the supply and demand factors which will most likely occur and then placing your settlements in a manner which will be most advantageous to your victory.
This is a fantastic game perfect for the family, friends and pretty much anyone who has an interest in very basic supply and demand economics. It has not only an entertaining component, but can serve as a great introduction into the foundations of economic principles.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
Fun and Easy to Learn, Sep 2, 2023
This game came in an unimpressive box, but once opened proved to be quite entertaining. Using the very informative instructions, it took hardly any time at all to learn how to play this game. The set-up took some time because I followed the beginner's setup instructions, but now it is a snap to put the board together. I cajoled my family into playing and we all ended up having a great time. This game is simple enough even for younger kids to get the hang of and will teach them about economics and the importance of saving and planning... Great Fun!
0 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
Settlers of Catan Board Game, Aug 21, 2023
Got this for our Grandson. He loves it and spends hours with it.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
Excellent, Fast Playing Strategy Game, Aug 17, 2023
Settlers of Catan is a relatively simple but very interesting game. The game is intended for play by 3 or 4 people, but a 5-6 player expansion set is available.
Settlers isn't played on a traditional board. It's set up by randomly placing 19 hexagonal terrain tiles in a large hexagon shape meant to represent the island of Catan. A set of numbered chits are then placed one per tile in a predetermined order. Players place two roads and two settlements each on the island, and the game begins.
Each player in turn rolls the dice. The number on the dice indicate which terrain tiles produce resources for that turn. Every player next to a resource-producing tile gets the appropriate resource. Different resources are needed to build additional roads, settlements, and, eventually, cities, as well as purchase Development Cards. Trading resources with other players as well as building new settlements in resource-rich areas are the focus of Settlers. Twists can pop up, the first in the form of a robber who prevents resources from being collected. The second twist is the Development Card stack; players may directly control the robber, obtain additional resources, or simply draw cards worth victory points.
Didn't I mention victory points? Oh. Well, to win a game of Settlers a player must amass 10 victory points. Points are primarily scored by building settlements and cities, but having the longest road or largest army is worth a nice bonus.
Because of the random setup, Settlers has a very good replay value, and the simplicity of the rules make it appropriate for players as young as 8. (If you do tire of the basic Settlers of Catan, there is a very good expansion: The Seafarers of Catan.) There isn't much educational value aside from the planning and trading aspects, but it's my opinion that strategy game play in general is a great help in developing thinking skills.
Buy it, play it, and have fun.
1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
Very Nice, Jul 26, 2023
WOW! This was to be the most fun game I have ever played! Very simple to learn, and yet there is so much strategy. The hexagonal game board design is genius, allowing you to have a different game board every time! You never know just where the resources will be located. this is SO MUCH FUN!!!!! I play it with two of my brothers, and they are 12 and 6! Even though the 12 year old almost always wins, the game continues to be fun every time. DO NOT HESITATE, THIS GAME IS WORTH EVERY PENNY OF FORTY DOLLARS!!!!!!!
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