The board game that brought modern tabletop gaming back into the limelight, Catan has become a staple for many players. Its robust strategy mixed with gamified luck and a healthy dose of player interaction make it as satisfying on your first playthrough as it is on your hundredth.
The world of Catan is vast, with countless spin-offs and expansions. But if you want to get started, look no further than the original Settlers of Catan.
First published in 1995 by Kosmos, the game combines tactical and strategic gameplay with social interaction. Players develop a colony on the island of Catan, building settlements and roads to attract resources. The more resources you have, the greater your chances of winning. Players accumulate victory points by building cities, having the longest road and largest army (from certain development cards), and more. The first player to gather 10 victory points wins.
If you’re new to Catan, the Family Edition makes it easier to learn the game with a simpler starting setup and a handy reference card that breaks down resource requirements by what each settlement needs to build. There’s also the Seafarers expansion, which introduces ocean navigation to the base game by letting you hop between islands on ships and allowing you to purchase and upgrade development cards with resources like wheat, ore and sheep.
But if you’re a seasoned Catan veteran looking to expand your horizons, there’s the Cities and Knights expansion, which adds many new systems to the game that alter not only the balance of power but the basic rhythm of play. If that’s not enough, there’s even a Game of Thrones-inspired standalone called Night’s Watch in which players compete to win the title of Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch.