The Settlers of Catan

When I was first introduced to this game by friends of my sister, I loved the challenge and intricacies that the game offered. There are a lot of aspects of the game that gives it many different ways to develop strategy and gameplay varies with different opponents. I played it a few times when I did visit home and was invited by my sister to play with her friends. Her friend got it for her for Christmas and I bought her the 5-6 player extension. She actually got busy and didn't play it again. She got married and moved out and so I inherited the game. I kept it around but didn't get around to playing it until a year later. Once I taught my roommate, I re-kindled the love for the game and to a new level! My roommate and I got so addicted for about a year of playing multiple times per week and attempting to lure in all new guests to our apartment if they were willing to learn. We had a regular Settlers crew and I originally had the 3rd edition, but decided to sell it and the extension to invest into the whole set of the 4th edition bundle (Settlers + 5-6 player extension, Seafarers + 5-6 player extension, Cities & Knights + 5-6 player extension, Traders & Barbarians + 5-6 player extension). There was never a dull moment with this game because once we got weary of the regular settlers, we busted open the expansions and enjoyed going into the water on other islands with Seafarers, duking it out with angry faces at each other in Cities & Knights, and we also tried a couple scenarios with Traders. It was a different game when any of the expansions were thrown into the 5-6 player modes, where the maps are extended, but strategy changes too. We even ventured into other strategy board games that were similar to Settlers, such as Dominion, Puerto Rico, Pandemic, and Carcassonne for a new spice to our board games lives. However, despite enjoying the new games, there was nothing as strongly addicting as the drug we called "Settlers." We played it over and over and would crave playing when we haven't gotten together in a week to play. Eventually the good times had to end though and half of our crew moved off to other ends of the nation and we still talk about the good ol' Settlers days. In memory of the good old days, I bought the game again as a gift for one of the friends that moved away, just to remind her of the glory days and hopefully she'll infect some more people in her new neighborhood. I now only play when the old Settlers crew gets together and also with coworkers who have occasional board game parties here and there. I highly recommend this game! It's one of the best things that have happened to me in my life :)

One-Line Review: I know people who sing Black Eyed Peas songs with Settlers-inspired lyrics when they get the resource cards they want. The Settlers of Catan is the game that jump-started my interest in board games, and it completely changed my idea of what a board game could be. With many expansions, an iPhone game bearing its name, and being carried in Barnes & Noble, Settlers may be the best known German board game. When The Settlers of Catan burst onto the scene in 1995, it turned heads, garnered critical praise, and won the Spiel des Jahres (Game of the Year); German board gaming's highest honor. Rightly so, I might add. In Settlers, 3-4 good friends each assume the role of a colonist who has come upon an uncharted island. Beginning the game with two settlements each, players explore the island and lay claim to the resources it has to offer, gaining victory points along the way. The rules of Settlers are simple. Each island tile provides a resource: ore, clay, grain, sheep, or wood, and each tile has a number. On your turn, you roll a pair of dice and the tile(s) whose number matches your roll produces resources. Everyone who has a settlement or city bordering that tile gets a resource card. Next, you can trade resources with other players or with the bank to get the resources you need (or deny other the resources they need). Finally, you can use your resources to build. You can build roads to explore the island and block in other players, settlements to collect more resources, cities to increase the production of your settlements, or you can buy development cards which serve to give you resources or victory points. You gain victory points through building settlements and cities, but bonus points are also awarded to the player who has the longest continuous road and to the player who has the most Knight cards acquired from the development card deck. The first player to reach 10 victory points wins. I think that The Settlers of Catan is a very well-designed game. The first thing that stands out to me is that each player is always busy. Even when it isn't your turn, you're collecting resources, bargaining with other players, and plotting your next move. Having little player downtime is great for keeping everyone interested and keeping the game moving. Next is the Robber. The Robber is a mechanic in Settlers to ensure that no one can run away with the lead. Players may place the Robber on an island tile to prevent that tile from generating resources. In this way, players have the power to burden the guy in the lead a little bit while they catch up. The Robber tends to even out the playing field in a game of Settlers, and because the Robber is moved every time someone rolls 7 (or plays a Knight card), no one is ever penalized for too long. Another shining quality of this game is its variable setup. No game of Settlers is ever really the same because the island tiles are places randomly so your strategy has to be a little bit different each time. At the start of the game when players choose where to place their starting settlements, you have to look to see where the most important resources are, and plan how you're going to get there Wood and clay are in dire need at first, but as the game progresses, everyone will need ore and grain. Choices! The set up phase is where my games are at their most stressful; Everyone carefully eyes everyone else and hopes that the spot they want isn't taken. Long story short, The Settlers of Catan is a great game for new and seasoned gamers alike. While the veterans may dislike Settlers for the amount of luck present in the game, I think that this game is perfect for showing people just how fun a board game can be.

This game is the perfect game to use when introducing new players to board games. There is a little bit of English printed on some of the Development cards, but those can be explained to Japanese players. The player interaction is what really makes the game fun. In Japanese and in English!

I like the game a lot. I also have 'Catan Junior' which lasted for a grand total of 30 days in my house as my daughter got bored with it as it was too straightforward. The slightly tedious point is that it takes around 15 mins to set-up. Otherwise, it is good time pass for nearly an hour. Don't worry about the fact that this is meant for 10+ years. My daughter is able to comfortably understand the game and play it fine. She needs to be explained from a scenario and what action to take for the first few times and then it is all good. The only drawback that I see for her playing is that she will not know the theory or reasons behind some of the moves but would be able to do them as a matter of observation or practice.

各種パネル、数字マーカーなどは厚紙でできており、購入当初は上手くパネルを組み上げることが出来なく、 パネル同士が浮いてしまうことがありましたが、使い続けているうちにクセがついて、しっかりと組むことができるようになりました。 家や道路といった各種コマは木製で、シンプルなデザインで子供でもわかりやすいです。 今では友人とよく交えてカタンをプレイしています。 家を建設し、その家の周囲から生産される資源を手に入れ、 その資源を元手にさらに家を建設していくゲームです。 資源が手に入るかどうかの判定は全てサイコロの出目に依存しますので、 時には資源が手に入らないこともあります。 その資源を手に入れるために自分の所持資源を引き合いに他人との交渉をしたりと駆け引きが楽しいです。 このゲームの一番面白いところは、「絶妙なタイミングでゲームが終わる」ことです。 ゲームが終了の段階において、いわゆる「一方的な圧勝」というケースが滅多にありません。 一位を独走しているプレイヤーは周囲が足止めを行うために交渉も成立し辛くなるので、勝利に足止めを食らってしまいます。 その間に他のプレイヤーが追いついていくので、あと１〜２順回っていれば負けていたというケースも珍しく有りません。 この惜敗がもう一度プレイしてしまいたくなります。 時には別プレイヤーと結託し、共同戦線を張るのも面白いです。 しかし、過信しすぎるといつの間にか裏切られることも。 そのような対人との駆け引きもこのゲームの面白さの一つです。 このゲームだけで一晩を明かしたこともあります。それでも飽きません。 プレイするたびに資源・トークン・海の枠がランダムで組まれますので、毎回戦略が大きく変わってくるからです。 ボードゲームをプレイしたこと無い方でも是非ともお勧めするゲームです。

The boys and I loved it..... time flies just like that. Take some time to learn the rules and you will see why this is one of the top board games.. ;)

Good.