Customer Reviews

Settlers Of Catan 4th Edition Bundle

5 star:		(77)
4 star:		(17)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

My husband heard about Settlers on the Internet, but neither of us had played it until I bought it for him for Christmas. The first night we played, we had 4 people playing. None of us had ever played before. Even so, the game was easy to learn and fun to play from the very beginning. We've played it almost a dozen already and we've had it less than a month. I highly recommend this game for everyone! It's fun because no one feels like a loser in this game--the playing itself is enjoyable for everyone.

My family, with children aged 8-13, really like this game. It's one of those all too uncommon games that our entire family can not only enjoy, but everyone can be competitive.

Positives
The game is different every time! I love this aspect. The game board is never the same twice.
You have to think, but not so much so to prevent 7 or 8 year olds from being competitive.
The play can move fairly quickly, even if the overall game does not.
It teaches thinking skills. You have to plan out your strategy.
It teaches some basic economics. You must have goods to build your developments and cities.
It teaches bargaining. There is trading of goods between players, and this can be a lot of fun!

Negatives
Depending upon the players and layout, the game can take over 2 hours.
The game uses dice. I hate dice... Dice introduce luck and chance. This doesn't bother a lot of people. It bothers me. But with this game, it doesn't bother me enough to keep me from playing it, primarily because it's a great game for the whole family.
Lots of pieces. Don't lose any!
Don't shake the table. The game board is made up of lots of tiles, and I mentioned all of the pieces. One person hitting the table can really mess things up!

Recommendations
Get the expansion pack. The starter game is for 3-4 players. We almost always have more. The expansion pack lets you play with 5-6.
Get the plastic "game holders." I don't know what these are called, but they are plastic, connecting pieces that go around the outside edge of the game tiles and prevent the tiles from going flying when someone bumps the table. Easily the best investment we've made for this game!
Get something to put all of the pieces in. We use small baggies. Friends of ours bought small plastic boxes, like ones you would store fishing tackle or shop supplies in.

I would give this game 5-stars if it wasn't for the dice. Strongly recommended!!

I've been playing this game with friends about 6 years now, and we love it. You definitely want the expansion set so you can play with more than 4. And don't let your kids have all the fun. I'm single, and my friends and I love playing Catan on a rainy day or cold night. If you like Risk, you'll enjoy Catan. If you don't like Risk, you'll enjoy Catan. Just play it!

...some complaints.

1) I can see how this game is very addictive. We have played several games, a group of three guys and myself, and each one has turned out very different. Politics start coming into play as each person gets closer and closer to ten points. But there is always the feeling that you don't know for sure what the dice have in store.

2) That being said, it isn't the most exciting and enthralling game. Yes, you are taking over territories; yes, there are knights involved; and yes, it is strategically satisfying to cut someone's road off just as they're trying to connect two ends. But this game doesn't make me yell, or scream, or get overly excited when I make a game changing play. Maybe it's just a personal thing.

3) Setting up the game does take a moment. Not nearly as long as some huge games, but for one that can be finished in 30-45 minutes the set-up lends itself to playing several games at a time. If you want a game to just set pieces down, and not worry about where you are putting stuff, play chess.

4) The game pieces are well made, and once you get everything down it pretty much stays in place, but there is just a slight warp to my set that gives the island, "playing field", distinct ridges that cause the pieces not to lie perfectly flat. Which really bothers me. I have tried flat-pressing them under weighted books for hours but it just seems they have a natural curvature. Again, not deal-breaking, but frustrating.

*Overall this game is a lot of fun. I am not going to say it is my favorite board game, but each person has their own tastes. I will say that the game mechanics allow for just enough randomness that even the most well though out strategy can be foiled by a few unlucky rolls. Which means anyone can win just by luck, occasionally. This game is most fun with skilled players who think a turn or two ahead. Worth the purchase.

My son opened this game on Christmas Eve and we stayed up until dawn playing it! The directions look a bit intimidating - but you quickly catch on. Everyone is involved in every turn, so the pace is exciting. Plan to invest several hours!

This game is amazing. It is well balance, and since you can change up the board every time you play, it has great replay value. The bundle comes with the 5-6 person expansion meaning you can play larger games meaning it's more inclusive for those times when you feel like including some randoms.

The main flaw with the game comes from the border pieces, which despite being shaped like puzzle pieces, do not fit together well. You're best off ignoring them and shaping the board and ports yourself. It's sad that these pieces don't work well as they would go a long way towards containing the many pieces.

Otherwise, the gameplay itself is fast and engaging unless you have infuriating friends, or unless you get stuck being the one catching up when playing 4 or 6 player games (as one is always left being the runt because they couldn't expand fast enough). This is by far one of the most complex and addicting games I have played.

This game was highly recommended by my daughter and her boyfriend. They are both in their mid 20's and enjoy board games with a challenge and the versatility to expand the game. The Settlers of Catan is exactly that kind of game. It is entertaining and challenging as you learn different strategies. I also bought the extension game pieces so we can have up to 6 players. This is great game to gather around for family and friends!

My husband (37-yr-old diesel mechanic) and I (33-yr-old funeral science college student) play this game with our 10-yr-old daughter, 7-yr-old son, and my brother-in-law (32-yr-old Mechanical Engieneer) and WE LOVE IT!

We purchase a new game every thanksgiving holiday! We've played this game every night and the expansion pack is a must as they tell you for over 4 players. Watching the online video helped learn the game rules quickly. We are already looking into purchasing the expansion pack with the sea ports.

The game first plays a bit warped, but the next day it was fine. If it was going to remain troublesome, I was just going to get a nail file, sandpaper or my sanding mouse to take out the hanging "chads" that remain after you take the pieces off the cardboard.

My youngest kids are 9 and they beat me in this game!

We are a family of four with children aged 10 and 12. The Settlers of Catan is the number one game in our house and should not be missed by anyone who enjoys educational games with elements of strategy and planning. The rules are straightforward and easy to learn even for younger gamers, but the statistical probabilities that form the foundation of the game play keep things challenging, unpredictable, and educational.

The game play is well balanced in that older players will enjoy the challenge of planning out the variety of possible outcomes from their strategies while the randomness of the game board and dice rolls guarantees that even the youngest or least experienced players will do well enough from time to time to not lose interest.

The expansion packs are great for adding more players and for adding variety.

If your family loves games, then the Settlers of Catan is sure to please. If you're afraid that the game may be too complex, then check out the free on-line tutorial version of the game to see the game play for yourself. (Just search the internet for the on-line version.)