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on April 2, 2017
This is the base game. I can't emphasize that enough. This review will only handle the base game, minus expansions.
LEARNING CURVE: This game is extraordinarily simple and straightforward to learn. Played once through, it makes plenty of sense and opens doors to more complex rules and gameplay.
GAME SPEED: 1-2 hours for 4 players. Game moves briskly but with obvious early-, mid-, and end-game stages that each have their own strategies and approaches. Game easily resumed from a paused state if you take a break.
GAMEPLAY OVERALL: Catan is satisfying to play, even more satisfying to win. As a game best played with a poker face and a good set of bluffing skills, Catan rewards long-term foresight and strategies more than rushed or brute-forced gameplay techniques. Catan can become repetitive IF and ONLY IF you refuse to play randomly. I highly recommend players who have a few games under their belt learn to completely randomize the map, starting positions, and resource entitlement for more satisfying experiences.
APPROPRIATE FOR KIDS? Depends on your child. Children with a knack for puzzles and strategy games will find playing Catan with adults to be very rewarding. Probably a bit too complex for children to play with each other, however; too many "honor system" concepts in play, too easy to cheat each other.
APPROPRIATE FOR SPECIAL NEEDS? Gameplay can easily be catered for adults or children with special needs. Game rules are insanely simple and easily modified for those wanting additional assistance. Communities online for adapting Catan gameplay are prevalent and easily found.
CONCLUSION: Catan is a fantastically easy game to pick up and learn, but complex and difficult to master. Catan is a game best suited to be expanded and enhanced, as the base game is truly just the first step into the world of Catan.
LEARNING CURVE: This game is extraordinarily simple and straightforward to learn. Played once through, it makes plenty of sense and opens doors to more complex rules and gameplay.
GAME SPEED: 1-2 hours for 4 players. Game moves briskly but with obvious early-, mid-, and end-game stages that each have their own strategies and approaches. Game easily resumed from a paused state if you take a break.
GAMEPLAY OVERALL: Catan is satisfying to play, even more satisfying to win. As a game best played with a poker face and a good set of bluffing skills, Catan rewards long-term foresight and strategies more than rushed or brute-forced gameplay techniques. Catan can become repetitive IF and ONLY IF you refuse to play randomly. I highly recommend players who have a few games under their belt learn to completely randomize the map, starting positions, and resource entitlement for more satisfying experiences.
APPROPRIATE FOR KIDS? Depends on your child. Children with a knack for puzzles and strategy games will find playing Catan with adults to be very rewarding. Probably a bit too complex for children to play with each other, however; too many "honor system" concepts in play, too easy to cheat each other.
APPROPRIATE FOR SPECIAL NEEDS? Gameplay can easily be catered for adults or children with special needs. Game rules are insanely simple and easily modified for those wanting additional assistance. Communities online for adapting Catan gameplay are prevalent and easily found.
CONCLUSION: Catan is a fantastically easy game to pick up and learn, but complex and difficult to master. Catan is a game best suited to be expanded and enhanced, as the base game is truly just the first step into the world of Catan.
on May 9, 2017
We are a family of 5 and LOVE Catan. It is the game everyone wants to play, but the original game is only for 4 players, so as a family of 5, you have to buy extensions. We wanted Seafarers to expand even more, but had to buy both Seafarers and Seafarers Expansion just so we can all play. Gets pricey. :( Fabulous game - played in our house by a 6 year old --> 40 year old and enjoyed by all. If you are wondering if you need the Junior version, don't bother. The game is the same, the rules are the same, the only thing slightly more difficult is the setup, and you can't expand the junior version since the pieces are connected. If you want a 5 year old to set up the game themselves... then get junior - otherwise invest in the regular game, I don't see an end to this game in our family.
on May 22, 2017
As I walked in to the room where a Catan board was set up... I was skeptical. I am not the traditional game night guy... and with all the pieces and everything, I was not expecting much. Fast forward a few months, and here I am, purchasing my own set. I've introduced it to all my friends and family, and often play 2-3 games back to back once I actually sit down to play. If you're debating it at all, I would say get in there. It's the gateway adult board game.
on December 12, 2016
Love love love this game. A mix between Monopoly and Risk, but a million times more fun! My friend had this game and after we played I knew I had to have it. The pieces all came in a very nice and sturdy box. There are a bunch of little pieces, but the game comes with little baggies to keep them in, which is great. Everything came really well made, and I'm glad I can easily get everything back into the box. I can't wait to play again with my family next time I see them.
on April 18, 2017
Outstanding game. we've quickly become quite addicted to Catan. This is a big hit w/ the family and everyone we have shared the game with. We've even bought a few copies for some others - GREAT present idea, also.
Pros - the resource rules are well defined, game flow is very active for all players, every one has the chance of participating in every roll of the dice, you can be as friendly or not friendly to other players as you like and the game board allows....
Cons - We have found that it is unlikely go get a game done in 60 minutes though - seems that it takes 2 to 3 hrs for 4 to 6 players.
Pros - the resource rules are well defined, game flow is very active for all players, every one has the chance of participating in every roll of the dice, you can be as friendly or not friendly to other players as you like and the game board allows....
Cons - We have found that it is unlikely go get a game done in 60 minutes though - seems that it takes 2 to 3 hrs for 4 to 6 players.
on January 31, 2017
I've been trying to bolster my board gaming a bit. We have an only-child and I'm all about finding things to do as a family that don't involve electronics. My daughter (aged 6.5) has definitely grown out of her kids version of Monopoly and I wanted something that might engage my wife more than regular Monopoly... I tried our all-crucial trial game with my daughter and her 2 older cousins and we had a great time playing it. Shifting back from a 4 player game to a 3 player game with my wife a week or so later and we definitely had a great game, lots of fun.
For my daughter she has her head around the basics but still needs a little help with some strategy in that crucial first settlement phase but beyond that she was wheeling and dealing her resources like a champion.
Incredible family game, perfect for those bleak winter days where you don't go outside. Highly recommend.
For my daughter she has her head around the basics but still needs a little help with some strategy in that crucial first settlement phase but beyond that she was wheeling and dealing her resources like a champion.
Incredible family game, perfect for those bleak winter days where you don't go outside. Highly recommend.
on May 1, 2017
A classic! This is the Settlers of Catan you grew up playing, and it’s just as addicting now as it was then.
As a mom, I set firm boundaries on my kiddos “tech time,” but I do try to have other forms of entertainment and recreation available. I have ten children, and between the oldest and the youngest there is a 14 year age gap; this game brings them all together and, outside of occasional competitive banter, they have a lot of fun playing.
The first gameplay takes the longest; learning new rules and setting up are time-consuming initially. Each subsequent game moves quicker than the last. Also, if this is your first go at Catan don't be intimidated; you never have the same board twice, so experienced players may have a slight edge, but the learning curve favors newbies.
While you can always buy some expansion kits for Catan, you don’t need them. The original game stands the test of time, a real achievement in a world full of tech-savvy teens and kiddos.
As a mom, I set firm boundaries on my kiddos “tech time,” but I do try to have other forms of entertainment and recreation available. I have ten children, and between the oldest and the youngest there is a 14 year age gap; this game brings them all together and, outside of occasional competitive banter, they have a lot of fun playing.
The first gameplay takes the longest; learning new rules and setting up are time-consuming initially. Each subsequent game moves quicker than the last. Also, if this is your first go at Catan don't be intimidated; you never have the same board twice, so experienced players may have a slight edge, but the learning curve favors newbies.
While you can always buy some expansion kits for Catan, you don’t need them. The original game stands the test of time, a real achievement in a world full of tech-savvy teens and kiddos.
on September 10, 2016
I love Catan! It's such a fantastic board game for smaller groups (3-4 people) who love strategy. The games don't last too long (60-90 minutes) for the most part, and it doesn't feel as dependent on luck as some other board games, like Monopoly. This really gives the players a sense of actual control when playing, as well as a sense that their in-game decisions have strategic weight. Finally, due to the fact that the board can be rearranged each time, each game feels different and requires new strategies.
There's a little learning curve, but it's not too bad for newer players--especially those who have had exposure to other strategy games in the past. There's also a bunch of expansions that you can purchase for additional depth/more players.
Yes, it's more expensive than most board games, but for fans of well designed strategy games, this is one of the best ones out there.
There's a little learning curve, but it's not too bad for newer players--especially those who have had exposure to other strategy games in the past. There's also a bunch of expansions that you can purchase for additional depth/more players.
Yes, it's more expensive than most board games, but for fans of well designed strategy games, this is one of the best ones out there.
on May 13, 2016
I guess I should have read the reviews, but I was too excited to own the Catan family of games for myself that I didn't bother.
The new design of the pieces doesn't really bother me from an aesthetic standpoint. What irks me is the binding layer of the graphics to the pressboard. As other reviews have stated, the quality of the punch tools leave much to be desired. Some pieces are removed easily while others require either a careful amount of counter pressure to remove without ripping or a willingness to live with some of the graphic layer removed from the piece. Luckily I planned ahead in the direction I removed the pieces so that any graphical damage would appear on the back of the pieces. (Still unfortunate but unlikely to affect game play).
The thing that is more upsetting is the fact that some pieces were missing on a brand new set. I understand sometimes issues happen in manufacturing (counts get off, assemblers get distracted, machines are miscalibrated, etc.). Having counted all of the pieces and found that a couple were missing and followed the instructions included to email Mayfair games to request replacements. As the form letter email I received informed me, it turns out that they are no longer handling support for Catan games. That support has moved to Asmodee North America who appear to be a clearinghouse for support of multiple game lines.
Asmodee NA has a slick form to fill out that includes the name of the games, the type of issue (including missing pieces) and a field to enter descriptions of the issue and pieces needed. They issue you a case number and then you wait. Well in this case, I wait until I get another email a couple of weeks later saying that they are awaiting reprints of the game (not quite sure how that affects the wooden pieces I was missing) and it will be a bit (unknown amount of time) longer until they are able to fulfill the replacement order.
I'm rating this as two stars because I dislike that the quality seems to have dropped and pieces are missing. I am also disappointed that Mayfair didn't handle this themselves. I hope to update this review in the future to a more favorable rating depending on the outcome of the Asmodee Customer Service team.
The new design of the pieces doesn't really bother me from an aesthetic standpoint. What irks me is the binding layer of the graphics to the pressboard. As other reviews have stated, the quality of the punch tools leave much to be desired. Some pieces are removed easily while others require either a careful amount of counter pressure to remove without ripping or a willingness to live with some of the graphic layer removed from the piece. Luckily I planned ahead in the direction I removed the pieces so that any graphical damage would appear on the back of the pieces. (Still unfortunate but unlikely to affect game play).
The thing that is more upsetting is the fact that some pieces were missing on a brand new set. I understand sometimes issues happen in manufacturing (counts get off, assemblers get distracted, machines are miscalibrated, etc.). Having counted all of the pieces and found that a couple were missing and followed the instructions included to email Mayfair games to request replacements. As the form letter email I received informed me, it turns out that they are no longer handling support for Catan games. That support has moved to Asmodee North America who appear to be a clearinghouse for support of multiple game lines.
Asmodee NA has a slick form to fill out that includes the name of the games, the type of issue (including missing pieces) and a field to enter descriptions of the issue and pieces needed. They issue you a case number and then you wait. Well in this case, I wait until I get another email a couple of weeks later saying that they are awaiting reprints of the game (not quite sure how that affects the wooden pieces I was missing) and it will be a bit (unknown amount of time) longer until they are able to fulfill the replacement order.
I'm rating this as two stars because I dislike that the quality seems to have dropped and pieces are missing. I am also disappointed that Mayfair didn't handle this themselves. I hope to update this review in the future to a more favorable rating depending on the outcome of the Asmodee Customer Service team.
