Checking out the legendary game of Catan in 2024 is like being presented with the blueprint for thewheel.
The goal is to gain ten Victory Points before your opponents.
Catan is so essential to the evolution of thebest board gamesthat it’s basically archetypal.
The question is, how does Catan stack up against the rest of the board game market today?
The trouble is, there’s limited space and resources… so you’ll need to hustle.
Starting resources are distributed at this point, depending on which hexes each player’s Settlements border.
On their turn, a player rolls two six-sided dice to check which hexes produce resources that round.
Players take one resource per owned Settlement that borders matching hexes, or two of that resource per City.
Each City gains a player two Victory Points, while a Settlement only counts as one.
It’s a simple, elegant system.
Resources can also be spent on Development Cards, which have the potential to turn your settlers' fortunes.
Some cards just straight up hand you Victory Points, no questions asked.
This is the kind of design that doesn’t age in the way miniatures often do.
Heaps of hex and number combinations give Catan so much replayability.
It’s also extremely easy to mod and there are expansions to suit everyone.
Some rehash old rules, or add in new mechanics that give a familiar game an exciting twist.
The snake draft mechanic for the first couple of rounds helps to negate the first player advantage.
Catan is a game of direct conflict, and take-that actions can cause tensions to run high.
Should you buy Catan?
Catan’s mechanics were revolutionary in their straightforward yet layered approach that rewards you for skill, not luck.
They still hold up today.
It’s a great gateway game.
Component quality
It’s simple by today’s standards, sure.
But there’s a classiness to Catan’s wooden tokens and chunky board tiles.
That doesn’t mean it’s bad, just simplistic against the current landscape.
For a collector, it’s an essential addition to your wall of games.
Don’t buy it if…
If your players are likely to argue, there are plenty of opportunities to do so playing Catan.
It’s easy to learn and teach, but it might leave aficionados wanting more.
How we tested Catan
This review was conducted with a sample provided by the publisher.
