When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Heres how it works.

But what started it all off?

How deep does the Catan iceberg go, and where does it stand today?

Catan 25th Anniversary Edition stacked on top of HeroQuest, with 221b Baker Street sat on top of it

In the evenings, he would spend his time designing board games in the basement of his family home.

That’s Germany’s Game of the Year, and a big deal in the board game world.

At the time, the game was considered a little more grounded than other big games in the space.

Catan box, board, cards, and pieces on a wooden table

Thanks to this mass appeal, The Settlers of Catan quickly became a household name in Germany.

At the turn of the Millennium, Catan started gaining popularity overseas.

In 2015 the game gained the title of Game of the Century at GamesCom, Vegas.

Someone rolls dice at the table while playing Catan

To put all this into perspective, Catan wasn’t justpopular…

It had sparked the birth of a major phenomenon.

and A.C. (Before Catan and After Catan).

Catan 25th Anniversary Edition box on a wooden table, with cards and the board beside it

It didn’t stop there, though.

I imagine it took a good while to get a round in, though.

Catan’s expansions have brought a boatload of new themes to the game, too.

Hasbro Gaming F4541 Avalon…

As for something new to play, don’t miss thebest adult board gamesor thebest classic board games.

Cephalofair Games Gloomhaven:…

Cosmic Encounter Expansion…

Asmodee - Ticket to Ride New…

Gamewright , Sushi Go , Card…

A selection of classic board games divided by the Gamesradar+ cross

Sparkly Catan Hex tiles and metal buildings with a hand reaching down to move them

A hand holds a die from Wingspan over the dicetower

Wingspan eggs on cards, laid out across the board

Articulate! box, board, tokens, and timer on a wooden table, against a black background

King of Tokyo components, box, and cards on a wooden table against a black background

Space Wolves Logan Grimnar and Arjac Rockfist models against a slightly blurred photo of the Space Wolves Army Set

Dorfromantik and Creature Comforts cozy city building games

Survivor and abomination mini standing on a game tile from Zombicide

Days Gone Remastered protagonist Deacon running from hundreds of zombies in the rain

PS5 Pro reveal from trailer

The cast of Thunderbolts standing in an elevator during the trailer for the upcoming Marvel Phase 5 movie.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 screenshot of the Paintress painting the number 33 onto a distant pillar while Gustave and Sophie watch from the harbor port, framed by a circle of light

Absolute Martian Manhunter #2

Florence Pugh, David Harbour, Sebastian Stan and the rest of the cast of Thunderbolts*

Articulate box, cards, board, and tokens on a wooden table

Logan Kim as Hershel and Lauren Cohan as Maggie in The Walking Dead: Dead City season 2