Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 37
 Catan August 29, 2010
Andrew C. Patz
A friend of mine brought this game over to play one night and we fell in love with it. My wife, who doesn't normally like board games even got into it. It only takes a round or two to get the hang of how to play. We liked it so much we ordered the game and expansion kit for when more friends come over. The nice thing about it is you can make it easy to play or you can add more of a challenges to it by increasing the victory points needed. I was a little concerned with the quality of the game board. I feared that the edges would warp and be hard to put together. Older games have the octagon pieces for the water surrounding the island, but this version has water pieces that fit together like a puzzle and keep the game together. Over all, this is a great, well designed game that I would highly recommend.
Dominate Catan! August 25, 2010
Becker
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We (my family) will often find one game that we play over and over for months on end, only to get more and more intensely competitive each time we play. And, Settlers of Catan has been just that game ever since we purchased it for my husband's birthday in June. It is a great family game; however, it has spurred its fair share of feuds, outburst of frustration and anger, and allegations of illegal game activities.
Basically the way the game is played is that each player represents settlers establishing colonies on the island of Catan. The island is set up differently each time the game is played, so your strategy must change each time you sit down to play. During the game each player is trying to collect and trade resources in order to purchase game winning points, also known as, settlements, cities, roads, and armies.
It's not a fast paced game with timed game play, but the game moves along quickly. On the average, I'd say each game takes approximately an hour and a half to play. We have found that sometime the person who is the furthest behind at mid-point, has just as much chance of winning in the end as the person who is furthest ahead. So one must be careful when choosing who is friend and who is foe.
 Settle in for Settlers August 23, 2010
Alexander (Ringoes, NJ)
First off, if you think you'll have the chance of playing this game with 5-6 people, go for the 5-6 player expansion bundled. It'll save you the burden of leaving someone out.
This game is great. It takes 30-90 minutes for a game depending on gameplay and it will consume a whole table to play it. Strategy, settlement and city placement, and an ever changing game board make this game tops. The cards are always being handled, and it would be better if they were more durable...but they're not. There are LOTS of TINY pieces, so this game is NOT for the youngsters who are too small and like to grab pieces (or knock game off table). Also, if you can find an older version of the game (one without the frame border), it makes things a lot easier (especially in humid areas - the border will curl up right away). Game pieces aside, you need to try this game. Fun til the very end. It takes some time to learn, but once you do, you'll really enjoy it.
 YAY MATH! August 13, 2010
Will White (Wooster, OH USA)
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
Let's have fun with numbers!
Settlers of Catan Bundle (Includes Settlers of Catan Board Game and the 5-6 Player Expansion Pack): $52.95
Settlers of Catan Board Game: $33.60
+ 5-6 Player Expansion: $16.00
= $49.60!
YAY!
Great Game of Strategy, But There Are... June 16, 2010
Joshua C. Grisetti
...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.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 37
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