Board games are perfect for families and friends alike. One of the board games that have captured the interest of many aficionados is none other than Settlers of Catan.
In this particular board game, the players compete to build the land’s biggest and best settlement with the use of a combination of luck and strategy. Due to the die-directed play and modular board, the entire game can turn out differently each time that makes it even more appealing and enticing to play again and again.
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Getting Started
It may take some time to set up the game until you get the hang of it. The board is made of hexagonal pieces being joined together similar to a jigsaw. Even though these have a suggested setup, you can play with them using your preferred configuration, which means that the game can be made different every time you play.
There are plenty of rules and at first, these may seem overwhelming. However, once you have played Settlers of Catan for several times, you will find the gameplay quite simple. There is a great Almanac included in the kit that clearly describes all complexities.
Read another article about SmartGames games in the article titled “What Makes Smart Games Perfect for Classrooms“.
Playing the Game
The game is the combination of resource management and strategy. You will need the appropriate materials to build roads and houses and earn victory points. The die throw’s luck drives the resources and determines the number of roads and settlements you can build that will then amass more resources. You can then use these to buy special cards or other materials for developing your settlement.
The gameplay is made more exciting with the chance to barter with the rest of the players, offer some card exchanges, and bargain about the things you need for the game to work in your favor. This is a great solution if you lack the right resources you will need to do what you want to do.
You will surely love the tiny wooden pieces in the Settlers of Catan. These come in three types: cities, settlements, and roads. The result of the game is being decided by the victory points that every player should keep track of. You can earn these by having the biggest army, longest road, or most number of cities in your own settlement or you can also buy development cards. Since there are a lot of ways to get victory points, every player needs to make many tactical decisions throughout the game.
How Old and How Long
It may take several good hours to play the game if all the players are determined and refused to trade freely. Since the game is fairly complex in many ways, the recommendation for age is 8 years old and above. The younger players can then use a different game, called Kids of Catan.
The next time you want to have a wonderful and fun time with your family and friends, Settlers of Catan is the perfect game that is guaranteed to bring big smiles on the face of every player.