Better than Monopoly! (Settlers of Catan)

Member Name: Trix1212

Product:	Settlers of Catan
Date:	18/01/09 (35 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great for family/groups

Disadvantages: None that I can think of!

This was a chance discovery made while browsing Amazon - the description intrigued me and, being a bit of a board game addict, I just had to try it! Its quickly become on of my favourites and I'd wholeheartedy recommend it to anyone who want to try something a bit different to the usual Monopoly/Risk/Cluedo.

Play is begun by setting up your first settlements on the board and strategic placement at this point can make or break the game as easy access to a variety of rescources is necessary to develop settlement and roads. Gameplay then involves rolling dice to determine who gets access to their rescources each turn, followed by exchanging cards for roads and buildings, or taking a chance on gaining something better.

I've only played a two player game so far (this is possible, and very enjoyable, though the box recommends a minimum of three). However, I can see more players would make for a much better game as trading among players would become a bigger part of play as each try to gain the best advantage for themselves while making life difficult for all the others.

While it may initially take a little while to learn Catan is essentially easy to understand and the fact that everybody stays involved for the entire game (unlike family favourites like Monoploy or Cluedo no-one can lose and go 'out' before the game ends) make it a wonderful addition to any collection.

The strategic element to play and the fact that the whole board layout can change for every game, giving different advantates and disadvantages to players each time, also mean that the game is great for pretty much any group of players - the game can be as simple or complex as the players ability dictates and the fact that there are dice involved allows for just that little element of chance which can make a game so much more fun. It certainly outshines most other boardgames I've played for sheer enjoyment. I can't wait to get a bigger group together to play again!

Summary: A fantastic game, highly recommended if you want to try something a bit different