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Catan is one of my favorite board games of all time. Not because it’s the most fun to play or the most challenging – although to some people it is probably both of these things.
But instead, because it is the game I was first introduced to outside of the usual Monopoly, scrabble and snakes and ladders style board games.
I am not alone in my thinking. Settlers of Catan was released over 24 years ago and is still today one of the most popular and highest selling board games worldwide.
So why is Catan so popular?
Catan is a gateway to modern style board games. It is easy to understand and play but offers a challenge in that it moves away from games that rely primarily on luck and instead requires strategy. The game is incredibly interactive and is a game for everyone – from the casual gamer to the hardcore enthusiast.
The interactive nature of the game (trade/bargaining) also means no two games are ever the same. Catan is great value and has a tonne of replay value.
Catan is an introduction to modern-day board games
“Careful kids. Don’t play Catan or you will become addicted and slowly move to harder and harder games!”
Catan is a gateway board game. For most people it is the first board game they are introduced to that adds a mechanic other than rolling a dice and moving the corresponding number of squares.
Catan introduces players to strategic gaming and interaction with other players through bargaining and trying to obtain scarce resources in the game.
For many people, myself included, Catan opens a gamer’s eyes to the potential of board games.
It shows us there is a world outside of the Cluedos and Monopolies. There are games with intricate mechanics that will have you playing all sorts of scenarios, themes, and campaigns.
Catan is essentially the teaser trailer for boardgames. And it is really really fun!
There is a reason it has been a best-seller since its inception in 1995 and why so any expansions have been released to build on the game.
Catan is Interactive
Catan is one of the first board games that introduced the mechanic of trade in an innovative and exciting way. In fact, I would argue that this is one of the primary features of the game – Catan is a game centered around resource management and negotiation to acquire these resources.
Bargaining forces interaction among players.This is an incredibly tough mechanic to get right in a board game. But the way it is done in Catan is genius.
All resources are balanced and equal in Catan. All have something to offer in terms of usefulness and purpose in the game. This means that at no point will a player have nothing of value to offer other players.
Sure you may run into a few bad rolls, but you will never go a full game without being able to do something or pull something out of the bag.
You can and will experience some pretty tense and interesting bargaining discussions during a game and it really does feel good being able to pull off that critical trade!
Catan also allows players to trade, even when it is not their turn. So there literally never is a dull moment!
Catan is Easy to Learn
When introducing a new player to a board game. Nothing is more offputting than taking a look at the rule book and having flashbacks to one of the Lord of the Rings novels that took you weeks during the summer to read.
Catan has simple and easy to understand rules and does not have any crazy out there rules that come with some of the newer board games appearing in the wild these days.
None of the mechanics of Catan are ‘new’ per se but they are used in different and unique ways. Dice rolling for example is not used to move in the game – but instead determines the resources generated for you during your turn (or activates the robber mechanic).
In fact – it’s the perfect game to start playing with your family or partner (assuming a double date or a third wheel!). It’s how I got my parents and sister into board games. Hook them in with Catan and then slowly introduce other games!
Catan is Accessible
Because Catan is so popular, it means it is also super accessible.
You can buy a copy of Catan at most places that sell board games, books or at any convention or pop culture store or online.
This means that there are a load of people that have (even if they have not played themselves) been exposed to the game in one way or another.
This is awesome for a gamer like me who loves board games. The more players the merrier!
It also acts as a boost to Catan’s popularity as it has gone the board game equivalent of viral. People are curious creatures. If enough is said, seen or heard about a topic, they will want to investigate.
Catan’s popularity and accessibility is a huge boon to its success as a board game staple.
Catan's Mechanics are Genius
Catan is a game that, at its core, is about resource management and trade.
Resource Gathering
When it was first introduced in 1995, it was the first of its kind to use resource management whereby resources are generated through player built structures. This is a great way to emulate scarcity in a game and means players receive different resources in different amounts based on their particular strategy.
All resources in Catan are useful – players have to use trade in order to get their hands on something they need or are not producing themselves. Resources are the lifeblood of the game and in the end will carry a player to victory.
Many of today’s board games that have elements of resource management (even some video games) took inspiration from Catan.
Resource Expenditure
Resources in Catan are used to build things. These things – depending on what they are will have different benefits offered to the players who own them.
There are three MAIN strategies used to win a game of Catan. These are:
- Build roads and settlements;
- Upgrade settlements to cities; or
- Gaining points from the largest army and development cards.
The above strategies viability depends on where on the board you are positioned as a player, how the other players are playing and the resources available to you.
Trading for Resources
This could fall under resource gathering. However, it deserves a section all of its own. To enhance Catan’s resource management, and because resources are intrinsically scarce. Catan introduced an element of trade to the game.
Players are able to trade with the active player during a turn and they are able to negotiate HOWEVER they like. This creates some incredibly unique and in some cases tense or hilarious situations.
It is worth noting that because of the freedom of the trading system in Catan, this can make the game last a very long time – check out this article if you want to learn ways of how to speed it up.
An element of randomness
Unlike other board games that preceed it – Catan does not rely primarily on luck. However, there is an element of luck in the game.
This comes in the form of a rolled dice each turn to reveal the number of resources generated for that turn.
It’s not huge factor in the game. But it is there and it does add a cool twist to the game play. You also get to control your fate a bit – by choosing the risks you want to take (where you build) or preferring to play it a bit more safe.
Replay Value
There are over 143 ways to win a game of Catan. I’ll let that sink in for a moment.
This combined with the trading component and the randomness of the board and your position on it, means that Catan is a game that you can play over and over again.
Every game is unique and that’s what makes the game so great.
Even though there are technically only 5 different ways of scoring points in the game – There is still a myriad of different strategies you can try your hand at during a game based on resources you are producing, your position compared to other teammates or just as a challenge.
Replayability in a board game is huge. No one wants to purchase something they play once then tuck away for 5 years. This is a huge contributing factor to why Catan is so popular.
Final Thoughts
Why is Catan so Popular?
It is Catan’s gateway appeal, accessibility and ingenious mechanics that make the game so popular.
I mentioned it was one of the first games I got introduced to and from that moment I was transported into a world I am so happy to be a part of – the board game community.
To me personally, it is a mixture of nostalgia, excitement and the competitive aspect I have with my group of friends that keeps me playing this game. It will never get old!
One Response
Thanks for the article. It’s true Catan could be called the best board game of all time. Not that it is my favourite, but because of its replayability and a lot can be said about this game.
I just want to mention four things.
1. It is a strategy game but light and not too thinky. So, easily accepted by the younger generation and friends who don’t want to get a headache!
2. It CAN be played with just players. You can have a light duel with your spouse with the two player variation. Not an expansion. You can find this variation on the Board Game Geek site. I tried it several times. It plays really well. You are forced to compete with the other player since the tiles are less. So no player takes a small corner next to him and arranges freely whatever they want. This creates nice tension leading to laughter, revenge…
3. Randomness: There is an element of randomness but you forgot to mention that even on the other players’ turns, you can still get resources. There is a bit of strategy you have to think of in the beginning and a but left to luck. The probability that a number has to appear at a dice roll and the distribution if the tiles (resources).
4. A very important reason for its popularity is that it’s a family game. A family can gather around the tiles, have a good time and communicate by exchanging insults or laughs! But everyone will leave the table with a good memory.
I wanted to write a small comment, but Catan is such a nice light family game most likely to be still available for the next few years.