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In The Settlers of Catan, players try to be the dominant force on the island of Catan by building settlements, cities, and roads. On each turn dice are rolled to determine what resources the island produces. Players collect these resources to build up their civilizations to get to 10 victory points and win the game. Multi-award-winning and one of the most popular games in recent history due to its amazing ability to appeal to non-gamers and gamers alike.

One of the driving factors in Settlers– and one of the secrets to its success– is that nobody has reliable access to all five resources. This means players must swap cards to get what they need, creating a lively and dynamic market, which works like any other. “Even in this tiny, tiny microcosm of life, scarcity leads to higher prices,” says George Mason University economist Russ Roberts, who uses Settlers to teach his four children how free markets works.

Wheeling and dealing turns out to be an elegant solution to one of the big problems plaguing Monopoly– sitting idle while other players take their turns. Since every roll of the dice in Settlers has the potential to reap a new harvest of resource cards, unleash a flurry of negotiations, and change the balance of the board, every turn engages all the players.”

Since its introduction, The Settlers of Catan has become a worldwide phenomenon. It has been translated into 30 languages and sold a staggering 15 million copies (even the mega-hit video game Halo 3 has sold only a little more than half that). It has spawned an empire of sequels, expansion packs, scenario books, card games, computer games, miniatures, and even a novel– all must-haves for legions of fans.

–Andrew Curry Wired apr 2009

Like the best games made, The Settlers of Catan is easy to learn, highly engaging and different every time you play it.

Buy The Settlers of Catan from Amazon.

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