Catan. The game. DEVIR

Catan is the cornerstone upon which every board game collection is built. Designed by Klaus Teuber in 1995 and winner of the Spiel des Jahres, it was the game that revolutionized modern board gaming. Its trading system allows players to exchange cards with each other to build roads, settlements, and cities. Catan stands out for its high replayability. It is played on a hexagonal board where players place their settlements and cities. Each hex has a number, which changes in every game and determines the resources produced according to the dice roll. There are five resources: wood (forests), clay (hills), wool (pastures), grain (fields), and ore (mountains). With these, players can build more settlements and roads, upgrade settlements into cities, or buy development cards. Efficient resource management is key to achieving victory. In Catan, trading is essential. If a player lacks a needed resource, they can negotiate with other players during their turn. The value of each exchange depends on everyone’s interests, so deals constantly shift. It’s also possible to trade with ports on the board or, as a last resort, exchange four identical cards for one from the bank. Every game is different thanks to the variable board layout and player strategies. Although dice introduce some luck, the outcome largely depends on management and trading decisions. Victory in Catan is achieved by earning victory points, obtained through building settlements and cities, achieving the longest road or largest army, or playing development cards. It’s a fast game, easy to explain, and full of player interaction. When someone rolls a seven, they move the robber, blocking resource production on a hex and stealing a card from another player. Catan is perfectly balanced, with tense matches until the end where victory is often decided by a narrow margin.