7 Best Board Games Like Catan
It’s no secret that Settlers of Catan is one of the best tabletop games out there, thanks to its strategic ( competitive ) city building, resource management, and trading elements. Whether you are a beginner or have been playing board games for a while, you are probably familiar with the game of Catan.
If you have already played Catan and all of its expansions, you may be searching for new options to spice up your game nights. So if you would like to try something new, there are many alternative games to Catan out there to choose from.
In this article, we will mention the 7 Best Board Games Like Catan; those games are similar to Catan but also bring something new and exciting to your table. They will be great additions to your board game collection and are fun enough to play on any game night with family and friends.
7 Best Board Games Like Catan
Ticket to Ride Board Game
Agricola Board Game
Suburbia Board Game
Carcassonne Board Game: Base Game
Terraforming Mars Board Game
Scythe Board Game
Splendor Board Game
Ticket to Ride Board Game
Players : 2-5
Ages: 8+
Game Time: 30-60 minutes
Complexity: Medium
Release Year: 2007
This game is a lot of fun and perfect for families with kids who are 8 years old or older. It can accommodate up to five players, so it is a great choice for a family game night when the whole household gets together.
The theme of this game is traveling and geography. Your goal is to connect all of the cities of North America by matching train cards and connecting railway routes. The more cities you connect and the routes you build, the closer your victory will be.
In addition, there is a lot that you can learn from this game besides strategizing or decision-making. It is a great choice for those who love learning while playing.
You also get destination tickets that will give you extra points if certain missions are completed. When the game ends, the player with the longest route and the highest number of points will be the winner. This means that the game has a simple goal, but there are certain elements you still need to keep in mind.
Finally, the Ticket to Ride board game will take around 30 to 60 minutes to play, but you can always take your time if need be.
Pros
It is a good way to learn more about the cities of North America.
for both kids and adults
Improve strategic and decision-making skills
family board game
fun and enjoyable board game
Cons
The game depends on some luck.
Some of the rulebook instructions may be too hard to understand for some gamers.
Final Thoughts
If you love games that have a good mixture of luck and strategy in their gameplay, then the Ticket to Ride Board Game is one of the best games out there. It is an enjoyable board game that can be played with up to five players making it a great choice for a family game night. Your kids will learn about geography and North American cities while having fun at the same time.
Agricola Board Game
Players: 1-4
Ages: 12+
Game Time: 90 minutes
Complexity: Medium
Release Year: 2016
If you and your friends love farming, crop production, gardening, and agriculture, then the Agricola Board Game is the perfect choice for you. You can play this game solo or with up to three of your friends.
In this game, you are a farmer who lives in a small wooden shack with your spouse. Your goal is to plant, grow, and harvest crops to make a living and support your family.
In each turn, you are given two actions, one for you and the other for your spouse. There are a lot of things you can do each turn; some of them are building fences and collecting clay.
You can grow your family if you want to take more actions, but first, you should think about what you are going to feed them. So it is better to do this at the right time.
The game consists of 14 rounds. Each game challenges the gamers to make various strategic choices. At the end of the game, the one who establishes the best farmyard will be the winner. This game is similar to Catan, but those who love Monopoly will enjoy this game as well as it functions in the same way, only in an agricultural setting.
Pros
Game mechanics and components are well-designed and well-prepared
Encourage critical, strategic, and tactical thinking skills.
Made of top-quality materials.
Both solo and competitive game
Cons
It takes minutes to set up the board and start the game.
Final Thoughts
If you want a game with an agriculture theme where you can build your own farm, then the Agricola Board Game is your best choice.
It is a worker placement game that can be played with up to 4 players, so it is a great choice for friend gatherings. You can play it solo as well when you want some me time.
Suburbia Board Game
Players: 1-4
Ages: 8+
Game Time: 60-90 minutes
Complexity: Medium
Release Year: 2021
Suburbia is a fantastic game to consider if you enjoy the Settlers of Catan for its city-building element. It is a competitive game that can be played with up to 4 players with the ability of solo play. Suburbia is a great game for family gatherings as it is suitable for players 8 years old and up.
In this game, you are trying to build the biggest and best city that attracts as many people as you can. Your goal is to be the gamer that owns the city with the highest population when the game ends.
In the Suburbia board game, you start by building a small and self-sufficient village then you will try to attract more people to grow your economy. Attracting more people means earning more money that you can use to build things and grow your city.
You can build things that make a living in your city more desirable. These things include airports, high-rise apartments, and much more.
The city you build will depend on what cards you will get. How your city develops and how it will look is based on what cards you draw. So there is always something new every time you play this game due to the luck factor.
Pros
High replayability
Offer both solo and competitive gameplay
City building board game
a fun game for a family game night
a good mix between luck and strategy
Cons
Setting up the game may take a while
Final Thoughts
If you enjoy board games where you can build your own city, then the Suburbia board game is a great choice. You can gather your friends or your family members and compete to see who will build the best city. It is also a great choice for those who love board games that combine luck and good strategy.
Carcassonne Board Game: Base Game
Players: 2-5
Ages: 7+
Game Time: 35 Minutes
Complexity: Medium
Release Year: 2014
Carcassonne is another great alternative to the Settlers of Catan. This game is set in the medieval French countryside, and it is a great choice for those who enjoy building and developing cities.
In this game, you will take the role of a developer from the countryside, and your aim is to make your own unique impact on the terrain.
It is a tile-laying game; there are no cards or dice rolls. It has only the tiles that you lay down one by one in order to create your settlements. These tiles represent components of roads, cities, etc.
During this game, the players take turns placing tiles on the board, connecting them with other existing ones. Also, every gamer gets a collection of followers (or meeples ) that can be used to claim areas on the board.
When players place their meeples on the board, those followers can take many various roles determined by which tile you place them on. Those roles include thieves, knights, and more. Every one of those roles scores points differently, so to make the best use of your meeples, you need careful planning.
The gamers score points by using their followers. And the one who achieves the highest score once the final tile is played will be the winner.
Pros
Detailed land tiles
for both kids and adults
family board game
The accompanying rulebook has detailed instructions
A strategy board game
Minimal components mean this game is portable.
Quick and simple set-up.
High replayability.
Various expansions are available, adding to replayability.
A high player interaction makes it more challenging.
Cons
There is a component of randomness that some gamers dislike.
Game tiles are unstable, so if you hit a tile, they all may shift.
Final Thoughts
If you enjoy building and developing cities and prefer board games that require strategic thinking, then the Carcassonne Board Game is a great choice. It is for players 7 years and up, so it is a great game for family gatherings. The game playtime is 35 minutes which is a great duration for a short family game night.
Also, the package comes with minimal components, so you can carry it while traveling, camping, or even to your friend’s house to have some fun. This game is easy to set up, so you can jump into the game when you want to.
Terraforming Mars Board Game
Players: 1-5
Ages: 12+
Game Time: 120 minutes
Complexity: Medium
Release Year: 2016
Have you ever dreamt about being an astronaut or working for NASA? Well, this game will make your dream come true.
In 2400, Earth is overrun, and humans are forced to find a new planet where they can live. Large corporations began terraforming Mars as an alternative.
In the Terraforming Mars Board Game, the player takes on the role of a corporation that contributes to Mars’ terraforming process. Your goal is to make sure that the temperature, ocean coverage, and oxygen level are balanced enough so people can live there.
In this game, the more you give, the higher your score. You will be given victory points for not only any contribution you offer to the Terraforming process but also for advancing human infrastructure throughout the solar systems. And you will gain points for each time your help is appreciated.
Terraforming Mars is a great game to play with up to five players. It combines both cooperative and competitive gameplay, which means it will appeal to many players with different preferences.
Although all the players have the same goal, which is making Mars habitable, you are also competing with each other to score the highest number of victory points to win the game.
Pros
Great game mechanics
High replayability
There is a balance between the card game and board game play
you need a new strategy each time you play the game
Combine both cooperative and competitive play
Cons
First-time gamers may find it a little hard to grasp the gameplay.
Long-playing time may put some players off.
Final Thoughts
Terraforming Mars Board Game is the best resource management game like Catan. It is a great choice for any group of friends to enjoy together. This board game can be enjoyed by one to five people and will provide a long time of fun.
Scythe Board Game
Players: 1-5
Ages: 14+
Game Time: 115 minutes
Complexity: Medium
Release Year: 2016
Scythe is an action selection, area control, and engine building game. This game takes you back to a time when Europe was getting back on its feet after the First Great War. The game captures that era’s atmosphere; it brings out all sorts of 1920s-era charm while adding an exciting twist.
In this game, you take on the role of a fallen leader who has lost everything. Your goal is to restore your faction’s former glory and honor and repair your reputation.
You can reach your goal by conquering territories, recruiting new members, reaping new resources, building structures, recruiting villagers, and activating mechs that surround the center called The Factory.
This game is for one to five players, meaning it’s perfect if you want some solo gaming or multiple-player fun. It is the perfect choice for a party game and friend reunions, or family gatherings.
Pros
The combat element provides excitement.
the challenging game mechanics make it more fun and exciting
A great theme.
requires strategy more than luck
A great party game
Cons
Playtime increases with player count.
Not suitable for very young children and beginners
Final Thoughts
If you are searching for a game that can add some fun for your next party, then the Scythe Board Game is a great choice. The game’s playing time is 115 minutes, so it offers a long time of fun. Also, there is no elimination in this game; you will be a part of the fun from the start to the end.
Splendor Board Game
Players: 2-4
Ages: 10+
Game Time: 30 minutes
Complexity: Medium
Release Year: 2019
Splendor is a great game for those who love buying, selling, and trading. It is also designed for players 10 years and up. So it is a perfect game to teach your kids about business and economics. In addition, they will learn how to make a good strategy and plan well while having fun.
The game is set in the European Renaissance era when gem trading was at its finest. It is a competitive game where the players will take the role of the merchants. Each player will try to gain the highest score to win the game.
In order to do this, you have to buy and collect gem mines, trade routes, transportation modes, and shops and storage spaces. And eventually, you will attract the attention of nobles to visit you and contribute to your prestige.
The game is pretty straightforward; players need to acquire the most properties and attain the largest collection of wealth in order to accumulate the highest score of points. So to win the game, you need to utilize your resources well and come up with creative strategies.
When a gamer reaches 15 prestige points, the current round will be completed so that every gamer has played the same number of turns. Then the player who has the highest number of prestige points is declared the winner.
Your kids will love this game; it takes place during historical times. Players can learn a lot about how trading was conducted in those days and also apply the techniques of today.
Pros
The game enriches your historical knowledge.
Rules and instructions are easy to understand and learn.
The components of the game are nicely made.
Has high replay value.
Easy to set up
Cons
It is not for veteran players who prefer more difficult games.
Final Thoughts
If you want a game that you can play with your kids and have quality time, then the Splendor board game is a great choice. Splendor has a playtime of 30 minutes, so it is the perfect choice for a quick, fun game. It is a gateway game, so if you’re playing with a group that is full of newbies and they are completely blown away by Catan, you can play a simple, quick game before jumping up to other heavy long games.
