www.playcatan.com

I've been following this game for quite some time but getting a game started and learning how to play can take a bit of research.

There are two main versions of this game. One involves an island on which you're placing roads and settlements to acquire resources from land hexes adjoining your settlements and the other version (much more interesting IMO) involves placing tiles and rolling dice like Carcassonne.

Unfortunately the Carcassonne style game currently needs a payed online membership to play but a single player VS A.I. PC version should be released in early 2012.

The island styled Catan is free but can only be played online and as such you have to set up an online client and aggravate a lot of live players while you feel your way around, not only the game, but the online world's social environment as well.

Out of all the genres of video games, table top translations (dice, cards, etc) are my favourite and I thought that I would bring it to attention in the various forums I visit as, although there are many players world wide, it's pretty obscure and underground yet a deep and original game.

Oddly enough searching YouTube doesn't reveal too many results for this game. I found this video of some kid demonstrating how to play but there was no footage on their of the tile (card) and dice version.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSm1DcPTp1U&feature=player_embedded

Yep, Settlers of Catan is wildly popular around these parts.

Here too.

What the others have said.

Online version may be underground, but the original, boardgame version is not.

Oh yes, famous Settler of Catan and the all the expansions (Knights and Pirates...) were Game of the Year back in late 90's. It's a really good old game. :)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Settlers_of_Catan

Sold over 15 million times, that is the board game version. :)

If you want to play many of these board games (should have no costs at least last time I checked) with others online, try

http://www.brettspielwelt.de/?nation=en

Next to Carcasonne I can recommend Trans America, Funkenschlag and Dominion.

About half the people I know played Catan at least once. Might be because I forced them at gun point ;)

I play Catan on my PS3, it's the hex one, place town, build roads, place more towns, first to 10 points wins, can play against 3 computer opponants or play over PSN with real people, it can be quite fun. Don't know what this other game type is that you're on about, guess I'll check your link out xD

Cool! Thanks for the links - we just really don't get stuff like this in America or New Zealand...I'm mean we do but it's very obscure and swept under the carpet.

There's two types of boardgames in my book: mainstream boardgames, and real boardgames. Mainstream boardgames are like Monopoly, Clue, and Trouble. Real boardgames are the other ones. In my opinion, Catan is by far the most popular "real boardgame," with Carcassonne coming in 2nd place.

That's a very US-centric point of view, actually; the situation is quite different this side of the pond. And thank god for that, Monopoly is dreadful, and Clue(do) gets old really, really fast.

I think Puerto Rico is my favourite boardgame ever, and one I would recommend to absolutely everyone. But there is a lot of great stuff out there, mostly coming out of Germany.

That's a very across the pond point of view, as well. I do speak from a US-centric point of view usually when posting, as well as making it clear I was being very subjective ("in my book" "in my opinion"). I don't do research before posting on a forum to see if my point of view is standard elsewhere :)

I do share your dislike of those types of mass marketed games in the US, although there have been some greats in the past. Hero Quest, Fireball Island, even Bonkers comes to mind.

I didn't mean that as criticism. I just find it funny that for a New Zealander, SoC, very much a mainstream boardgame in Europe, is underground, and that on the other hand a few years back, Cluedo was just as unknown here in the Czech Republic (it's been released here since then, but I don't think it's caught on much). Considering how globalised the Western culture is becoming, it's fairly interesting.

I think I just jump the gun on explaining myself even when it is unnecessary. I didn't take your post in any negative way at all.

I wish more people in the US played good board games. The first thing I do when I move is try to find a nice gaming group.

This. On brettspielwelt.de ("world of board games") you should be able to play all kinds of similar "underground" games in your browser, for free and even without registration. ;)

You can play with friends or strangers, most people should be able to talk to you in English and I hear there are quite a few international fans of the so called "German Board Games", too. I think there are also tutorial rounds with game masters introducing players to a game and explaining the rules. I second the recommendation for Dominion; Puerto Rico & San Juan are also quite nice.