Catan (Xbox 360)

GameSpot editors' review

• CNET editors' rating: 3.5 stars Very good
  Detailed editors' rating
  Overall score: 7.9 (3.5 stars)

• Reviewed by:
  Alex Navarro
• Reviewed on: 05/02/2007
• Updated on: 06/22/2007
• Released on: 05/02/2007
• Originally published on GameSpot: Catan (Xbox 360) Review

Though the terms "board game" and "arcade" seem somewhat incongruous, the first board game for the Xbox Live Arcade has just debuted in the form of Catan. This is an updated version of the classic German board game Settlers of Catan, a cult favorite among board game players. It is a game of resource management and very careful planning that rewards players that think far ahead. While that might sound a bit dull and overly complex, the good news is that Catan doesn't require a huge investment of time to learn. After a few plays, you'll have all the basics down, and you may just find yourself oddly addicted to this slow-pouring strategy game.

The rules of Catan are a bit confusing initially, but they make more sense as you begin to play. The playing field is a board separated by several numbered grids. The numbers represent the number you roll on the dice each turn, and each grid is randomly assigned a resource. There are five resources in the game: lumber, wool, wheat, brick, and ore. Managing these resources is the key to the game. You use these resources to build settlements, roads, and cities, as well as to collect development cards.

The overall goal of the game is to reach 10 points, and the things you create with your resources all net you points in various ways. Building a settlement gets you a point, whereas building a city (which is actually an upgrade to an existing settlement) or the longest road gets you two. There are also development cards to consider. Some development cards just sit in your deck and earn you a point automatically, while others, such as the soldier card, build up over time. If you use three soldier cards over the course of the game, you'll be awarded the largest army distinction, which gets you two points.

Ultimately, it all goes back to resources. You can't build anything without the resource cards, and you can't get resource cards without building anything. You start the game with two settlements placed wherever you like on the board, ideally in spots that get you a variety of resources. Settlements must be placed on the corner of a grid and at least two spaces apart from one another. Figuring out proper placements for roads, cities, and settlements is one of the trickiest things about Catan, because if you end up in bad spots, you'll get lapped by the competition or muscled out of key resource areas. The good news is that you can trade for resources you're lacking, if you can manage it, either with other players or by using port areas that surround the game board. Ports require you to give up four of one resource type to get one in return (unless you build a settlement on a port, which cuts the amount you'll have to sacrifice down a bit), whereas player trades can involve any number of cards. Of course, a smart player won't trade with you if you're getting too far ahead in the game.

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