star trek catan game board

Star Trek Catan

Space... The final frontier... Star Trek CATAN combines the adventures of the legendary Starship Enterprise with those of CATAN. The challenge is to settle a world that has never been settled before.

This is a stand-alone game and requires no base game to play!

About the Game

• Federation Space Map Set

On behalf of the Federation, you explore space with your starships and build outposts and starbases near valuable planets. There you extract important resources such as the coveted dilithium. But the Federation has also sent out other expeditions.

Therefore, you have to be wary of competitors - and of the Klingons, who want to give the players a hard time. With the aid of Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock, however, keeping the adversaries in check and outperforming your competitors should be an easy task. With this in mind: Live long and prosper!

Game Components (Partial List)

• 19 sector tiles, 60 starships, 28 outposts,
• 1 Klingon battle cruiser, 95 resource cards, 25 development cards,
• 10 support cards, 18 number tokens, 2 dice, 1 game rules booklet, and 1 almanac.

Star Trek CATAN is basically a direct adaptation of the CATAN base game. But what would Star Trek be without its protagonists Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock? That's why Star Trek CATAN also contains the card set  “Helpers of CATAN”  – the set was adapted to the Star Trek universe, of course. The players thus receive direct support from Kirk, Spock, McCoy, and another 7 famous Star Trek characters.

Illustrator and Star Trek fan Franz Vohwinkel provided completely new illustrations of all printed game components, including the characters, based on motifs from the popular TV series and the movies with William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy. Hence, Star Trek Catan is set in the second half of the 23rd century, the classic Star Trek era.

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Similar to our  CATAN Geographies  maps, which take the CATAN   experience towards real regions, the  Federation Space  map set expansion takes  Star Trek CATAN  into a “real” region of space: “The Explored Galaxy” map known from Captain James T. Kirk’s quarters.

In other words:  “These  are  the voyages of the Starship Enterprise.”

During the original mission, the Enterprise, Captain Kirk, and his intrepid crew visited many strange new worlds, and discovered many new life-forms and civilizations. Now you and your friends can Boldly Go and explore this galaxy too! Follow in Kirk’s “footsteps” with this 2 map expansion set.

Based entirely on the “Explored Galaxy” map seen in Kirk’s quarters itself, these maps allow you to settle the famous worlds of Federation Space using pieces from your  Star Trek CATAN  base game.

• 2 full color maps depicting the “Explored Galaxy” known as Federation Space.
• 4 individual scoring tracks - 1 for each player
• 4 sets of scoring markers - 2 for each player
• 18 Victory Point tokens - New ways to score
• 1 Almanac with 1 page of rules and 20 pages of planet and episode descriptions.

Downloads to the Game

Star Trek Catan – Game Rules & Almanac

Star Trek CATAN - Federation Space - Almanac

More Questions?

We have collected important questions and answers about Star Trek CATAN. Just follow the link.

Board Game Guys

Star Trek: Catan

“Star Trek: Catan” is a spin-off of the original “Settlers of Catan” board game, which was designed by Klaus Teuber and first published in 1995. The original game has become one of the world’s most popular board games, selling more than 32 million units worldwide. It has also inspired numerous spin-offs, expansions, and special editions. The game has been so successful that it has even been adapted into computer games.The popularity of “Settlers of Catan” led to its expansion into the Star Trek universe with the release of “Star Trek: Catan” in 2012. This spin-off uses the same basic components as the original game but with new names, new graphics, and some minor rules additions. The building costs and resources match the original game, and it incorporates the “Helpers of Catan” expansion, with the cards renamed as Star Trek characters.

Game Components of Star Trek: Catan

The Game Components of Star Trek: Catan for “Star Trek: Catan” include: – 2 small Outposts – 3 Planets (each supplying resources based on the player’s choice) – 5 different resources (dilithium, titanium, food, oxygen, and water) – Support Cards with special abilities featuring Star Trek characters

Game Setup of Star Trek: Catan

Each player starts with two small Outposts at the intersection of three planets, with each planet supplying resources based on the player’s choice. The game board is the same as the base “Catan” game, but instead of different land regions, there are different planets that contain different resources.

Gameplay Mechanics of Star Trek: Catan

“Star Trek: Catan” is a strategy board game where players compete to establish the most successful colony on a fictional island called Catan. The game involves trading resources, building settlements, and developing technologies to earn points. The goal is to be the first to reach 10 points earned by establishing Outposts, Starbases, or Victory Points.

Game Objective of Star Trek: Catan

The objective of “Star Trek: Catan” is to be the first player to reach 10 points earned by establishing Outposts, Starbases, or Victory Points.

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Michail, a seasoned tabletop enthusiast, dives headfirst into worlds of fantasy and strategy. Whether commanding a party of adventurers through perilous dungeons or engaging in tactical showdowns on the board, Michail is the maestro of the tabletop realm. Michail's gaming table is a realm where the clatter of dice and the shuffle of cards create a symphony of strategic chaos.

Hobby: Miniature painting guru, turning pewter into masterpieces Preferred Game: Dungeons & Dragons, but always up for a board game brawl

Star Trek Catan Guide

Star Trek, the ultimate space soap opera and pop culture icon, might have hit our screens fifty years ago, but its impact is still being felt today, evidenced by the many movies and games that have been released in the wake of the original TV show.

One game, in particular, is causing a stir because it’s a board game/TV spin-off of epic proportions. You guessed it – I’m talking about Star Trek Catan .

Evidently, I’m not the only person who wishes they could join Captain Kirk’s crew aboard the Starship Enterprise! The fandom is still very much alive.

Exploring the universe in a spaceship might be nothing more than a pipe dream – at least for the moment – but this themed edition of Catan offers an alternative way to enjoy and celebrate the legacy of Star Trek.

By now, I’m sure you’re eager to learn more about the game, so let’s take a closer look.

Star Trek Catan: A Quick Overview

• Players: 3-4
• Recommended age: 10+
• Playing time: 75 minutes

Star Trek and Catan both have millions of fans worldwide; it isn’t difficult to see why Klaus Teuber, creator of the original Catan game , saw the potential for a crossover.

There are already hundreds of fantastic custom Catan boards , accessories , and expansions out there – why not add a Star Trek addition to the mix?

In Star Trek Catan, players explore the Final Frontier, building Starships to connect different regions in the galaxy. Points are earned by building starbases and outposts, but beware of Klingon ships which can stifle resource production and increase taxation in a heartbeat!

The Aim of the Game

As a player, your mission is to earn as many victory points as possible – the future of space exploration depends on it! To do this, you’ll need to travel far and wide, building starbases and outposts to connect far-flung corners of the universe.

The fact that this edition of Catan is set in outer space makes it so much more thrilling (at least in my opinion, but I am a die-hard Trekkie, so I’m slightly biased). Either way, there’s plenty of fun to be had.

How to Play

You’ll be exploring the Final Frontier in no time.

If you’re a Star Trek Catan newbie (don’t worry; we all have to start somewhere), I’d recommend assembling the game board using the Game Overview illustration.

Once you start to get the hang of everything, you can use the variable setup, but in this guide, I’m going to stick to the basics.

• Put two outposts of each color next to the game board as a reserve
• Hand out one building costs card to each player
• Each player needs the rest of the game pieces of their color (five outposts, four habitat rings, and fifteen starships)
• Put your two starships and two outposts on the board, keeping the rest of the game pieces in front of you
• Position the support cards side-by-side next to the game board, with the “A-Side” up. In a four-player game, the oldest player gets the A4 card (Sulu), the player on their left gets the A3 card, and so on
• Put “Largest Star Fleet” and “Longest Supply Route” next to the game board, along with two dice
• The resource cards should be sorted into five decks, then placed face-up beside the board
• Place the development cards face down in a stack beside the board (make sure you shuffle them first!)
• Finally, take your resource income for the outpost marked with a star – you earn one corresponding resource card for each planet sector bordering this outpost

Taking a Turn

Each turn, you can do the following (in order):

• Roll for resource production
• Trade resources with a border or your opponents
• Build outposts, starships, and/or buy development cards

The oldest player goes first, and play continues clockwise.

Roll for Resource Production

Start by rolling both dice. The sum of the dice dictates which planets produce resources.

All players with an outpost bordering a planet sector with a corresponding number take one resource card of that planet’s type.

You get one resource card per outpost if you’re lucky enough to have multiple outposts matching these criteria (this seems to happen to everyone but me!).

There are two kinds of trade you need to know about:

• Federation trade (with opponents)
• Border trade (with the “Bank”)

You can trade at a ratio of 4:1 during your turn by putting back four resource cards in exchange for one from a different stack.

When you first play Catan, this might seem like a harsh trade-off, but having valuable resources is far more important than having lots of resources you can’t really use for anything – trust me, I learned this strategy the hard way.

Fortunately, having a starbase or outpost that borders a trading post allows you more favorable trading conditions of 3:1.

Building is one of the most important parts of Star Trek Catan . Got it? Make a note now because that little snippet of information is something you’ll want to bear in mind.

You’ll need to pay specific combinations of resource cards to build, after which you can take the corresponding number of outposts/starships and put them on the game board.

Starships require 1 dilithium and 1 tritanium. They are always built between two space intersections.

Here’s where the rules get a little complicated. You can only place a starship adjacent to a space intersection bordering one of your own starships. Alternatively, you can set it adjacent to an intersection occupied by one of your outposts or starbases.

Creating a continuous supply route of at least five spaceships will earn you the “Longest Supply Route” card, which is worth two Victory Points.

Be careful not to get too confident, though – another player could take the card off you by building a longer route.

Outposts require 1 food, 1 dilithium, 1 tritanium, and 1 oxygen. They have to be built on an intersection adjacent to at least one of your starships, and you can only build one if all adjacent intersections are unoccupied (yes, even if they’re yours!)

An outpost is worth one Victory Point. You can receive resources from the adjacent planet sectors for each outpost you build, one card per sector when the correct number is rolled.

Starbases require 3 water and 2 oxygen and are worth two Victory Points. They are built by upgrading an existing outpost. For each one, you receive two resource cards from each adjacent sector whose number is rolled.

Development cards require one water, one oxygen, and one food. You must draw the top card from the deck when you purchase one.

Special Cases

Some unique rules add to the fun of the game.

Activating the Klingon Battle Cruiser by Rolling a Seven

Nobody receives any resources whenever you roll a seven (you will be temporarily hated by everyone in the room, but don’t worry, they’ll get over it).

Players with more than seven resource cards need to select half of them and return them to the pile (in the case of an odd number, round down).

Now it’s time to move the Klingon Battle Cruiser! *Bites nails nervously*

• Move the Cruiser to another planet sector
• Steal a resource card from one opponent who has a starbase or outpost adjacent to the sector where the Cruiser is positioned
• Continue your turn

Playing Development Cards

You can play a development card any time during your turn, even before rolling the dice! But you can only play one per turn.

I’ve always viewed this as a ballsy move, but playing one of these cards before rolling the dice can be highly beneficial, especially if you’re not in a powerful position. My advice is to just do it!

Victory Point cards must be kept secret. Only reveal them when you have ten.

When a Starfleet Intervenes card is played, you must move the Klingon Battle Cruiser. Once that is done, leave the card face up before you.

The first player with three cards in front of them receives the “Largest Starfleet” special card, which earns them two Victory Points. I always try to win this card because those two points can make a big difference in adding up the final scores.

As always, another player could take this victory from you, so aim to get as many Starfleet Intervenes cards as possible.

If you decide to play a progress card, simply follow the instructions and discard the card after.

Support Cards

Support cards are helpful because they provide you with a specific advantage. The first time you use this advantage, you can either return it to the display and choose another card or flip it over to use the advantage again next time.

You can only use each advantage a maximum of two times.

I’ve learned over the years that you shouldn’t be afraid to reuse an advantage. Swapping for a different card could put you in a worse position, so if you think the advantage is serving you well, keep it for a second use.

End of the Game

The game concludes when a player reaches ten points. They are the winner and can brag for eternity about being crowned the “Starfleet Admiral of Catan” (yes, I still bring up my one victory from last year, obviously).

How Many Pieces are there in Star Trek Catan?

You will find the following components in the box:

• 19x sector tiles
• 60x starships
• 28x outposts
• 1x Klingon Battle Cruiser
• 95x resource cards
• 25x development cards
• 10x support cards
• 18x number tokens
• 1x instructions booklet

Alternatives to Star Trek Catan

Here are some other games I think you’ll enjoy.

Game of Thrones Catan

If you’re interested in Star Trek, you clearly have impeccable taste in TV shows, which is why I’ve no reservations in recommending Game of Thrones Catan to you. Apart from the final season, which we don’t talk about for obvious reasons, GoT is one of the best shows to come out of the last decade, and it works well when translated into a game of Catan.

You can find out more in our Game of Thrones Catan guide .

• Players – 3-4
• Recommended age – 14+
• Playing time – 60-75 minutes

Catan Settlers of America

From the depths of space to the Wild West, my next recommendation is a lot more down-to-earth, that’s for sure. Catan Settlers of America is the perfect spin-off for history buffs and fans of the great nation that is America.

Intrigued? You should be! Learn more about Catan Settlers of America in our guide.

• Recommended age – 12+
• Playing time – 120 minutes

Cards Against Humanity Star Wars

Star Wars is another epic sci-fi series that has gripped the hearts and minds of millions. The creators of Cards Against Humanity, also known as “the card game for horrible people,” have transformed it into a hilarious card game. Get ready for endless lightsaber innuendos; that’s all I’m saying…

Check out our Cards Against Humanity Star Wars guide for more information!

• Players – 3-20
• Recommended age – 17+
• Playing time – 30-90 minutes

Frequently Asked Questions

Question: is star trek catan a standalone game.

Answer : Yes, it’s a standalone game rather than an expansion pack, so you don’t need the base game to be able to play.

Question: Is Star Trek Catan a Family Game?

Answer : Just like the original Catan, it makes a brilliant family game . Though it might be a little complicated for younger children, it has a broad appeal that makes it suitable for moms, sons, grandmas, uncles, cousins…basically everyone!

Question: Can I Play if I’ve Never Seen Star Trek?

Answer : First of all, what on earth have you been doing with your life? That’s practically a crime you just admitted to! You can definitely play Star Trek Catan even if you’re unfamiliar with its concept, but it’s more fun if you understand the references that appear throughout the game.

Question: Is there a Strategy Involved in Catan?

Answer : What I love most about Catan is that you can make it as complex or as simple as you want. You can play an easy game, following the rules in their most basic forms, or you can play competitively, developing clever strategies to outwit your friends. As you’ve probably guessed, I do the latter. There are loads of strategies you can use to get ahead in Catan – check out this guide where we explain them in depth.

Question: What Catan Expansion Packs are Available?

Answer : Catan is an immensely successful game that has been around for a long time; so many variations and expansion packs are out there. In this guide, we cover the best Catan expansion packs available today.

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• Best Catan Accessories
• Top Games Like Catan Worth Trying
• Settlers of Catan Resources Explained
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Star Trek Catan (2nd Edition)

By: Catan Studio

Type: Boxed Game

Product Line: Catan Series Games (5th Edition)

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Star Trek: Catan

• Reviews ( 8 )
• Game Tips (4)
• Publisher Overview

"SPACE...the Final Frontier."

The many resource rich planets within the limits of Federation territory await exploration and settlement. Build outposts and star bases to extract the resources. Using your fleet of starships, establish supply routes that enable you to boldly go further into deep space. Avoid resource shortages by trading with your opponents and Federation neighbors. If your opponents venture too far into your space, though, you might need to divert the Klingons to drive them away... because in the end, only one can be the Federation’s greatest hero! Take up the challenge!

Star Trek: Catan ® transports the timeless game concept of the world’s most acclaimed board game— The Settlers of Catan —into the exciting Star Trek universe. The popular characters of the Starship Enterprise come into play through novel new “support cards.”

Build, trade and settle where no one has gone before!

Geek & Sundry: TableTop Season 2, Ep. 8

Wil Wheaton and guests Jeri Ryan (Actress—Star Trek: Voyager, Boston Public), Kari Wahlgren (Actress, Voice Actor - Bolt, Phineas and Ferb), and Ryan Wheaton (Son of Wil) play Star Trek Catan! 31:47 See more TableTop videos >

User Reviews (8)

Star Trek Catan Details: No. of players: 3-4 Time to play: 1 – 2 Hours Age:10+ Set-up: 10 minutes

Based on the iconic game Settlers of Catan – Star Trek Catan plays much the same way. If you like Catan and you like Star Trek this is a no-brainer. Star Trek Catan is the very same game we all know and love, with the addition the Star Trek theme and one new mechanic. If you are familiar with the game play of Catan then you will almost immediately be able to jump into Star Trek Catan.

So, what does the change in theme bring? For me, some very cool changes. No longer are we playing with wooden pieces…they are now replaced with molded plastic versions of the starship Enterprise and the familiar federation space stations. The ships are equivalent to roads, the space stations replace towns, and in place of a city simply add a second tier to the space station. Both the ships and the space stations are attached to clear plastic bases about half an inch tall. Personally, I love the theme and for me it feels very much like a new game. The board is still constructed of randomly placed hexagons with randomly placed numbers. However, the hexagons are now different colored planets (red, blue, gold, white and green) that correspond to the different resources (Tritanium, Water, Food, Oxygen and Dilithium). The robber has been replaced with a fearsome Klingon Bird of Prey that trolls the galaxy robbing moving as always with the roll of a 7.

The new mechanic is the addition of Character Cards/Support Cards that give you a specific advantage based on the card currently in your possession. For example, Captain Kirk allows you to do one of two things: if you have more than 7 cards when the next 7 is rolled, you can use your Kirk card to avoid losing any cards. Or, if you have less than 7 cards, you can use it to take 1 resource of your choice. When you’ve used one of the character cards for the first time you have a choice: flip the card over and save it to use again later (after which it must be returned to the table), or you can immediately return it to the table and choose a different card. While this is the only mechanic change to the game it adds a great deal in the way of strategy without dramatically changing a beloved, classic game.

This is a great addition to the world of Catan and also the world of Trek. My family loves playing Catan and now we have found a fresh interest in Star Trek Catan. Of course that is probably influenced by our love of all things Trek!

Original Review @ Ooo, Shiny! (with images)

Prior to playing Star Trek Catan, my wife, son and myself had only had the experience of playing some board games, like Catan, via the Xbox 360. We loved playing it that way because it didn’t require such an investment to play it on the table. After some time though with the digital editions not getting as much love as the table versions, we eventually had to give in.

Hence, Star Trek Catan hit out table, two times in a row and then another third the next morning. For the record, all three I lost (wife won, son came second) and I have learned not to play competitive games when sleepy (re: poor loser). All in all though, it is now our #1 family game to hit our table and we don’t have any reason to get the standard Catan as Star Trek Catan, even as a max 4 player game, still wins out.

If you want to know how Catan itself fairs in the mix of all this, I recommend checking reviews specific to the base game of Catan as Star Trek Catan lacks some of the additional features the Catan expansions bring to the table and it would be unfair to judge it against them.

Image: End of Game #2

The general premise with Star Trek Catan is to try and be the first player to hit 10 Victory Points (VP) by trading resources to build outposts (settlements) and starbases (cities). There is also Development Cards to acquire for the Longest Starfleet bonus (as well as the infamous Longest Supply Route) but the prime difference with the original Catan to Star Trek Catan is the Support Cards.

Image: Support Cards

As you can see, the Original Series crew are injected into Star Trek Catan to add in bonuses to the player for a maximum of two uses before they have to put it back in the pool and choose another. Of our games, Kirk, Scotty, Spock and Uhura end up in regular use with Sulu not far behind. They all have their uses depending on what is happening in your hand and on the table and for us are a welcome addition to the game. Without these, it would just be a reskin of Catan with no real true feeling of Star Trek to it beyond that of the miniatures/tiles.

The set up process as well is very simple. Infact, the first proper game we played (Game #2), I had the son (13 y/o) set the game up as it was that simple and the rest of us hadn’t done that aspect yet. For once in many of our games in our collection: setting the game up is actually interesting rather than some games feeling like a chore.

With myself being a sore loser at times with competitive games, I actually rate Star Trek Catan fairly high in our games. Just like the wife and son, it definitely is a go-to game now when we want to play something together. Infact, we’ll be introducing it to our family shortly whom love simple games and hate complexity. We have a few games we plan on buying in the (near?) future to introduce to them but this is one of the first we’ll be proud to have them learn and know they will love it!

Image: End of Game #3

Whether you are a board game beginner or a longtime board game fan, Star Trek Catan will satisfy your cravings if you lack a copy of one of the other games but perhaps may not be favoured to those who dislike Star Trek. Our household is very Star Warsy but we enjoy the odd bit of Star Trek here and there. Even with that, we LOVED the theme of this game and highly recommend it to any one else who is standing on the fence.

KEY POINTS: -Typical Catan resource gathering and development game play, but with a nice speed boost and a strategy twist. -Support cards add unique abilities that can be used to enhance the normal collecting/trading/building processes.

GAMEPLAY: The gameplay is more or less identical in almost every way to the standard Settlers of Catan board game. You gather resources under new names: Dilithium = Wood/Lumber, Tritanium = Clay/Brick, Food = Sheep/Wool (lamb chops, anyone?), Oxygen = Wheat/Grain, & Water = Ore/Rock). Once you gather some resources, you can trade them in to build starships (roads), outposts (settlements), starbases (cities), or to buy a development card on your trek (sorry, I had to) for victory points. Hmm, they couldn’t think of a new term for a development card, it seems. Why not something like a Matter Conversion Distributer? Too lengthy to print on the building costs card? Ding, ding, ding! I think we have our answer.

New elements: “Support Cards” bring new life to this classic game and can speed up game play considerably, especially for veterans. Each player is provided with a support card that represents one of the characters from the Star Trek original series. Each has a unique ability that can be used up to two times (but only activated once per turn) before trading in for a new role. These unique abilities include some game-changing effects like forced resource trading, the ability to gain a resource card when rolls do not produce them, and 2-to-1 trading (without using a [port]).

Depending upon your familiarity with normal Settlers of Catan mechanics, these cards can provide a VERY powerful boost for the overall game speed as resources can be accumulated and used more efficiently. In a two-player game, for example, we found that the playing time was reduced by 10-20 minutes in a game with absolutely zero player-to-player resource trading. As a veteran of Settlers of Catan (mind you, only the base game with 5-6 player expansion), I found these abilities to be an AMAZING benefit for the game. Catan can (sometimes) seem to drag on if one or more players are not collecting the right resources or using them wisely. The support cards seem to negate that issue, which was my only element of grief with the first game. For strategy gamers, these cards can add a nice layer of strategy to this game, as players get to choose among the available support cards and can reap the related benefits.

COMPONENTS: The board and card artwork really pops and is a welcome Trek-themed version that greatly differs from the classic Catan style. The cardboard components are similar in quality to the 4th edition of the Settlers of Catan game (relatively thin, but not terribly so). In lieu of the wooden settlements, cities, and roads, the game includes very fragile-looking plastic pieces (including a lovely Klingon ship as the Robber/Soldier). The starships, outposts/starbases are all placed on clear plastic bases to give you that “floating in space” effect, but this adds a considerable time to set up (at least initially). Be careful with these fiddly bits and they may last long enough to boldly go where several predecessors have gone before (though at a marginally higher altitude). Of course, if they do require a little patching up and someone complains, don’t miss the golden opportunity to loudly proclaim that you’re “a doctor, not a miracle worker!”

RULES: The rules were not as logical and straight-forward as one might expect for a themed release of such a popular game. That being said, anyone familiar with the Settlers of Catan game play should have minimal need to reference the rules other than to review the mechanics of the support cards.

REPLAY FACTOR: Star Trek Catan brings new life(forms) and new civilizations to an old favorite. While I was admittedly a bit skeptical of how much power Scotty could bring to the Catan game, I was greatly impressed by the themed modifications made and the enhancements the support cards provided. They boldly take the old classic Catan to new places!

PROS: -Classic Catan-style turn play with simple mechanics and dice rolls. -Support cards add new game play options and some mild strategy. -Space-themed, eye-catching artwork. -Easy for Catan veterans to pick up. -Attracts Star Trek fans (if they aren’t gamers already, this might do it). -Game plays a faster due to support cards. Warp speed!

CONS: -Rules book could use some maintenance. -Plastic pieces may need hull reinforcement or a good repair crew over time -No 5-6 player expansion available (yet) -No tribbles (Yes, I was hoping they’d be worked in somewhere)

FINAL THOUGHTS: Star Trek: Catan is a good re-themed version of an old classic. If you like Settlers of Catan and like or love space themes or Star Trek in any form, this game will deserve a place on your game shelves. While I would never consider selling the classic game, this version is definitely the preferred version for me. The game play is faster, the artwork is more energetic, and the support cards offer new options. For those reasons, I feel that this game is “Givin’ it all she’s got!”

Live long and prosper with resources in this game!

Maybe it was because this was the first Catan game that I played, but I wasn’t that excited by this game. I played once during a game night and lost resoundingly. I did not have time to master the strategy of the game, but I started to get a feel for the mistakes I was making and how I could play better in future games. Unfortunately, I have not yet had the desire to play again.

The rules are a bit complex, so expect your first time to be a process of learning the finer details. It helped my first time to have some experienced players in the group.

I did appreciate the very “Star Trek” feel of the game. I did feel like I was working towards space exploration goals. So that’s a plus!

Space…The Final Frontier. These are the voyages of the Starship Enterprisess Their one game mission: to explore strange new worlds. Seek out new resource cards, block resource production from other opponents and boldly win by gaining 10 or more victory points before anyone else.

Publisher: Mayfair Games

Game Designer: Klaus Teuber

Players: 3 – 4

Ages: 10 to adult

Playing Time: 75 + minutes

Contents: 2 Dice, 19 Sector Tiles, 6 Frame Pieces, 95 Resource Cards, 25 Development Cards, 10 Support Cards, 4 Building Costs Cards, 2 Special Cards and the game pieces in 4 different colors contain 4 Starbase Expansions, 7 Outposts, 15 Starships and finally 1 Klingon Battle Cruiser

Suggested Retail Price: $55.00

Parental Advisory: Safe for kids

In Star Trek Catan the players scour the universe looking for resources on new planets to build Outposts, Starbases, creating the “Longest Supply Route” and having the “Largest Starfleet.” Players can trade, block, and meet up with the dangerous Klingons while facing having to build in locations that may be plentiful in resource production or very minimal.

Each player is trying to build Outposts (worth one Victory Point each) that eventually upgrade in to Starbases (worth 2 Victory Points each) in orbit of the Federation Territories (planets.) Each planet has a random number 1-12 on it, this allows a player to gather the type of resource that planet produces if that number is rolled by a player.

Red Planet produces Tritanium

Yellow Planet produces Food

White Gas Planet produces Oxygen

Green Planet produces Dilithium

Blue Planet produces Water

Asteroid Field produces nothing

Each player starts with 2 Outposts and 2 Starships and 1 Support card chosen at random. Because of this, each player automatically starts the game with 2 Victory Points. Players pick where to put their first Outpost by starting with the oldest player first. The first player then places one of their Outposts and an adjoining Starship on any Federation territory junction and this continues clockwise till the last player places 2 Outposts and then it moves counter clockwise until the players have placed both of their Outposts and Starships on the game board.

The Turn Overview looks like this:

The player must roll the dice for resource production. This result gives all players with an Outpost or Starbase on that number a resource from that planet. A player may get more than one resource depending on how many Outposts or Starbases are located there. Each Outpost produces 1 resources and each Starbase produces 2 resources.

The player whose turn it is may trade resources with any other player during their turn. That player may listen to offers and any counteroffers. A player may not trade if it is not their turn unless it is only with the current players turn. The current player may also trade with the Border (bank) by trading any 4 of one type of resource for 1 of any other type of resource. If the player has an Outpost/Starbase that borders trading post, then they may be able to trade at a 3:1 or 2:1 rate.

The player may build as many Outposts, Starships or Starbases as their resource cards allow.

The player may also play 1 of their Support and/or 1 Development card any time during their turn.

Building allows a player to increase their resource production as well as giving them more Victory Points. To be able to build, a player may not build closer than 2 space intersections from another player.

To build requires the following:

Starship – I Dilithium and 1 Tritanium resource card. These are built along the space intersection connecting their Outposts/Starbases together. They may not be built of any other player’s routes or Outposts/Starbases. Once a player has built a route of 5 or more Starships that do not branch off, they may receive the “Longest Supply Route Card” worth 2 Victory Points. This card may change hands many times during the game. If there is a tie for the longest route, no one holds the card.

Outposts – 1 Food, 1Dilithium, 1 Oxygen and 1 Tritanium are required to build 1 Outpost. The player must build the Outpost adjacent to one of their Starships and the player must make sure they are 2 space intersections away from any other (including their own) Outpost or Starbase before building. When building a new Outpost, that player now has the possibility to increase their resource production if that planet number is rolled.

Starbases – 3 Water and 2 Oxygen are required to build the Starbase upgrade to the current Outpost. This attachment goes on top of the current Outpost and doubles the resource production of the current Starbase. The Starbase must be built on a current Outpost and cannot bypass the Outpost building stage.

Resource Cards – 1 Water, 1 Food and 1 oxygen are required to buy 1 Resource Card. This card is drawn from the top of the stack and held in secret until the player chooses to reveal it. Most Resource Cards may not be played until after the turn in which it was purchased.

Victory Point Cards – The players must keep their Victory Point Cards hidden until they have 10 Victory Points or more and then reveal them. These cards may be played on the turn they were purchased to win the game.

Starfleet Intervenes cards – If a player plays this card, they must move the Klingon Battle Cruiser (more on how this works below.) Once this card is played, it will remain face up in front of the player that played it adding to their Starfleet size. Once a player has 3 Starfleet Intervenes cards face up in front of them, they may claim the “Largest Starfleet” card worth 2 Victory Points. This of may change hands many times during the game. In case of a tie, no one holds the “Largest Starfleet” Card.

Progress Cards – These cards have text on them that the player may then activate to receive its bonuses. Once played, these cards go out of the game.

Support Cards are Star Trek: TOS characters with special text on them to help the players who holds it. They have both an A and B side to them. Once a player uses side A, they have the option to either flip it over to side B and use it again later or they may return it to the Support Card display and choose another that is available. If the player chooses to keep the Support Card after using side A, once they use side B, they must return it to the Support Card display and choose another card. A Support Card may not be used the turn that it was acquired.

The Klingon Battle Cruiser is activated once a “7” is rolled by a player or if a “Starfleet Intervenes” Card is played. The following is what happens when a “7” is rolled or a “Starfleet Intervenes” card is played.

If a “7” is rolled on a players turn, no player will receive any resources that turn from production.

Any player that holds more than 7 cards in their hand at that time the “7” was rolled must put half of their hand back into the resource supply rounded down.

The player that rolled the “7” must move the Klingon Battle Cruiser to a planet sector or to the asteroid sector although moving it to the asteroid sector usually doesn’t make much sense.

The player then “steals” 1 resource from 1 opponent who has a Outpost/Starbase currently in orbit of the planet on which you placed the Klingon Battle Cruiser.

This planet no longer produces any resources as long as the Klingon Battle Cruiser is on it.

Play continues as normal.

The game ends as soon as a player reaches 10 Victory points through any combination of Outposts, Starbases, Victory Point Cards and Special Cards such as the “Largest Starfleet” or the “Longest Supply Route”.

The components of Star Trek Catan are exceptional. The photos are taken from the Star Trek: TOS from the “Wrath of Kahn” or after. The tiles and edge pieces are very thick and will last forever; the Starships, Outposts and Starbase pieces are detailed and very cool. The cards stock is thick enough to not bend to easily but they are glossy which does make them slippery and they are all smaller than the original Catan. It would have been better if they were normal size so they could have been sleeved if needed and textured just to be easier to handle. That is my only complaint though. The box art is very cool, and the box insert is nicely done as well.

Star Trek Catan is a remake of the famous “Settlers of Catan” and so much of it is very much the same with the exception of the theme and the Support Cards. I know a lot of people were like “another Catan?” or “Isn’t this just over kill and license gouging” but I say nay! The theme works very well with this game. Star Trek has a huge audience and let’s be honest there have been a plethora of bad Star Trek games through out the years. Attaching Star Trek with the Catan game library was a smart move and it fits very well along side all the others. The addition of the Support Cards adds a whole other dimension to the game no pun intended. It allows people to get back in the game easier as well if they are struggling due to placement. This version of Catan has become my go to version to play and it has completely refreshed it for me. This was a win/win situation for the both Catan and Star Trek.

We already know that this game has a ton of re-playability as the board is never the same and there are so many different variables to chose from. Adding the theme just makes it MORE fun that it already was. Catan being the game the re-energized the board game industry has done a good thing here and made a great game slightly better than it already was. This game belongs on every board gamer’s shelf and most certainly every Star Trek fans.

Due to the theme, added Support Cards built on a game that was already great and revitalizing a game many of us had played out, I am giving this 9 out of 10 stars.

I was not provided a review copy of this game.

There are plenty of Settlers of Catan reviews so I want to concentrate on the differences. This edition is based on the original TV series. Instead of villages, cities and roads you have outposts, starbases and starships. The robber piece is a Klingon warship and the desert is replaced by an asteroid field. The resources are dilithium, food, water, oxygen and tritanium. The main difference is the addition of special character cards. Each card has a different special power. You start the game with a card and must use it once before you choose a new one or keep it to use a second time. After you use it a second time you must choose a new card. The development cards are similar to the deck in the original game but redone to fit the theme. There has already been 1 expansion of extra mapboards based on the map iof the federation in Kirk’s room. It is a fun alternative to the regular base game.

I’ve been checking this page for a couple days to see if anyone posts a review, but nothing yet so I guess I’ll go first! I can’t wait to see what a big Catan fan has to say though as I warn you, I am much more of a Trekkie than a Settlers of Catan player. In fact, I’ve been “silently flamed” with my review on Catan here as the diehards have largely voted no!! Oh well, like I said there, I get Catan, but I’m not a big fan.

However, when I saw they were doing a Star Trek version, I was eager to drop the $50 at Target (the only place to buy it here in the States) and see if I could change my own mind. So far, yes! Having the Trek theme makes the game a lot more fun for me. And that’s a personal thing of course, but if you’re a big ST fan, I think you’ll dig this.

The miniatures look great if not a little on the delicate side. I’m not sure how durable the plastic will be in the long term, but with some basic caution they should hold up fine. I also appreciate the zip lock bags included once I tear open the shipping bags for all the pieces, which there is a lot of!! I like the way you add onto outposts to turn them into starbases and the Klingon threat is pretty neat. I also really like the character cards and the impact they can have. With only a couple games under my belt, I haven’t gotten the gist of all of them, but the idea of forced trading etc. make for great player interaction. Nothing’s wore than when the dice hate you and you’re stuck without the one resource you need repeatedly!

The tiles are nicely illustrated although I feel the overall look of the board is a little dark. Considering how important the corners and straight edges (shipping routes) are to Catan, the black on black esthetic is hard on the eyes. A faint blue line or something would’ve been a nice addition. There are some space clouds, but it’s not consistent.

All that being said, if you like Catan and you like Trek, you’ll love this version. If you’re only into Trek, I still say you’ll want to add this game to your collection. If you’re just a big Catan fan, not sure this will add anything to your experience. The mechanics are largely the same, but the joy in Star Trek Catan is the Star Trek.

It’s Catan. While Catan is a good game slapping a licensed theme onto it doesn’t make it a great game.

The game does come with some decent pieces, but the starships as roads, to the space stations really break the theme for me.

The 1 thing that really separates this from just a Catan money making clone is the variable player powers. Which do add something to it. If you are a fan of both Catan and StarTrek then give it a shot. If you like one or the other, then stick with whatever of the two float your boat.

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• Themes Movie/Television/Book Inspired , Science Fiction
• Mechanics Dice Rolling , Hand Management , Modular Board , Route/Network Building , Trading
• Designers Klaus Teuber
• Official Game Site 🔍 Star Trek: Catan
• Rulebook 🔍 See official rulebook
• Price (MSRP) $55.00
• Playing Time 75 minutes
• 19 interchangeable planet sector tiles
• 6 part game board frame
• 28 outposts
• 16 habitat rings
• 60 starships
• 1 Klingon battle cruiser
• 2 special victory point cards
• 10 support cards
• 25 development cards
• 4 building costs cards
• 95 resource cards
• 2 six sided star dice
• Rules & almanac

• Toys & Games
• Games & Accessories
• Board Games

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Star Trek Catan

About this item.

• For 3-4 players
• Takes 75-90 minutes to play
• Combines two classic properties

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Product information

Product description.

SPACE the Final Frontier. The many resource rich planets within the limits of Federation territory await exploration and settlement. Build outposts and star bases to extract the resources. Using your fleet of starships, establish supply routes that enable you to boldly go further into deep space. Avoid resource shortages by trading with your opponents and Federation neighbors. If your opponents venture too far into your space, though, you might need to divert the Klingons to drive them away. because in the end, only one can be the Federation's greatest hero. Take up the challenges. STAR TREK CATAN transports the timeless game concept of the world's most acclaimed board game-THE SETTLERS OF CATAN-into the exciting Star Trek universe. The popular characters of the Starship Enterprise come into play through novel new "support cards." Build, trade and settle where no one has gone before. Since 1966, millions of Star Trek fans all over the world have watched the adventures of the Starship Enterprise, Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock. And since 1995, millions of enthusiastic players all over the world have played Klaus Teuber's The Settlers of Catan-a board game classic. It's time to bring them all together on the Final Frontier. Includes 19 interchangeable planet sector tiles, 6 part game board frame, 28 outposts, 16 habitat rings (for upgrading outposts to starbases), 60 starships, 1 Klingon battle cruiser,2 special victory point cards, 10 support cards, 25 development cards, 4 building costs cards, 95 resource cards, 2 six sided star dice and rules & almanac.

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Star Trek Catan Board Game

The Settlers Of Catan is an immensely popular board game that involves strategy, tactical skill, and clever trading as you compete to settle an uncharted island. Taking the same game (but with the addition of support cards), the Star Trek Catan Board Game allows players to enjoy the game in the world of Star Trek: The Original Series.

Compete against 2-3 other players in games that typically last 45-90 minutes as you explore space to build outposts and starbases. Along the way, you’ll need to collect and trade resources including dilithium, tritanium, oxygen, food, and water. Enlist the support of Kirk, Spock, Sulu, McCoy, Uhura, Chekov, Scotty, Chapel, Rand, or Sarek.

Star Trek Catan Board Game Officially-licensed Star Trek merchandise Mechanic: Dice rolling, hand management, modular board, route/network building, trading, and space sabotage Play time: 45-90 minutes For 3-4 players Ages 10+ Includes: 2 (1D6) Dice 6 Frame Pieces 19 hexagonal “Sector Tiles” 4 “Building Costs” Cards 2 Special Cards (“Longest Supply Run” and “Largest Starfleet”) 18 Number Tokens Game Pieces & Minatures: 60 Starships (15 each in 4 colors) 28 Outposts (7 each in 4 colors) 16 Starbase Expansions (4 Habitat Rings each in 4 colors) 89 Stands for the Ships & Outposts 1 Klingon ship 95 Resource Cards (19 each of Dilithium, Tritanium, Oxygen, Food & Water) 10 Support Cards (Kirk, Spock, McCoy, Sulu, Chekov, Uhura, Scotty, Chapel, Rand & Sarek) 25 Development Cards (14 “Starfleet Intervenes”, 6 Progress Cards & 5 “Victory Point” Cards)

Star Trek Catan is $64.99 at ThinkGeek .

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Product Key Features

• Gender Boys & Girls
• Game Type Board Game
• Character Family Star Trek
• Game Title Star Trek Catan
• Recommended Age Range 10-15 Years
• Min. Number of Players 3 players
• Type Game Board
• Award Games 100
• Theme Strategy

Additional Product Features

• Age Level 10-15 Years

Amazing Game.

Fun sci-fi take on old Catan. First got interested watching it on YouTubebeing played by certain Ex Star Trek actors :)

Great gift item

I sent this to my son, so I have not seen it personally. He loves it!!!

Trekkie worthy

The more you play the more you wear out the cards and break the teeny tiny Enterprise pieces but the game is wonderful, fantastic, habit forming _ _ _

Monopoly Star Trek Board Games

Star trek board and traditional games, star trek board & traditional games, star trek board game tokens, catan contemporary manufacture game boards games, star trek contemporary board and traditional games.

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Star Trek Catan

Game Information

Star Trek Catan takes two well-known media properties and merges them into, well, into something that is 95% The Settlers of Catan glossed with Trek tropes and spiced with new special powers related to Trek personalities.

In Star Trek Catan, players start the game with two small space stations at the intersection of three planets, with each planet supplying resources based on the result of a dice roll. Players collect and trade these resources – Dilithium, Tritanium, food, oxygen and water – in order to build spaceships that connect regions in the galaxy, establish small and large space stations at new intersection points in order to increase resource acquisition, and acquire development cards that provide victory points (VPs) or special abilities.

On a dice roll of 7, a Klingon ship swoops in to prevent resource production on one planet, while taxing spacegoers who hold too many resources.

The one new element in Star Trek Catan compared to the Settlers version is a set of character cards, each featuring one of Kirk, Spock, McCoy, Sulu, Scott, Uhura, Chekov, Chapel, Rand or Sarek. Each character card has two special powers that the holder can use on his turn, such as a forced trade.

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Star Trek Catan

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Star Trek Catan transports the timeless game concept of the worlds most acclaimed board game-The Settlers of Catan-into the exciting Star Trek universe. The popular characters of the Starship Enterprise come into play through novel new “support cards.” Build trade and settle where no one has gone before!

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Star Trek: Catan - Federation Space Map Set

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Note: This is not a standalone product and you'll need the base game Star Trek: Catan to play. During its original mission, the Enterprise, Captain Kirk, and his intrepid crew visited many strange new worlds and discovered many new life-forms and civilizations. Now you and your friends can boldly go and explore this galaxy, too, with the  Star Trek: Catan - Federation Space Map Set , which includes two maps depicting the Known Galaxy.

Based on the "Explored Galaxy" map seen in Kirk's quarters itself, these maps allow you to settle the famous worlds of Federation Space using pieces from your  Star Trek: Catan  base game.

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7W:D is one of my all time favorite games, so I wanted the best insert for it that I could find. Dicetroyers inserts are usually very nice, and the design details on this do not disappoint. I was a little worried that the money compartment would be too shallow and not accommodate the official metal coins set, but the coins fit without any problems!

I do have some problems with this insert though. As per usual with Dicetroyers, glue is required (some other wooden insert manufacturers don't need glue as their joints are tighter). This isn't a real problem, it just adds to the setup time.

Next, my main complaint: the card wells in this insert don't accommodate premium sleeved cards (anything >80 microns I would guess). All my cards are in Mayday Premium mini Euro sleeves (90 microns), and they overflow the card wells. I had to end up storing a few of each Era card type in a different card slot in order for them to fit. This also meant that the small, long piece that slots in to close off all three wells just had to be abandoned because the sleeves lengths didn't allow it to fit anymore. I specifically bought this insert so I could store premium sleeved cards... it was disappointing to say the least. These card wells just don't allow any extra space - which is a shame as the tokens trays have a lot of extra space.

Finally, even with the insert fitting all components properly, there is still just a tiny bit of lid lift on my copy. It might've been just a manufacturing quirk of my copy of the game, or it could've been the insert, but everything fit together flush in the box, and the boards and rules booklets gave it just a millimeter of lid lift even without any other components in it (while no pressure is applied). This is a minor thing, and I wouldn't have brought it up were it not for the other issues. It was actually a pretty tight fit in the box horizontally (again, maybe a manufacturing quirk of the box).

FWIW, I have the Repos English version.

For something like this, a luxury product for a niche game, it needs to be 100% perfect. Thankfully BGB imports these types of items so the shipping is much more reasonable for North American customers, which is why I purchased in the first place. The design ideas in this insert are good, but the execution is strangely lacking.

Fun family game. Quickly become my son's new favorite.

I received this without the Matsuri cards, and in response to my follow up, the store pointed me to the publisher, who pointed me to the distributor, who pointed me to the store.

It took a long time for our copy of Heat: Pedal to the Metal to arrive, but it was worth the wait! Super fun, fast paced game, interesting hand management decisions. We haven’t even begun to implement all the advanced modules! There is a lot in this box.

Star Trek Catan – A Galactic Board Game Experience

Star Trek Catan is an exciting board game that combines the strategic gameplay of Catan with the immersive world of the popular Star Trek franchise. In this unique gaming experience, players take on the roles of Federation captains exploring the galaxy, establishing colonies, and trading resources to expand their influence.

Understanding the Rules of Star Trek Catan

Star Trek Catan follows the basic gameplay mechanics of the original Catan. Players take turns rolling dice to collect resources and use those resources to build starships, settlements, and outposts. The goal is to accumulate victory points by establishing colonies and completing missions.

In addition to the standard Catan components, Star Trek Catan introduces new elements that are heavily influenced by the iconic Star Trek universe. Players can explore multiple sectors of the galaxy, encounter strange anomalies, and even negotiate with rival Starfleet captains.

Exploring the Star Trek Theme in Catan

One of the highlights of Star Trek Catan is how it seamlessly integrates elements from the Star Trek franchise into the gameplay. Players will encounter famous characters like Captain Kirk, Spock, and Picard, each with their own unique abilities that can be leveraged to gain an advantage in the game.

Additionally, players can choose to play as various Star Trek civilizations, such as the Federation, Klingons, Ferengi, and Romulans. Each civilization offers its own specific advantages and gameplay strategies, allowing for diverse and engaging gameplay experiences.

Strategies and Tips for Success in Star Trek Catan

To excel in Star Trek Catan, it’s crucial to develop a solid strategy. Alongside the standard Catan strategies, players should consider the special abilities of their chosen Star Trek character or civilization. For example, using Spock’s logical thinking can help make optimal decisions, or leveraging the Klingon’s combat prowess to gain an advantage in conflicts.

Resource management is also essential in Star Trek Catan. Allocating resources efficiently and trading with other players strategically can lead to successful colonization efforts and the accumulation of victory points.

Expansions and Variants of Star Trek Catan

If you’re looking to expand your Star Trek Catan experience, several expansion packs are available, introducing new scenarios, characters, and gameplay mechanics. Some expansions focus on specific Star Trek series, such as “Star Trek: The Next Generation” or “Deep Space Nine,” expanding the thematic possibilities and adding more depth to the gameplay.

Additionally, there are variants of Star Trek Catan that introduce new challenges and twists to the game. These variants can spice up gameplay for seasoned players looking for fresh experiences.

Enjoying Star Trek Catan with Friends and Family

Star Trek Catan is an excellent game to enjoy with friends and family, whether they are fans of the Star Trek franchise or not. To ensure an enjoyable gaming session, establish a game night routine and create a welcoming atmosphere for newcomers.

Teaching the game to new players is crucial, and it’s recommended to start with the basic Catan rules before introducing the Star Trek elements. Encourage open communication and friendly competition, as negotiation and trading play a significant role in the game’s success.

The Enduring Appeal of Star Trek Catan

Star Trek Catan continues to captivate board game enthusiasts and Star Trek fans alike due to its unique blend of strategic gameplay and immersive theme. The deep connection to the Star Trek universe, the inclusion of iconic characters and civilizations, and the opportunity for creative diplomacy make this game truly special.

Moreover, the Star Trek Catan community is thriving, with fans creating custom scenarios, variants, and even fan-made expansions, further expanding the game’s possibilities and ensuring its longevity.

In conclusion, Star Trek Catan offers a captivating and immersive board game experience that combines the beloved Catan gameplay with the rich universe of Star Trek. Whether you’re a seasoned player or new to the world of board games, Star Trek Catan is a galactic adventure that will keep you engaged and coming back for more. So grab your starship, gather your resources, and embark on a journey to conquer the galaxy!

Doug Barlow

Best Board Games To Play If You Like Catan

Players who absolutely love Catan will quickly fall in love with these board games with similar mechanics and themes.

• Resource management in games is key for that Catan feeling - Splendor's quick gameplay offers a great budget alternative.
• Crescent Moon offers Catan fans a more complex resource management game with betrayal - perfect for strategy enthusiasts.
• Terraforming Mars is essentially Catan in space, with hexagonal tiles, diverse strategies, and various ways to win - a great next step.

For many people, Catan is the first foray into the wider world of European-style board games. Considered one of the best board games , Catan has players win via a combination of positioning, trading, and probability. There's a bit of luck involved, but as with any game where mechanics have strategy involved, careful play usually wins out.

TIcket to Ride

The castles of burgundy, terraforming mars, small world, crescent moon, king of tokyo, carcassonne board game, splendor (base game), the best games like wingspan.

Finding a good position on the map and waiting for the right rolls (or draws) to win the day feels tense and exciting, but let's face it, Catan is old. Most board game enthusiasts have played it to death and want something new, even if their board game noob friends haven't tried it yet. Finding a compromise is a key component of any fun game night, so Game Rant gathered the best board games like Catan that can make everyone at the table happy to get scheming.

The Best Board Games for Fans of Catan

Ticket to Ride is a classic train collection and route-building game set in the Industrial-era USA. Each turn, players collect train cards, place tokens on the map to secure routes or opt to gain secret objectives. The game is a constant balance of trying to take on more to gain more points while also not attempting to do more than is possible.

The Castles Of Burgundy is a game where players strive to create the best kingdom, using tiles from a central pool to create engaging industries. Players trade, engage in livestock farming, create industry, and court unique businesses to edge out the most points. However, picking the perfect piece is never easy as players are always at the whim of the dice.

In Terraforming Mars, players control giant corporations, sponsored by the World Government on Earth, to raise the temperature, the oxygen level, and the ocean coverage on Mars until the environment is habitable. With over two hundred project cards and six different resources in play, strategic gamers will love this sci-fi adventure.

7 Wonders is a card development game that spans three ages. The game offers players ways to manipulate the world immediately and, in the long run, using cards and resources. The somewhat complex gameplay is easy to handle after just a few rounds and encourages replays to try new strategies. Planning is essential in 7 Wonders, but it is simple enough to serve as a bridge between entry-level and more advanced strategy games.

Smallworld is a mix-and-match figurine duel. Combining races and classes to create tons of possibilities and combat outcomes, players vie for a piece of the (small) world the game inhabits.

This highly social game relies on lots of planning and table talk in order to win. Perfect for long game nights among veteran players, this board game offers a unique setting with truly immersive gameplay.

A kaiju smash-em-up, King of Tokyo pits players in Tokyo (and Tokyo Bay) as they roll dice to fight for supremacy. Match numbers on the dice to gain points or use special die faces to gain powers, attack enemies, and possibly heal yourself. The first to 20 points — or the last alive — wins.

Space Base is a game of die-rolling, gold-gaining, rocket-building fun. Players draft cards that activate on certain die rolls. Score the blue side of your board on your roll and the red sides on your opponents' rolls. There's something to do on everybody's turn!

Carcassonne is a strategy game that challenges players to develop a medieval fortress city one tile at a time. The objective is to outsmart opponents by strategically placing tiles, which depict cities, roads, monasteries, and fields, to create an ever-expanding game board. Players then add followers to the tiles, each taking on various roles, such as knights, monks, farmers, or thieves, depending on the tile type.

Splendor takes players on a quest to mine the best jewels of the world and please wealthy clients. Each turn, players can collect gems directly or invest in and select mines to add to their power. As those who have their own mines don't need to do the mining to collect gems, players can do increasingly more on each subsequent turn in the game.

What to Play After Catan

Catan is one of those games that gets discovered by groups and then played as often as possible until everyone is a little sick of it. Except that they aren’t that sick of it. So how can players find a game that’s just like Catan, but offers a fresh and exciting experience? There are a few key features of Catan found in other titles that most often come to mind when thinking about Catan:

Resource Management : Choosing a game with good resource management, specifically managing more than two resources, is a great way to get that Catan feeling with any title. Even better are games that have so many resources that not every player is after every resource.

Table Talk : Most groups end up doing a fair bit of table talking to broker deals for trades and alliances by the time they’re playing Catan for the tenth time. Choosing a game with loose rules about table talk or that actively encourages players to form alliances and enemies is perfect for more strategic groups.

Simple Gameplay : Some players just don’t want to get bogged down by rules, no matter how long they’ve been playing board games. Catan has fairly straightforward rules, made more complicated by player action rather than by elements of the game itself. By choosing a game that doesn’t get overly complicated , fans of Catan will have a great time with their new game.

Hex Grid Placement : Not all games use hex pieces to play, and even fewer have the same placement system as Catan. In Catan, the map is randomly generated at the beginning of the game, with users taking turns to place drawn land tiles. If this is something you enjoy or something you’d rather have more control over, look at different map-building methods offered by board games before purchasing a new title.

Best Budget Game Like Catan

Splendor is an older game, but it’s a famously engaging and quick resource management game. Splendor asks players to collect gemstones to purchase developments and make themselves more prestigious. Each turn, players can collect gems or purchase cards, until one player has 15 points, when the final round begins.

This light bit of resource management is vital to success, as players need to keep an eye on how close their opponents are to 15 total points, while also trying to get there themselves. However, that's it. That's as complicated as the game gets, and it plays super fast. Fans of Catan who are looking for a speedy round of trying to outsmart their friends and family won't be disappointed by Splendor. Plus, the game is one of the few tabletop titles that is available for less than $30.

Best Premium Game Like Catan

Crescent Moon was made for those groups who have gone way off the rails within Catan’s table-talk allowances. Very similar in gameplay to Catan, Crescent Moon is a resource management game that really wants players to betray each other.

Taking place in a kingdom rife with turmoil, opportunities abound for players to rule the land through ambitious moves. The plot of the game runs through three or four years, depending on the mode players choose, and the game is about as complicated as it sounds, with an estimated play time of 180 minutes.

There are familiar hexagonal land tiles, tokens that mark resources, NPCs, and player-claimed locations, all beautifully created with vibrant colors and details. For Catan fans who appreciate tactile gameplay, Crescent Moon has a ton to offer. While it is a bit expensive and very complex, Crescent Moon is a natural next step for players who can't get enough of Catan, but need a bit more challenge.

Editor’s Pick

Terraforming Mars is basically Catan in space. Again, there are hexagonal tiles and tokens for players to interact with, but the game is made a bit more approachable with the addition of cards. Cards are given to players to help them claim water, build cities, and collect resources.

Additionally, the game starts with players selecting what essentially amounts to a character card, with different corporations vying for control of the Red Planet. These cards come with special abilities and bonuses that players can leverage throughout the game to beat their opponents.

What’s great about Terraforming Mars is that there are a lot of different ways to play and win. The game is just as much fun with two players as it is with five. At the same time, a player can be a force for good or evil as they amass heaps of resources and claim tiles. The game plays for about as long as Catan and is about as complicated, making Terraforming Mars the perfect choice for Catan players in search of a new game.

The Best Games Like Ticket To Ride

Q: what game is catan similar to.

Catan is very similar to Space Base due to the die-rolling mechanics in each game. Like Catan, two six-sided dice are rolled by the active player each turn, but all players are allowed to accumulate resources based on the outcome.Catan is very similar to Space Base due to the die-rolling mechanics in each game. Like Catan, two six-sided dice are rolled by the active player each turn, but all players are allowed to accumulate resources based on the outcome.

Q: Which is better, Catan or Carcassonne?

Catan and Carcassonne are roughly equal in quality. Different audiences might enjoy one game more than the other, but people as a whole regard them roughly equally. They both hold a 4.8 rating on Amazon, are in the top 10 games on BoardGameArena, and are rated between 7.0 and 7.5 on BoardGameGeek.

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How do you build without over polluting? That's the challenge of new Catan board game

Nathan Rott

A new version of the popular board game Catan, which hits shelves this summer, introduces energy production and pollution into the gameplay. Catan GmbH hide caption

A new version of the popular board game Catan, which hits shelves this summer, introduces energy production and pollution into the gameplay.

In the original version of the popular board game Settlers of Catan, players start on an undeveloped island and are encouraged to "fulfill your manifest destiny." To win you have to collect resources and develop, claiming land by building settlements, cities, and roads.

A new version of the board game, Catan: New Energies , introduces a 21st-century twist — pollution. Expand responsibly or lose. In the new version, modern Catan needs energy. To get that energy players have to build power plants, and those plants can run on renewable energy or fossil fuels. Power plants operated on fossil fuels allow you to build faster but also create more pollution. Too much pollution causes catastrophes.

Building renewable energy-based power plants has benefits in the new game, including minimizing pollution for everyone, but it also makes you grow slower. Catan GmbH hide caption

Building renewable energy-based power plants has benefits in the new game, including minimizing pollution for everyone, but it also makes you grow slower.

"Generally it's tough to depict reality in a game. The reality is always so much more complex," said Benjamin Teuber, managing director of Catan's production company and co-developer of the new game. Games, he adds, need to be fun.

Catan: New Energies makes players choose between renewable energy or fossil fuel-based power plants. The latter allows you to grow faster but creates more pollution. Catan GmbH hide caption

Catan: New Energies makes players choose between renewable energy or fossil fuel-based power plants. The latter allows you to grow faster but creates more pollution.

The newest iteration of Catan will hit shelves this summer. And it aims to mirror reality in a couple of clear ways: Energy from fossil fuels creates more planet-altering pollution than renewables; too much pollution leads to bad things ; those bad things are felt unequally .

"Sometimes flooding hits everybody, just as we see [in the real world]," said Teuber. "It doesn't matter who created the pollution. It affects everyone."

Teuber, who co-developed New Energies with his late dad, Klaus Teuber, said the game was an old idea they dusted off during the Covid-19 pandemic. It's one that's become increasingly relevant as the real world grapples with the effects of real pollution: a rapidly warming planet that's worsening wildfires, floods, and heatwaves.

The game's developers are aware of the relevancy. "It's a very interesting topic in every culture that we publish in," Teuber said.

Polls show climate change is viewed as a major concern across many parts of the world. But adapting to the changes and addressing its roots have proven difficult . Teuber said he thinks board games can help move the conversation forward. Board games generally require people to sit around a shared table, to read each other, to negotiate and take risks, "without having a severe and bad consequence," he said. "Unless divorce is the result."

Climate change experienced through board games

Catan: New Energies is not the only new board game centered on climate change. Daybreak , the latest game from the creator of Pandemic, a popular cooperative board game, tasks players with working together to cut carbon emissions and limit global warming.

In a blog post on Daybreak's website, the game's co-designer Matteo Menapace wrote that he and co-creator Matt Leacock were inspired to make the game because they were both worried about climate change and weren't sure what to do about it.

"The problem with the question 'what can I do about climate change,' is how it implies climate action is like a single-player game, with you alone fighting against this huge invisible enemy," Menapace wrote . They believe addressing climate change and its causes will require a collective effort. That's why Daybreak requires "total cooperation," Menapace wrote. "It's a big leap from the current state of climate (in)action, but not an unreasonable one... and we aim for this game to play a role in accelerating this shift."

Catan Studio, the developer and publisher of Catan games, isn't as explicit in its intentions with its new game. The phrase "climate change" doesn't show up in any of the Catan: New Energies' promotional materials, packaging, or rulebooks. "Pollution" is the catch-all term for the problem.

Teuber said they talked about adding the term but decided to focus on energy and presenting players with the option of fossil fuels or renewable. "We assume players will draw their own conclusions as they engage with the game," he said. The game's studio does note in its press materials that according to "evidence-based research and expert sources, [the] new game elements will get players thinking and talking about important issues."

A 2019 review of published research on board games and behavior by a team of Japanese researchers showed that "as a tool, board games can be expected to improve the understanding of knowledge, enhance interpersonal interactions among participants, and increase the motivation of participants." Though, it noted, the number of published studies on the topic is limited.

Dialogue from gameplay

"What games are really powerful at is starting dialogues," said Sam Illingworth, an associate professor of science communication at Edinburgh Napier University in the UK.

In the gaming world, there's a concept called the Magic Circle — a theory attributed to Johann Huizinga, a Dutch cultural historian, who in the 1930's posited that play creates a separate world with separate rules.

"It's the idea that we suspend disbelief on the gaming table," Illingworth said. "Like in the game Monopoly, it's perfectly good – strictly advisable – for me to want to bankrupt you, which is behavior that's morally repugnant away from the gaming table, but it means that those social hierarchies can break down and we can have conversations that we wouldn't normally be able to have."

In 2019, Illingworth co-designed a playable expansion to the original Catan that added climate change and sustainability to the gameplay. They called it Catan: Global Warming and posted the rules and instructions on how to adapt a regular Catan game online.

In the add-on, if players add too many greenhouse gasses, the whole island is destroyed and nobody wins. "So that creates a game state where psychologically there's obvious causality between actions and what happens, right?" Illingworth said. "So rather than just having a conversation about what might happen, you're actually experiencing it."

In Catan: New Energies, if pollution reaches too high a level to continue, the win goes to the person who built the most renewable energy power plants.

While workshopping the new game with colleagues, Teuber said they would often play too aggressively, aiming to "grow, grow, grow," they would build out fossil fuel power plants, he said. "We always manage to over pollute."

Test groups did the same. But after those games, the players would often come back and say, "We had heavy discussions afterwards," Teuber said. "We all felt kind of bad, we learned and thing or two, and the next game we played differently."

• fossil fuel
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• climate change