Any similar games to Settler of Catan?

Question

My friends and family love this game. I was just wondering if anyone else had any suggestions for other strategy games that require negotiation and resource management in a similar fashion.

Answer 1

Parthenon: Rise of the Aegean.

Dante's Inferno  I know that the two people who reviewed it didn't like it, but I've played it and *I* like it.  You could think of it as "Catan Goes to h**l".

Colosseum.  The resources you collect are performers, and you use them to produce shows.  

Someone else mentioned Keythedral, also an excellent game.  

In the Settlers of Catan family, try The Starfarers of Catan.  It is not an expansion, but a really fine game on its own.

Answer 2

umm there is aways risk. But truthfully no game compares to settlers of catan. It is the best.

Answer 3

There are a lot of games that fit your interests.  There is a database of games at BoardGameGeek.com.  If you like Settlers of Catan, here are some others that may interest you:

1) Bohnanza (http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/11) is a card game that uses trade and negotiation.  Basically, players are bean-field planters (Bohn is German for "bean", so the title is a terrible pun).  The key to the game is that there is no hand re-arrangment, so the cards in your hand are a queue that you will eventually need to plant, or trade with other players.  The trading is important, because that is your way to get beans you don't want to plant out of your queue, while getting the beans you do want from other players.  Plays 3-6 players, though it hits a sweet spot at 4-5.  25-45 minutes. Available online or at specialty game shops.

2) Power Grid - (http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/2651) This one is a great game of resource management and planning.  Players are building networks that power cities.  Players purchase power plants at auction, then buy the raw materials (e.g. oil, coal, garbage, uranium) that power these plants.  Then after expanding the powered networks, the players use the raw materials to provide power to the cities and get income.  It's a very good game where planning and positioning will reward a player. 3-6 players. 70-100 minutes.  Available online and at specialty game shops.  (The #2 game on BoardGameGeek.com).

3) Ticket to Ride - Germany's Game of the Year 2005. (BoardGameGeek.com entry for Ticket to Ride - http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/9209).  Though it doesn't have negotiation or trading aspects that you enjoy in Settlers, I still think you would enjoy this game.  This is a great game for families and groups of friends. Players get points by building routes across a map of the United States by collecting and playing colored train cards that correspond to the routes. In addition to getting points for the length of the routes played, each player has secret goals of destinations that need to be linked by their train cars, and players who complete their secret goals receive bonus points at the game's end. Available online or at specialty game stores (and some Toys R Us). 2-5 players, 45-75 minutes.

In addition to those, there are two expansions that change the Settlers game a bit, Seafarers of Catan introduces sea routes and alternate board set-ups, and Cities and Knights gives further depth into the game with management of knights to move the robber around, as well as city improvements.  I haven't played either, so I can't give you a recommendation here.

There is a wealth of board game information for you over at BoardGameGeek.com, including many more recommendations like these.  Some 1500-2000 new games and expansions come out every year that aren't Monopoly, Life, or Trivial Pursuit.

Answer 4

I'd suggest Puerto Rico and Evo for micromanagement:

Puerto Rico is a great step up from Settlers of Catan. It's all about colonizing the island

Evo is a fun evolution came with a bit of micromanagement thats all about becoming the most powerful and highly populated dinosaur in the land.

They are both really fun!

Answer 5

If you were to take the pirate and robber from settlers of Catan and base a game around them, you would have 'Dread Pirate'.

It is one dimensional but fun.

Answer 6

I recommend a game called OltreMare

Answer 7

All the recommendations listed by the others are good games but keep in mind that Catan has *dozens* of other expansions and variants. A game reminiscent of Catan without being Catan is Keythedral.

Answer 8

try the games Puerto Rico and San Juan.  I bet you will like them, they are like Catan.