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Catan

EMAIL PRINTxbox360

9.0 User Score:

Generally favorable reviews

Based on 27 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

Based on 13 votes
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Game Info

Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios

Developer: Big Huge Games

Genre(s): Board Games

Players: 4

ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)

Release Date: May 2, 2007

Summary

[Xbox Live Arcade] Catan, based on the best-selling board game "Settlers of Catan," places you in the role of a colonist on a newly discovered imaginary island. Through strategy and trading, vie for control with other players over the territory and resources of this uncharted wilderness. Compete online with your friends from around the world, or go up against a computer personality. Features include an all-new 3-D "Living World" environment and robust computer gameplay to challenge all skill levels—even the experts. Difficulty levels: Play against historical personalities including Alexander, Cleopatra, and Tokugawa—a challenge to all skill levels, even experts! Also included is a "Learn As You Play" tutorial. House rules: Use popular house rules including Friendly Robber and Friendly Resources. Dice roll options: Choose from Randomized, Dice Deck with re-shuffling options. Multiplayer interaction: Taunt your opponents with engaging animations and emotes. Online support: Engane in multiplayer on Xbox LIVE (1-4 players, limited to one player per console) with Voice Chat enabled. [Microsoft]

Cheat Codes & Hints: GameFAQs

Also On The Web: Official Website

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

Console Gameworld

Captures the essence of the board game beautifully (quick to learn but hard to master).

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Game Almighty

I'm helplessly addicted...Catan is a god send of a game, filling a void in Xbox Live's offerings that will hopefully lead to more strategic board games in the near future.

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GameShark

Throw in some nice bells and whistles such as calling up die roll results charts and reference screens and Catan really gives you everything you need to play.

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Team Xbox

One of the best reasons for buying a game like Catan on XBLA—which comes with a cost of 800 Microsoft Points or about $10—is that you don’t have to know the rules and procedures that well.

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Game Over Online

If you’re a fan of the board game or strategy games in general, there’s no better way to spend your Microsoft Points.

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Worth Playing

Catan is a well developed version of "Settlers of Catan," and truthfully, I think Big Huge Games was just the right company to do it. It played very smoothly and is without a doubt is the next best thing — if not the best thing — to playing the original version of "Settlers of Catan."

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Digital Entertainment News

It’s not perfect, but overall this is possibly the most delightful surprise on XBLA since Geometry Wars came out of nowhere to be the platform’s killer app.

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Talk Xbox

A superb addition to anyone’s library. Its accessibility and user-friendliness will allow people of all skill types to have a blast. Even if this wasn’t your type of game in the past, Catan may just make you a believer.

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Gamers' Temple

Catan introduces videogamers to a classic strategy game that board gamers have enjoyed for quite some time.

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Xbox World Australia

Catan is an odd choice to lead the board-game charge onto the Xbox Live Arcade, but Big Huge Games have done a phenomenal job of recreating the experience on the console.

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The Onion (A.V. Club)

Board-game geeks usually have to go to conventions like GenCon to find a mother lode of enthusiastic opponents. Xbox Live makes these playmates accessible around the clock.

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Gaming Target

Catan translates surprisingly well to the Live Arcade, and this is mainly because of its smart design choices and addictive multiplayer offerings.

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Console Monster

Catan is a game that can appeal to almost every segment of the gaming market. If you’re young or old, fan of casual or hardcore games—it doesn’t matter.

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Planet Xbox 360

A solid Arcade game when you get good people to play with over Live. Those already enthralled with the world of Catan are likely too busy building their empires to read this, but those not should definitely give this addictive and highly challenging board game a shot.

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Hardcore Gamer Magazine

Catan is strategic, fun, and lets you screw over your friends, making it a perfect online party game. [July 2007, p.68]

G4 TV

A top notch conversion of a great board game. A good match generally takes less than an hour and there’s no clean up after you’re done. Well worth 10 bucks.

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X360 Magazine UK

A superb strategy title. [Issue 21, p.116]

Xbox World 360 Magazine UK

One of the best board games of recent decades, translated perfectly to Live. [Aug 2007, p.91]

Official Xbox Magazine UK

The minimal animation style underscores that this is the deepest strategy and most hardcore game on Live Arcade, if not on the Xbox 360. [Jan 2007, p.96]

Official Xbox Magazine

Catan is a slow-paced, cerebral game better played with friends than against the somewhat wonky A.I. Convince a few like-minded "siedlers" to buy and play Catan with you, and a good time is guaranteed. [mar 2007, p.81]

GameSpot

Catan isn't going to be immediately accessible to everyone, but it's a very good interpretation of the classic strategy board game, and the gameplay can be immensely satisfying.

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Jolt Online Gaming UK

The lack of offline multiplayer is a real shame as it would have been much easier to recommend, even if it meant having to constantly ask other players to avert their eyes. Still, Xbox Live Arcade is very much in need of more games like this and it’s well worth checking out.

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Game Chronicles

A deep and rich strategy experience, and for a mere handful of Microsoft points, it can be a welcome addition to any player’s arcade who is willing to spend some time learning the few simple rules of this timed release gaming experience.

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IGN

The omission of Vision Camera support. Catan is a social game and is best played with a group of friends that you know. At the very least, you'll want to play with a group of outspoken and interested opponents. Playing the game with a mute bunch of people you don't know is hardly enjoyable.

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PALGN

But we can safely say that even if you have the slightest interest in board games, it’s definitely worth the purchasing price, and we are definitely looking forward to some other big-name board games popping up on the Xbox Live Arcade in the future.

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Eurogamer

Perhaps the biggest flaw though is that the controls never stop being cumbersome. With several important information screens requiring more than one button to be held to be seen (never mind a strange and convoluted "emoticon" system for multiplayer matches).

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Games Radar (in-house)

If you're willing to put a little effort into learning the rules and nuances of Catan, you'll be rewarded with potentially endless amounts of strategic board game bliss. Although the AI opponents are remarkably interesting to play with, your Catan experience will hinge on getting your real friends to play with you.

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What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this game is 9.0 (out of 10) based on 13 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Graphitti gave it a7:
I really have to re-emphasize that there is no local multi-player. This was a huge loss for me, as I bought this hoping to play Catan with my wife. That said, I am hopelessly addicted to Catan. It's not always easy to find an online game, but I have a few friends online that play.

Justin S. gave it a9:
If you like Catan you'll love this game. It is fairly true to the board game. I kind of wish there were more board options (skins) and maybe some more music, though I do find the one song very catchy. The AI is decent, and the game is cheap. Overall its a good time. I hope to see some of the expansion packs in the future! (seafarers anyone?) Yes the guy from EuroGamer does seem...confused to say the least. The controls are quite simple! Its a board game! On a side note, having offline play would be difficult. It would be like playing poker with your friends all on one screen. Very hard to keep your cards a secret.

I. B. gave it an8:
The tool from EuroGamer who had a problem with (gasp!) holding down two buttons (the horror!) needs to get a freaking clue. Lack of local multiplayer does suck though.

Nick G. gave it a10:
Never heard of or played the original, but this game is a lot of fun. It takes a few rounds to pick up how to play, but once you do, there's a lot of strategy involved. Enjoyable both online and offline.

Allistair P. gave it a9:
Board games are fun because you get to move the pieces around and hold cards and look at a colorful board. They are also a good time and make me feel smart (more so than GoW, even though I never win). So this version captures 90% of the things stated above. This is honestly a rip-off though. Not a rip-off but by no means a great deal. 3 board games are planned for release, so it would have been a GREAT DEAL to get all 3 for the 10 dollar price. Alas, we review the content and not the price (for the most part). So go buy it.

[Anonymous] gave it a9:
The only reason I don't rate this a 10 is that the AI on Hard Mode, rather than being smart, simply colludes with other AI players to stack the odds against the human player (one AI will volluntarily lose to ensure the other AI beats the human).

Brian W. gave it a9:
Awesome game. Im so happy it came out. It only gets a 9 because of the bug in port trading after building on a port in the same turn.

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