In 1995, Klaud Teuber invented the board game Settlers of Catan. Today, Teuber’s product has reached a lasting popularity. The game requires its players to become settlers; the object is to keep making your settlement grow. Players must use the resources available to them for their own uses and for trade in order to create and sustain a settlement. Players are given points when their settlements reach certain requirements. The player who first reaches ten victory points wins.
This product is a very popular contemporary board game; it is also very popular in New Zealand and available on many websites based in that country. The product originated in Germany and was one of the first German-style board games to reach popularity outside of Europe. The game has sold over fifteen million copies and has been marketed in thirty different languages.
This game is great for families because it is easy to play and geared towards groups. Usually, three or four players take part. It typically takes about an hour to an hour and a half to finish one game.
Gameplay-wise, players can establish a settlement, create a city, and make roads; all to help their settlements prosper. The board itself represents the island and is made up of several different hexagonal pieces. Each piece represents a different land type. In order to survive and grow, players much trade goods and resources. Resources are produced by the different land types (with the exception of the desert). Resources include brick, ore, wool, lumber, and grain.
Different expansion sets are available to supplement the original. Cities and Knights of Catan as well as Seafarers of Catan are examples of such expansions.
The original game began with the concept of exploration and settlement of a new area. That concept was changed for the original game, but in one edition, Seafarers and Settlers were combined in order to form one game. This game is the one that is closest to Teuber’s original intentions.