13 Best Games Like Catan: Strategy Board Games for Families & Friends
Are you a fan of Settlers of Catan and its addictive mix of strategy, resource management, and player interaction? If you're searching for your next favorite board game, you're in the right place! This guide highlights the best games like Catan that bring the same thrilling gameplay to your table. Whether you love building empires, managing resources, or competing for dominance, these Catan alternatives are perfect for families and friends who enjoy strategic board games.
Don’t miss our ultimate Catan strategy guide and in-depth Catan review to master the game and learn more about what makes it so popular!
Let’s dive in and discover the top strategy board games similar to Catan for your next game night!
1. Space Base: A Fast-Paced Strategy Board Game for Catan Fans
- How it works: Roll dice and build your engine.
- Why it's a great game like Catan: Focuses on strategic resource collection and planning, just like Catan.
- Perfect for: Players who want a faster strategy game similar to Catan with lots of engaging decisions.
Space Base offers a thrilling dice-rolling engine-building experience. Unlike Catan, every player benefits from each roll, minimizing downtime. If you're searching for games like Catan but faster, Space Base is an excellent choice.
2. Clank!: A Deck-Building Dungeon Crawl for Strategy Game Lovers
- How it works: Build your deck and explore the dungeon.
- Why it's a compelling game like Catan: Features strategic resource management (cards) and high replayability, similar to Catan's strategic depth.
- Perfect for: Fans of strategy board games like Catan who enjoy dynamic gameplay and a bit of adventure.
In Clank!, you build a deck to delve into a dungeon, grab treasure, and escape the dragon. If you enjoy the strategic thinking of Catan and want a strategy game alternative with deck-building, Clank! is a fantastic option.
3. Carcassonne: A Classic Tile-Laying Strategy Game Like Catan
- How it works: Place tiles and control areas.
- Why it's a top game like Catan: Emphasizes strategic building and spatial reasoning with easy-to-learn rules, just like Catan.
- Perfect for: Families and casual gamers looking for a great family strategy game like Catan.
Carcassonne's simple yet strategic tile placement creates a shared landscape of cities and roads. Its accessibility and strategic depth make it a top board game similar to Catan for family game nights.
4. Ticket to Ride: A Family-Friendly Route-Building Game for Catan Lovers
- How it works: Collect train cards and build routes.
- Why it appeals to Catan fans: Focuses on planning and strategy with a lighter level of conflict than Catan, making it a great strategy game alternative.
- Perfect for: Modern families who enjoy strategy board games like Catan but prefer less direct competition.
Ticket to Ride challenges you to claim railway routes across a map. It's less confrontational than Catan but still offers satisfying strategic planning for fans of games like Catan.
5. Splendor: A Quick and Engaging Engine-Building Game Similar to Catan
- How it works: Collect gems and buy cards.
- Why it's a recommended game like Catan: Revolves around resource collection and strategic investment, a key element in Catan.
- Perfect for: Those seeking quick-playing family strategy games similar to Catan.
Splendor is an excellent choice if you want strategy board games like Catan for families. Collect gems to purchase cards and build your engine in this fast-paced strategic gem.
6. Concordia: A Deep Strategy Resource Management Game for Catan Enthusiasts
- How it works: Build networks and trade resources.
- Why it's a compelling alternative to Catan: Focuses on strategic resource planning without the element of luck, unlike Catan's dice rolls.
- Perfect for: Players seeking deeper strategy games like Catan with a focus on economic development.
Unlike Catan, Concordia removes randomness, focusing purely on strategic economic development. It's perfect for fans of complex resource management board games for families who want a pure strategy experience.
7. Terra Nova: A Streamlined Strategy Game Like Catan with Less Luck
- How it works: Manage resources and control areas.
- Why it's a great choice for Catan fans: Features familiar mechanics but with reduced randomness, making it a more predictable strategy game alternative.
- Perfect for: Strategy lovers who enjoy games similar to Catan but dislike relying on dice rolls.
Terra Nova simplifies heavier strategy games while keeping player decisions central. It's one of the top games like Catan but faster to play for those who prefer less luck.
8. Architects of the West Kingdom: A Worker Placement Strategy Game for Catan Players
- How it works: Place workers to gather resources and build.
- Why it resonates with Catan fans: Involves resource gathering and strategic planning, core elements of Catan's gameplay.
- Perfect for: Fans of worker placement games who enjoy structured decision-making, similar to the strategic choices in Catan.
This worker-placement game challenges players to strategically gather resources and construct buildings. If you love the strategic resource management of Catan, Architects of the West Kingdom is a fantastic strategy game option.
9. Raiders of the North Sea: A Resource Management and Adventure Game for Catan Lovers
- How it works: Place workers, collect resources, and go raiding.
- Why it's an engaging game like Catan: Features resource collection with added competitive twists and a thematic setting that appeals to strategy game enthusiasts.
- Perfect for: Players who enjoy thematic strategy games with a blend of resource management, similar to Catan.
In Raiders of the North Sea, you'll collect resources and lead Viking raids. It blends resource management with exciting strategic choices, making it a great alternative to Catan.
10. The Quest for El Dorado: A Deck-Building Race for Fans of Games Like Catan
- How it works: Build a deck and navigate the map.
- Why it's a refreshing choice for Catan fans: Offers strategic planning with competition but through deck-building, a unique mechanic compared to Catan.
- Perfect for: Players who want fast-paced strategic play and enjoy games similar to Catan with a deck-building twist.
This game offers a refreshing take for fans of games similar to Catan but with the added element of deck-building. Navigate the map, build your deck, and race to victory in this engaging strategy board game.
11. Citadels: A Strategic Role Selection and Bluffing Game for Catan Aficionados
- How it works: Select roles, bluff, and manage resources.
- Why it appeals to Catan players: Encourages social interaction and strategic decisions, similar to the player dynamics in Catan.
- Perfect for: Groups who enjoy negotiation and mind games in their strategy board games, offering a different kind of interaction than Catan.
Citadels encourages role selection, bluffing, and resource management, offering interactive strategy for those who love games like Catan with a social element.
12. King of Tokyo: A Dice Rolling Combat Game for a Fun Game Night Like Catan
- How it works: Roll dice and engage in light strategy combat.
- Why it's a lighter game similar to Catan: Uses luck-based gameplay with strategic choices, offering a more accessible experience compared to Catan.
- Perfect for: Families looking for a fun, chaotic game night alternative to Catan.
If you want a lighter game with dice-driven mechanics and a competitive edge, King of Tokyo is a great pick for fans of games like Catan.
13. Bohnanza: A Trading and Negotiation Game for Players Who Love Catan
- How it works: Trade resources (beans) and negotiate deals.
- Why it's a good choice for Catan fans: Emphasizes negotiation and trading, a key element in Catan's gameplay.
- Perfect for: Fans of interactive strategy games like Catan who enjoy player communication and deal-making.
Bohnanza focuses on trading beans to score points, making it a lively and interactive option for players who love games like Catan with strong trading mechanics.
Comparison : Catan Vs Other Games
| Game Title | Core Mechanic(s) | Why It's a Great Game Like Catan | Perfect For |
| Space Base | Dice Rolling, Engine-Building | Strategic Resource Collection & Planning | Fast-Paced Strategy Enthusiasts |
| Clank! | Deck-Building, Exploration | Strategic Resource Management, Replayability | Dynamic & Adventurous Strategy Gamers |
| Carcassonne | Tile Placement, Area Control | Strategic Building, Easy to Learn | Families & Casual Strategy Players |
| Ticket to Ride | Route-Building, Set Collection | Planning & Strategy, Lighter Competition | Modern Families Seeking Strategy Games |
| Splendor | Resource Management, Card Dev. | Resource Collection & Strategic Investment | Quick-Playing Family Strategy Game Lovers |
| Concordia | Network Building, Resource Trading | Strategic Resource Planning, Less Luck | Deep Strategy & Economic Game Enthusiasts |
| Terra Nova | Resource Mgmt, Area Control | Familiar Mechanics, Reduced Randomness | Strategy Lovers Who Dislike Dice |
| Architects of West Kingdom | Worker Placement, Building | Resource Gathering & Strategic Planning | Fans of Structured Decision-Making Games |
| Raiders of the North Sea | Worker Placement, Raiding | Resource Collection & Competitive Twists | Thematic Strategy & Adventure Game Players |
| The Quest for El Dorado | Deck-Building, Map Navigation | Strategic Planning & Competition | Fast-Paced & Deck-Building Strategy Fans |
| Citadels | Bluffing, Resource Management | Social Interaction & Strategic Decisions | Groups Who Enjoy Negotiation & Mind Games |
| King of Tokyo | Dice Rolling, Light Strategy | Luck-Based Gameplay with Strategic Choices | Families Seeking Fun & Chaotic Game Nights |
| Bohnanza | Trading, Resource Management | Emphasis on Negotiation & Trading | Fans of Interactive Strategy Games with Trading |
Conclusion: Find Your Perfect Strategy Board Game if You Love Catan
Whether you're drawn to Catan for its resource management, player interaction, or strategic depth, there's a perfect strategy board game like Catan here for you. Explore Carcassonne for tile-laying fun, try Splendor for a quick strategy fix, or dive into Concordia for deeper gameplay.
FAQs About Finding Your Next Strategy Game if You Like Catan
What are the best family board games if you enjoy playing Catan?
Carcassonne, Ticket to Ride, and Splendor are fantastic family board games for Catan lovers.
Which strategy games offer a similar experience to Catan but with less reliance on luck?
Concordia and Terra Nova are excellent strategy game alternatives to Catan that minimize randomness.
What are some quick-playing strategy board games that fans of Catan would enjoy?
Space Base, Splendor, and King of Tokyo offer faster gameplay for those who enjoy games like Catan but have less time.
