The Starfarers of Catan
Catan goes to space: explore, colonize, trade with aliens, and fight pirates.
Who it's for
You like Catan and want a bigger, more adventurous cousin with a sci-fi flavor. Best with four who enjoy trading talk.
Not for you if…
You dislike dice swings or negotiation-heavy play. It also takes two hours and quiet players tend to get left out of the deals.
Vibe's take
Chatty and adventurous, with the same deal-making at the table as Catan. The frontier keeps revealing surprises, so the game feels more like an expedition than a settling race.
About this game
The Starfarers of Catan takes the trading-and-building DNA of Catan and launches it into deep space around the year 2700. Each of three or four players starts near home with colonies, a space port, and planets that produce raw materials. From there you fly out to explore, found colonies, trade with alien cultures, and fend off pirates. The prize is the post of Ambassador to the Galactic Council, so glory goes to the explorer who is both brave and lucky. It is more adventurous and less settled than classic Catan, with plastic ships and a much bigger sense of exploring the unknown. Expect negotiation, dice, and a long session.
Get it
Mechanics
By the numbers
Players
Duration
120 min
Ages 10+
Complexity
2.6 / 5 — MediumBGG Rating
6.4/10
Rank #1,708
5.5k ratings
Published
1999
Language
Moderate text
Designed by
Klaus Teuber
Published by
Mayfair Games, Kaissa Chess & Games, KOSMOS
/pic4528659.jpg)
/pic149643.jpg)
/pic1134632.jpg)
/pic3571648.jpg)