Surprisingly, despite the sheer number of board games I’ve reviewed for Fundmentals and played in general, it took me until last year to play them. Catan! It’s unbelievable even to me, who is only one year older than the game. Introduced in 1995, Catan has become one of the most popular board games, with various expansions and versions. on the road and zip! are two new versions of the game that allow players to take the game with them, retaining all of the best elements of gameplay while requiring far less setup and play space.
if you like me Catan For beginners, I will give you a brief overview of the game. Three to four players take on the role of settlers, attempting to build and develop a fiefdom on the island of Catan, trading with each other for resources and trading at ports. Victory points are earned as your settlement grows, and the first person to reach 10 points wins.
To expand your control, you will need to build settlements, cities, and roads connecting them as you settle across the island. The gameboard changes from game to game and consists of hexes of different land types (although newer versions can have one default layout for easier setup). The resource types have changed, but players must now collect five different resources to trade to build, either by randomly acquiring resources when rolling dice to determine which hexes produce resources, or by trading. Therefore, it is important to place your first settlement in the correct hex.
You get 1 point for each settlement, 2 points for each city, 2 points each for establishing the longest path and largest army (by playing the most Knight cards), and depending on the version, you get points for completing other objectives.
There are some other mechanics and elements, but these are the main points. I was interested in both on the road and Zip! Because I always bring board games to my friends’ houses. Additionally, after being instantly defeated all three times I played with my youngest brother (including the version you can play on Discord), I wanted to see if I could get any better at the game before playing with him a little more.
on the road
in Catan – On the Roadgameplay is driven by a deck of 120 cards and builds on the familiar CATAN mechanics, but with faster victory objectives. The base game can take over an hour, so you only need to get to 7 points, which makes it a little easier to play. Collect resources (here bricks, wood, wool, wheat, ore), build developments from available building card decks, and negotiate deals with banks and other players. Unlike the base game, on the roadPlayers who trade when it’s not their turn get extra resource cards, so it’s best to trade often and early.
Play takes place over a series of turns, with each turn having two phases. During the harvest phase, you draw cards from the resource deck (although you can draw additional cards if you have a metropolis). During the action phase, you can trade and build. There are also opportunities to draw cards, give resources to others, discard cards (when robbers appear), times when the deck is shuffled, and event cards that give grants. All of these events allow us to increase the variety of the game while maintaining its core. Catan. In fact, I was able to win on my first playthrough because I arrived at the big city first (3 victory points).
similarly zip! Maintains the core elements of CATAN But there are some new and fun elements.
Zip!
While being portable, Zip! It’s more tactile, requiring the use of pen, paper, and additional resource tiles. This version is perfect for people who want to play with more than just cards and want a little more space to set up. Inland of Catan is created on a paper pad in the center of the table and has 50 different island layouts, making every game different. It’s really fun to develop your island by drawing it directly on the map instead of placing physical roads and villages.
Trading is equally important, trading resource tokens instead of cards with other players. This version also comes with an ultra-small and fun dice shaker that maintains the dice-rolling element of the base game while keeping the dice safe inside.
CATAN – Enjoy the CATAN experience wherever you go with Zip. Easy to set up and play using pen, paper, and resource tiles, this compact version of the familiar game is the perfect companion for road trips, camping, and your favorite hiking spots.
I also really like the resource boxes and tile holders so you can see everything without having to pick it up while playing. Like the original, you play up to 10 points and there are also development tiles similar to event tiles. on the road. Turns take place over the same two phases, except that each turn you roll dice (and add them together) to determine which hexes are producing resources for the players instead of harvesting them. Once everyone has collected resources, each player on their turn can trade with other players during the action phase, or for supplies if they have access to a port. Of course, you can also build action phases that include deployment tiles that can be used later, but not on the turn they are drawn.
So which one is better?
The verdict?
The answer to this depends on what you want to play more of. Do you want a long game with more board interaction and trade with ports? Do you like to draw achievements with the island itself or with dice? Then Zip! It’s for you.
What if you want to get started right away with less setup, just cards to manage, and want the game to be quick enough to play multiple times at once? Then on the road It’s for you.
If you’re a CATAN fan like my brother, you’ll want both versions. That way you can get one or both to wow your guests and friends. Personally, I lean more towards card games when taking games elsewhere, as they’re easier to set up and it’s much less likely that either of you will lose a piece (ask me how I know). I also think I spent way too much time drawing than actually playing (oops), so while I liked the tactile aspect, Zip!I know I’m more attracted to it. on the road When you go out. However, you can’t go wrong with either version. I really appreciate that both versions have distinct differences that make them worth buying rather than something you play once and never see the light of day again.
both on the road and Zip! You can now order directly from the Catan Shop.
Images and review copy courtesy of Asmodee
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