Histories Settlers of America Board Game - Forge Trails into Rails! Strategy Game, Family Game for Kids & Adults, Ages 14+, 3-4 Players, 120 Min Playtime, Made by CATAN Studio

CATAN: Dawn of Humankind is absolutely awesome! I’ve spent hours and hours playing this game, and it never gets old. The strategic gameplay keeps everyone engaged, and each session feels fresh with different strategies and approaches. Whether you’re trading resources or building settlements, it’s always a blast. This game is perfect for family game nights or gatherings with friends. If you’re looking for a fun and immersive board game, look no further—CATAN is a must-have!

The play is rather predictable, but you can vary your approach in a couple of ways. It takes longer to set up as there are many small pieces. However, these pieces add to the game, and play proceeds along at a fine pace. There's enough of the original to recognize the game, but different enough that you'll need to learn the strategies needed to win. Not a particularly deep game, if you've been a gamer for decades, but the play's fun and there are several routes to victory. A 9 year old, smart girl played with us and figured out how to play on her first playthrough.

This is a very well built game. The gameboard is thick and sturdy, wooden pieces and sturdy cards. I know this will last for many years as long as we take care of it. I purchased this game to go along with our American History this year and although this is a game of strategy not a recitation of facts or learning of new events, it did open up discussion regarding the expansion of our country westward. The initial setup took almost an hour and my kids were patient enough to continue with the game which we played for another 1/2 hour or so. A word of caution: this game can take a large amount of time. We do not often have 2+ hours to play a game and with 4 kids, ages 8-17, they do not have the patience to wade through a long game. That being said about 1/2 of them wanted to continue playing the game which we left lying around to pick up again on another day. We love playing Risk and Parcheesi so this game was a good fit for us. Overall, I would recommend this game for someone who enjoys taking a few hours to spend on a game, likes games of strategy, appreciates games with a historical context and is looking for a quality game.

The first thing one should definitely emphasize with this is that it isn't Settlers of Catan. The end goal is completely different: you deliver packages via train instead of accumulating victory points. However, the resources/trading are the same, the building of settlements is the same, and the /development cards are similar. I would highly suggest being comfortable with Catan before buying this because otherwise it will have an even steeper learning curve. It uses the same hex idea overlayed on a map of the USA. My only two complains with this game are length and the size of the rails. I have no idea why the rail pieces are oversized to the extent they are; it clutters the board. However, this is a minor complaint. Likewise, the game can take a long time but you can also set a limit for the settlement/packages required if you want a shorter or longer game. I was apprehensive during the first few games because of the new rules (like I said, this is not Catan). It's intimidating, but after a couple of playthroughs I think this can be even more enjoyable than normal Settlers. You end up with a lot more flexibility in your strategies (going west versus snagging the starting package locations), you end up with more flexibility in resources (two gold for any resource means you can build stuff almost any turn), and the game stays close throughout most of it. One issue with Catan is that you can go turns without doing anything and get disengaged from the game, or be so far behind that it becomes boring. This one keeps everyone in the game until the very end when a few people start pulling ahead. The development cards are also way better and do a variety of things. Overall I would say that this game is a lot less predictable than SoC. Don't go into it expecting the same game, because it isn't. But if you keep an open mind it's a LOT of fun.

If you love CATAN, you’ll love this fresh take on the classic! CATAN Histories: Settlers of America adds a fun Ticket to Ride-style vibe, making it a strategic and engaging upgrade. No more endless negotiating for resources—there are plenty of ways to win without having to wheel and deal (great for those who like to play solo strategies). It’s easy to learn, fun to play, and perfect for ages 8+. Whether you're a seasoned CATAN fan or just looking for a great family game night addition, this one’s a must-have! 🚂🌄🏡

This game is awesome! After playing Catan for years, I picked up Settlers of America just to give it a try- now I'm hooked, and my friends and I have totally given up on Catan in favor of this version. The game takes slightly longer than a normal game of Catan (usually 2-3 hours), and the gameplay is far more complex. The migrating resources, cooperative railroads, and huge board make it such that control of the game can change hands rapidly (unlike Catan, where a win can sometimes be inexorable), and the great variation in strategies, new development and resource cards, and game pieces (trains, settlers, etc.) makes the game different and exciting every time. And a short plug for its educational value- the board is laid out roughly like the US (even in terms of resources), and historical strategies (Manifest Destiny) often pay off...

If you are a Catan fan, this is a must. Even better for those that are Ticket to Ride fans. This quickly became a family favorite. I highly recommend.

This was a fun take on the Catan style of games. While playing with some friends, we thought it was a nice change of pace where we were working together for the most part. It's also nice that even if you don't get a resource card, you can still get a gold coin to buy some later on. It also encourages you to expand at a quicker rate while playing. I was able to buy this on a sale, but even at the full price, it seems like it would still provide a lot of fun for the money. I appreciate that it feels like a solid set and was designed to last decades of use to come.