Settlers of Catan, or simply Catan as it is known these days, is not just any board game. 27 years on the market and over 30 million copies sold in 40 different languages speak for themselves, but one of the most interesting aspects is that it did not ignore digital advancement, but welcomed it with open arms. Today we can find multiple resources to play Catan online, but the most important ones are two: The official game Catan Universe, and its number one clone, Colonist.io.
Settlers of Catan was created in 1995 by German designer Klaus Teuber, and since then, its popularity has reached a higher dimension. We have seen expansions, adaptations, spin-offs (think Star Trek or Game of Thrones), local tournaments, international championships, and even plans to create a television series.
The general objectives of the game may be simple, but once we lift the veil, so to speak, we discover a depth and complexity that few titles have achieved. It is a social game, a game of chance, of resource management, of strategy… all that and much more at the same time. The good news? Anyone can play it using online resources, or directly play Catan online against other humans and bots, taking advantage of one of these two options:
How to Play Catan: Catan Universe
The first arrow points in the direction of Catan Universe, available since 2017. Catan Universe is compatible with Android, iOS, PC via Steam, and also has a browser edition, but its background download demands a bit of patience. The game requires registration to coordinate games across different devices, and although the basic three-player mode is free to play, you will need to invest in Catan Gold to unlock the rest of the modes (the average cost is about one dollar per 100 Catan Gold).
Colonist.io
The number one alternative (not to say the best) to playing Catan officially is to go to Colonist.io. Its rules are virtually identical to Catan: Build towns and roads, expand your territory, increase your resources, and when you sum ten victory points, you win the game. The big advantage of Colonist.io is that we are facing a much lighter and more direct version. It runs in the browser, and for a (relatively) quick game against bots, you don't even need to log in with an account. Otherwise, anyone can create free credentials. Expansions require purchasing Colonist Coins, with different prices.
In summary, if you want to play Catan online alone or with friends, I think you have your hands full with these two options. Enjoy!
