The Rivals of Catan

I picked this up at the game store last night. We've already gotten in one game of the basic version, and I feel pretty positive about where this one is going.

I already own the Catan Card Game, but the expansions are now out of print, so I thought I'd splurge for the upgrade. The difference is more subtle than I suspected, but all things being equal, the game is better for every single change that was made. The basic game is very basic indeed, played to just 7 points with no city expansions. That sounds really thin, and it definitely is, but it's a great way to play the game in about 30 minutes, without much loss of strategy.

I have yet to play with any of the theme decks, but their integration seems really good. I'd say that if someone, like me, only had the original game without expansions, this is a worthy pickup. If you already have both boxes of the previous edition, then you can probably pass. For me, this one sands away a couple rough edges from the original game, and it also moves forward a lot more.

I remember really wanting The Settlers Card game and expansion kit, before it got reprinted a few years ago. I picked it up and we tried playing it...it wasn't bad, but we were an hour and a half in, wondering why in the hell a little card game was running an hour and a half. It just became a boring grind so we packed it up and I traded them away a few months later.

Maybe more than you're willing to write, but what're the differences between the original set and this one? I like the original so I'd be interested to see if the upgrade is worht it.

Are there rule changes from this I could easily apply to my older set or do they all involve the new cards?

Thanks for the heads up - I had no idea about this one!

I remember really wanting The Settlers Card game and expansion kit, before it got reprinted a few years ago. I picked it up and we tried playing it...it wasn't bad, but we were an hour and a half in, wondering why in the hell a little card game was running an hour and a half. It just became a boring grind so we packed it up and I traded them away a few months later.

I really like the original card game, but this is very true. Even on our good days, the game always took at least 90 minutes. Having not played the theme decks, I couldn't say how much time they add, but the basic game was VERY quick, between 20-30 minutes. It's probably more in line with what people think of when they think of a "card game" version of Settlers. Having said that, it's pretty clearly an introductory thing. Most of the attack cards are in the "Age of Turmoil" theme deck, so there isn't a ton of interaction in the Basic Game. I'll play some more with the wife, and post what I found about the new playtime.

Maybe more than you're willing to write, but what're the differences between the original set and this one? I like the original so I'd be interested to see if the upgrade is worht it.

Are there rule changes from this I could easily apply to my older set or do they all involve the new cards?

A lot of the cards have been changed entirely to get the game moving a little quicker. It'd be really tough to house rule the original set, just because the new cards are basically designed to get the game moving faster. The heroes in particular are almost completely different now.

Some of the rule changes off the top of my head:

- Action cards can now be played at any time, instead of waiting until someone has 7 VP.

- The claiming of tokens has been streamlined a lot, in that you don't need to have a city to claim one of them. I think this has been balanced out some by making the icons a little harder to come by.

- A couple of the new buildings are designed to keep the game from getting too lop-sided. One of them gives you a free resource if a number is rolled that your opponent has more of than you. It doesn't feel too aggressive as catch-ups go, but it does give the game a kick in the pants.

- There is no longer any trading between players. Doesn't bother me, since it didn't happen much in the first place.

- Some of the event die icons have been changed or mean something different now.

There's probably some other stuff I've forgotten, and since I haven't played the theme decks yet, these impressions are pretty incomplete. Once I get a few more games in, I'll probably do a full write up.

It's definitely a good update though. I hope it gives the game some of the attention that I really think it deserves.

This is a great game - I really enjoy it. My wife and I play a lot, using mostly the Era of Progress deck. But it's a very solid little game, well worth the small price we paid for it. Good to see it getting talked about!

Cheers,
Giles.