Our Verdict
RECOMMENDED
Perfect for couples or friends who love Catan and want a fast, strategic duel.
Highlights
- Easy to learn and evolve
- Modularity with thematic eras
- Tactical and dynamic duel
- Great alternative to the board
Keep in mind
- Dice luck can be frustrating
- Less interaction than the original
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About the game
What you do in a play session
Ever wanted to play Catan but only have one other person to play with? The Rivals for Catan is the perfect solution. It's not just a 'scaled-down Catan', but a smart reimplementation of the old card game, redesigned by master Klaus Teuber to be much more accessible and fluid. In this game, you take on the role of a prince attempting to expand your province, building roads and settlements to dominate the region.
The dynamics revolve around resource management, obtained through dice rolls, and the strategic use of cards. You can upgrade your settlements into cities, allowing for the construction of expansions that provide various bonuses. The game is modular, which is fantastic: you start with the 'Introductory Game' (ideal for newcomers, with simple rules and victory at 7 points) and, as you gain confidence, you can add the three 'Theme Games'.
These themes (The Era of Gold, The Era of Turmoil, and The Era of Progress) introduce new cards, events, and, most importantly, more aggressive action cards that can disrupt your opponent's province. If you want to go further, there's even the 'Tournament Game', where you build your own deck before the match, adding that layer of pre-game strategy that TCG fans love. It's a race to see who builds the most prosperous province, mixing the luck of the dice with hand management strategy. If you enjoy building your empire and want a fast, tactical duel, this game delivers.
The dynamics revolve around resource management, obtained through dice rolls, and the strategic use of cards. You can upgrade your settlements into cities, allowing for the construction of expansions that provide various bonuses. The game is modular, which is fantastic: you start with the 'Introductory Game' (ideal for newcomers, with simple rules and victory at 7 points) and, as you gain confidence, you can add the three 'Theme Games'.
These themes (The Era of Gold, The Era of Turmoil, and The Era of Progress) introduce new cards, events, and, most importantly, more aggressive action cards that can disrupt your opponent's province. If you want to go further, there's even the 'Tournament Game', where you build your own deck before the match, adding that layer of pre-game strategy that TCG fans love. It's a race to see who builds the most prosperous province, mixing the luck of the dice with hand management strategy. If you enjoy building your empire and want a fast, tactical duel, this game delivers.
Expansions
Published additional content
Gallery
Box and component photos
Tap any photo to open fullscreen. Photos submitted by the community or publisher.
Rules videos
Learn by watching before you open the box
In English
Best player count
BGG community vote
2
BEST
Soundtrack
Ambience suggested by Melodice
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Mechanics, categories, families and credits
Mechanics
Categories
Families
Publisher
KOSMOS, 999 Games, Albi, Catan Studio, Devir, Filosofia Éditions, Giochi Uniti, Hobby World, Ideal Board Games, Igroljub, IntelliGames.BG, Lautapelit.fi, Mayfair Games, Spilbræt.dk
Designer
Klaus Teuber
Artist
Michael Menzel
Community
Data from BoardGameGeek
21,954owners
1,062wishlist
111want to play
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers before you buy
Do I need to know how to play board game Catan to play this?
Nope! While the theme is the same, the mechanics are adapted for cards. If you know Catan, you'll feel at home, but anyone can learn it quickly.
How long does a game last?
It depends on the mode. The introductory game takes about 25-30 minutes. The theme games or the full duel usually last between 45 and 60 minutes.
Is it a complex game?
The weight is moderate (2.32 on BGG). It starts very simply and becomes more complex as you add the thematic eras.
How many people can play?
Exactly two. It was specifically designed as a duel, so it doesn't work with more or fewer players.
What's in the box?
You'll find card decks for the different eras, dice, and the components needed to build each player's province.
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