Catan: Seafarers Game Expansion 4th Edition

We bought this and a Wii set up for my husband's birthday (though the Wii was more for our teenage boys!). We've played the Wii a few times and really like it. If we take out Settlers, all four of us are at the kitchen table in a heartbeat!Settler's is a wonderful engaging game and we love this addition, too, as it gives virtually endless possibilities for games (although there were endless possibilities with the original game, too). Even if you were to set up the same board each time, each person's strategy can change, plus the random roll of the die, creating new games each time. I love that there are different maps to choose from. My boys on enjoy choosing which scenario and setting up the board (this takes about 5 to 8 minutes or so - well worth it!).In this expansion, you can sail to new islands (using the ships) and discover gold (which allows you to choose any resource) and set the pirate on anyone to halt their plans. Since we added this expansion we have not gone back to the original game, though I think we would still enjoy it.I rated this game a 5 for educational value as there is so much thinking, planning, good strategy - there is pleanty of learning going on! It's a 2 for durability as I do not see how the cardboard pieces, especially the outer frame, will hold up well over time. Maybe that's the beauty of it - it will still work, just will look well-loved.Note: Start with The Settlers of Catan. You must have this before you add the Seafarers expansion.We added the SETTLERS OF CATAN: THE FISHERMEN OF CATAN to our collection, too - a great addition. Keep in mind that you need the main game, the one I am reviewing here, in order to you Fishermen expansion.If you do end up enjoying Settlers as a whole, consider adding Carcassonne to your game collection, too. It's different, yet still strategic and doesn't take as much time to set up.Take the time to absorb the instructions of both games. They can seem daunting but it is well worth the time.More on Fishermen of Catan:My 14-year-old thinks this is cool - he always makes sure he places his settlements where he can get fish. We've found that the fish can keep the game moving, especially on turns where no one has anything to trade. We put the fish in a small cup and then draw them out when needed.As far as value, it escapes me why this is not part of the main game? The clever game creators have found a way to eek a bit more out of your wallet. That said, we love the Fishermen addition and no longer play the game without it.

The ‘Catan: Seafarers Game Expansion 4th Edition’ is a simple yet fun and game-changing expansion for the base game of Settlers of Catan. It adds a new dimension to the gameplay, making it even more engaging and enjoyable. If you’re a fan of the base game, this expansion is definitely worth the investment.

LOGISTICS: This is an expansion pack for the Original Settlers of Catan, which must be purchased first. It only expands the game for a 3-4 player version. There is a Seafarers 5-6 person expansion pack which must be purchased in addition to play Seafarers with that amount of players. Plan on sitting down for an hour to set up this game and learn it as it is different from the others. Is harder to set up but once you do it a few times you'll get quicker. There are many different versions within this game that you can play. All are similiarly themed but with some different rules, points and board structure. It is a good idea to go through the different versions (scenarios) in order to understand the game at its best. Once you have moved up to the more complex scenarios you will find some favorites and probably go back and play those most often.HOW IT IS DIFFERENT: The game takes slightly longer than the original Catan to play. In addition to roads, you can build ships out into the water and on the coastline. Ships can be moved after they are built. In addition to a robber baron on land, a pirate ship can steal and block ship building on the seas. Longest road goes for the ships too. Different scenarios have different points - some require 12 or 13 pts to win -some give additional points for building on a new island. Ships are built with wood and sheep while roads continue to be built with wood and brick, making your settlement placements all the more challenging and trading more necessary. Some of the scenarios use a new resource: gold. When the gold resource is distributed, the players may select any needed resource. We love gold! We fight over gold! We block gold!

We have played the 'regular' Catan for a few years now and had heard the game expansions would add some different aspects. Seafarers did add that extra element and made for interesting game play however it still takes as long to set up as the original just start your game early so you can possibly be done before everyone falls asleep. It has different scenarios you can set up which I liked. NOTE: you must get the same version of Seafareres as your original Catan- I got Seafarers for Christmas a long time ago and bought adapters and everything and couldn't get it to mesh with my Catan game and finally broke down and my frugal self bought the correct one. I liked the sea part and the 'mystery' tiles you had a chance to draw. I also thought I would be smart and put on the back of the tiles if it was Seafarers- Seafarers expansion for 5-6 players and you can't do that bc of the 'mystery' tiles- that was me being uptight and trying to keep the pieces in 'order'. Would rec esp if you've been playing original Catan and need to add some spice to it.