Got sheep? If you’re not familiar with how fun it can be for grown adults to passionately argue over trading sheep for wood or brick, it means that you’ve never played Settlers of Catan and are missing out in a big way. With the newly released Catan Universe, there’s never been a better time to get into the game.

Released in 1995, The Settlers of Catan is a German Board game designed by Klaus Teuber. According to The New Yorker, over 18 million copies of the game have been purchased and it’s been translated into 31 languages.  “Catan”, which is how most converts affectionately call it, is a strategic board game where you and your opponents race to settle and develop an uncharted island called, you guessed it: Catan.

Now, you may be wondering what the appeal is and be thinking to yourself that this sounds like something for hardcore Dungeon and Dragon type enthusiasts but, you would be surprised by how wildly popular the game is and how much fun everyone can have playing with friends and family. There is even a movie adaptation in the works from Sony.

How to Catan

Although some like to poke fun about how tricky it is to first learn the rules or explain what the game is about to someone who has never played, it’s really not anymore difficult than Monopoly or Risk.

The objective of the game is to be the first player to get “10 “victory points”. This is done by acquiring resources available on the island like wood, brick, grain, ore and wool. You collect the resources based on where you’ve placed your settlements, as well as the roll of the dice and by bartering with your opponents. You then use the resources to build roads, build more settlements and to buy “Development Cards” in your drive to be the Master of Catan (= bragging rights).

Of course, there are a couple of other things to learn but the real beauty of the game is that it’s practically impossible to have the same result twice, since the elements on the board are randomly shuffled and reassembled every time you play.

The original Settlers of Catan board game is designed for 3 to 4 players but there are also several game expansions available so you can play with up to 6 players and fun spin offs like Star Trek Catan.

courtesy BoardGameGeek

Catan Universe

Whether you’re a hardcore fan or a newbie, anyone can now play Catan online in their newly redesigned Catan Universe.

The main perk of playing online is that you can do it anywhere with a High Speed Internet connection and don’t have to wait to gather 3 other people in one place to play. They have game versions available for desktop computers, on the Steam platform and for mobile devices through the game App. These online versions have all the features from the original board game but with the added bonus of connecting with people all over the world, rather than just those in your house.

The Catan universe also offers much more than just great gameplay. Users can create their own avatars, join in on tournaments and access discussion boards to connect with other fans and seafarers around the world.

The Acanac story is all about helping our customers across Ontario and Quebec enjoy the simple pleasures of the Internet. Although we don’t currently accept sheep, grain, ore, brick or wood in exchange for our services, we’re confident that you’ll love our High Speed Internet and Home Phone plans. Don’t roll the dice on affordable and reliable Internet service and call us today at 1 (866)-281-3538.

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