Board Games for Catan-Lovers

Settlers of Catan has opened up your table top gaming world beyond Sorry! and Monopoly, but now you have mastered it and you're ready for your next board game obsession. Here are some board games to try if you like Catan but hate Arkham Horror.

The Criteria

These board games made the list because like Catan they are easy to pick-up, have <60 minute play time, limited ability to attack or disrupt your opponent's game (avoid animosity), excellent replay value, and good depth (multiple strategies to victory and constant decision-making). Cute theming also goes a long way with me. I have at least twenty hours of game play for each of the recommendations below, and I still am always game for more.

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Clank!

Build your deck to execute your board strategy! Clank! is an adorable game where the louder you are in the dungeon, the more likely to wake the dragon and get caught. If you pass out before getting all the way back the village, the villagers will save you if you were able to acquire treasure. . . .like I said, I love myself some cute theming and color text in the rulebook. It comes with a two-sided board game which means when you have thoroughly enjoyed one board layout, you can start all over with the other side. It also comes with multiple versions and different skins. We enjoyed a 10-game legacy Clank! game that was skinned as the Acquisitions Incorporated D&D campaign.

Wingspan

You do not need to know anything about birds, but you will soon enough. With multiple ways to gather points and win, coupled with the unique card abilities that reflect the bird species itself, this game is a fun, complex and cute addition to your board game closet.

Skull

Skull. Hard to explain the first time, but one 3-minute practice round will get everyone caught up to speed. Skull is a bluffing and bidding game. Bonus: It's a small box game. Complex and fun enough for the board game enthusiast, but easy enough to teach my parents.

The Great Dalmuti

Literally hours and hours and hours of play time. Like Skull, easy and fun for my parents to play, but intriguing enough to keep hard core board gamers engaged. The unbalanced nature of the game leads to some fun socialization and when you go on a losing streak, you have plausible deniability for your misfortune.