Players collect a hand of resource cards based on which hex tiles their last-placed house is adjacent to. Each player is given two settlements (think: houses) and roads (sticks) which are, in turn, placed on intersections and borders of the resource tiles. Number disks, which will correspond to die rolls (two 6-sided dice are used), are placed on each resource tile.

Setup includes randomly placing large hexagonal tiles (each showing a resource or the desert) in a honeycomb shape and surrounding them with water tiles, some of which contain ports of exchange. Players build by spending resources (sheep, wheat, wood, brick and ore) that are depicted by these resource cards each land type, with the exception of the unproductive desert, produces a specific resource: hills produce brick, forests produce wood, mountains produce ore, fields produce wheat, and pastures produce sheep. On each turn dice are rolled to determine what resources the island produces. In CATAN (formerly The Settlers of Catan), players try to be the dominant force on the island of Catan by building settlements, cities, and roads.

Franz Vohwinkel, Harald Lieske, Jason Hawkins, Marion Pott, Matt Schwabel, Michael Menzel, Michaela Kienle, Pete Fenlon, Stephen Graham Walsh, Tanja Donner, Volkan Bagaĩ99 Games, Albi, Asmodee, Astrel Games, Bergsala Enigma, Bergsala Enigma (Enigma), Brä, Brain Games, Broadway Toys LTD, Capcom Co., Ltd., Catan Studio, Competo / Marektoy, danspil, Descartes Editeur, Devir, Dexy Co, Eurogames, Filosofia Éditions, Galakta, Giochi Uniti, GP Games, Grow Jogos e Brinquedos, HaKubia, Hanayama, Hobby World, Ideal Board Games, Igroljub, IntelliGames.BG, Ísöld ehf., Kaissa Chess & Games, Korea Boardgames co., Ltd., KOSMOS, L&M Games, Laser plus, Lautapelit.fi, Logojogos, Mayfair Games, Ninive Games, Paper Iyagi, Piatnik, Smart Ltd, Spilbraet.dk, Stupor Mundi, SuperHeated Neurons, Swan Panasia Co., Ltd., Tilsit, Top Toys, TRY SOFT, Vennerød Forlag ASĭice Rolling, Hexagon Grid, Income, Modular Board, Network and Route Building, Race, Random Production, Trading, Variable Set-up, Variable Setup

Wooden catan board