Social distancing measures have changed how we connect and entertain ourselves. For board game enthusiasts, especially fans of the strategic classic Settlers of Catan, the inability to gather around a physical board is a real challenge. However, the digital age offers a solution: Catan Settlers Online. This adaptation allows you to maintain your social connections and strategic gameplay from the comfort and safety of your home.
Like many others seeking virtual entertainment during these times, my friends and I, long-time devotees of in-person board game nights, turned to the internet to find a way to play Settlers of Catan. Our beloved game, with its intricate resource management, cunning trading, and the ever-present threat of the robber, was calling to us. We needed a digital portal to transport us to the island of Catan.
Our answer was Catan Universe, a dedicated platform for catan settlers online. Catan Universe offers multiple ways to play: directly in your web browser, as a downloadable app for both Google and Android devices, or through Steam, the popular online gaming platform. This versatility made it easy for our group, each with different tech setups, to join the game.
Getting started with catan settlers online via Catan Universe is remarkably straightforward. The basic game is free to play, providing access to the classic Settlers of Catan experience. For those looking to deepen their gameplay, Catan Universe offers in-app purchases of “Catan Gold”. This digital currency unlocks additional features like diverse game themes and expansions, allowing for a customizable and evolving catan settlers online experience. With affordable pricing – 100 Catan Gold pieces for under a dollar – these enhancements are accessible without breaking the bank.
For our first foray into catan settlers online, we gathered four players. Geographically separated across cities and even countries, we virtually convened to build settlements and trade resources. While most of us opted for the browser-based version of Catan Universe, one player connected via Steam, demonstrating the platform’s cross-compatibility.
One minor drawback of Catan Universe for social gamers is the lack of integrated voice or video chat. While there is a text-based chatbox within the game, we wanted the full social experience of our in-person game nights. To bridge this gap, we set up a separate Zoom video call. Pinning the Zoom window alongside our catan settlers online game allowed us to see each other, banter, and strategize just as if we were at the same table. This combination of Catan Universe and Zoom created a surprisingly immersive and enjoyable catan settlers online experience. While the initial setup had a few minor hiccups, our first online Catan session quickly evolved into a delightful and engaging game night, proving that even distance cannot diminish the fun and connection fostered by catan settlers online.
