Are you looking for a non-antagonistic, fun game? Look no further than Catan’s smaller sibling, Catan Dice!
This post may contain affiliate links, meaning if you click on it and make a purchase I’ll receive a small commission at no cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. For more information, please check our Privacy Policy and Disclaimers and Disclosures.
Catan Dice is a fun, small, quick version of the full Catan. If you’re a fan of the original or the junior version, and particularly if you’re short on space, I highly recommend checking out Catan Dice.
There are actually two different games within this one game. Both use six specialty dice displaying the six resources of wheat, brick, gold, wood, coal, and sheep. Catan Dice comes with a pad of 60 sheets; on one side of each sheet is Island One, and the other side has Island Two.
Catan vs Catan Dice
Catan Dice counters both my favorite part of the other Catan games and my least favorite part. My favorite part of the other Catan games we’ve played has been that every player needs to pay attention to every turn because any roll can get them resources. However, in Catan Dice, only the person rolling gets the resources.
My least favorite part of the other Catan games is that you’re all competing for space on the same board, and it can be easy to get cut off and unable to expand further. This emphasis on colonialism and imperialism can leave a bad taste in one’s mouth. Well, good news! In Catan Dice, each player is playing on their own sheet, with their own island. So there’s no direct competition for space or resources.
In other versions of Catan, players roll standard d6s with numbers on them and collect resources based on what numbers are rolled, as each section is assigned a number. In Catan Dice, the dice themselves have the resources. You get up to three rolls in a turn, and use the resources you roll then to build what you’re able to. There are no saving resources for later. This means that it can be challenging to get much done in your turn if your rolls aren’t working out for you.
Luck and strategy
Rolling the dice provides the luck. You might roll terribly and not be able to do anything. Or you might get a perfect roll the first time and be able to do two or even three things. However, the strategy comes in as you decide how to use the resources you’ve rolled. With each roll, you can set aside any number of dice from your previous roll. Making this decision requires some strategic thinking. You also lose points if you’re not able to do anything at the end of your three rolls. It might not be worth it to go for that city that requires three coal and two wheat. In this way, Catan Dice is similar to Yahtzee.
The score sheets are very small, which means this game is excellent for those who are traveling or have limited space. However, it also makes it harder for younger kids to effectively mark their own sheets. That said, my kids do enjoy coloring in what they’ve built. Larger score sheets would make it easier for them to mark their own points.
Overall, Catan Dice is a win, and I’m so glad I bought it on a whim. Repackaged, it has just a tiny bag for the dice and instructions (we store score sheets separately). If you’re not sure, though, check out our play-through video.
