Board games such as ludo, snake and ladder, scrabble many more were an inseparable part of my childhood. These games with friends and relatives alike was fun and brought enough smiles, arguments, heated debate and much more. The point is that these board games brings people together in a fulfilled way.  Specially in Nordic countries during winter, where the weather is freezing, all the outdoor activities to great extent also freezes. Where the day is smaller than the night in the freezing winters, the board games take lime light during get together.  

With the advent of fascinating fiction and change in designing trends and expectations of players, boards games today have drifted towards story driven experiences which have thinned the boundaries between fiction and reality.

Why board game?

Board game is an excellent remedy for a world that is constantly distracted by digital screens. They can be set up anywhere, outdoors or indoors, and they’re wonderful alternatives for a group of friends who otherwise would have whiled away the time on their phones. They create plenty of fun moments while also creating opportunities of spending time constructively.

Losing isn’t the end of the world, but learning from failure is a must for everyone. Kids hate it when they lose and love when they win. But, it is very important to learn from an young age that failure is other side of success. Incorporating games with a component of luck levels the playing field between players of different ages. Playing a completely luck-based game like Snake and Ladders might even give parents the opportunity to demonstrate how to lose gracefully to their kids.

Why is Settlers of Catan my all time favorite?

‘Settlers of Catan’ is one such family board game that is of great sentimental value for me. Large number of “party-time” became special because of this game. All thanks to our friend Paritosh in Norway who introduced this board game to our friend circle. I never though I would play this board game with a level of enthusiasm that reminded me of my childhood. I never thought I would someday get obsessively craving to play board games. A great game for social interaction. This board game requires active participation of players. The uncertainty in the game, the chance of luck, strategy and bargaining for resources will have you head over heels.

About Catan

Let me just discuss what this game is all about. The ‘Settlers of Catan’ is a fictional island where player gather resource, build roads, houses and cities, in exchange for resource to the bank. Wait a minute; this game has a robber too! The basic version is a four player game and can be extended up to six players if you buy the additional extension. It may sound like any other game that you might have played online. When you play this with your friends something magical about this game comes to life. Every time you arrange Catan board you get a new game. I feel, this is want kills the monotonous feel and makes it much more exciting. You can rearrange the resource tiles and rearrange the numbers giving you endless possibilities of board arrangement – a good re-play value.

This game does a fun job of creating its own economy that I really like. Trading can get creative. You can quickly be an enemy when you rob which can rack up the tension. The best thing about the game is that it keeps everyone engaged throughout. Rather than sitting and waiting for someone to take their turn, people can engage and gather resources even if it isn’t their turn. Players don’t get eliminated here, so it keeps everyone hooked until the end of the game. If you’re just getting into playing board games, I’d recommend Catan as a fantastic place to start. If you play games with children 10+ years old, this is a wonderful game play along with them.

Greatest benefit according to me is that this game brings family and friends together. I bet once you play this game, you will be left wanting for more. Learn more about Catan at: www.catan.com