SETTLERS is a remarkably entertaining game for adults and older kids. We have spent many enjoyable hours playing with our tenty and thirty-somethings. Settlers combines skill (negotiating and strategy) and luck (dice) to create a fun event which will last a couple of hours, at least!

The object of the game is to be the first to earn ten points by building roads, villages, and cities. This is done by strategically accumulating resources by draw or by trading. There is considerable brain power exerted by the craftiest player, energized, no doubt, by M&M's or popcorn (optional).

The exapansion pack is necessary for five or more players.

I got this game last year after being introduced to it by a friend while going to university. I brought it over the following Thanksgiving to play with the family (2 sibilings in their late twenties and my parents in their 50's) and it ended up being the highlight of the holiday. We bought the seafaring expansion pack and we were all hopelessly addicted. Now my parents are calling me up all the time asking me to come visit them so they can get the 3-person needed to play! I am happy to oblige.

The game can take a little while to set up if you are still familiarizing yourself with the game. A game usually last about two hours as we do a lot of laughing and carrying-on with ridiculous, corny Settler in-jokes we've come up with, but it seems to go by pretty fast and we are usually ready to play another game or two. The randomness of the board layout and their being multiple ways to win has kept the game interesting. The introduction of the seafaring expansion as also been a great addition to the game. We are all eager to try other expansions.

I was a bit disappointed in the durability of the resource cards. Resource cards are constantly going from the bank to your hands and back to the bank. They started to show quite a bit of wear after about four months of playing. We ended up just lamenating them instead of having to buy new ones. The rest of the game pieces are durable and I don't expect to ever need to replace them. Makes sure you keep track of all those small wooden city and road pieces! They are small and could easily be lost.

Also, the cost of the game is a bit high. If you find that you really enjoy Settlers, you're probably going to want to buy some of the expansions, which are all priced just as high as the game itself. Although the Seafaring expansion has been great fun, it only came with the various colored ship pieces, some more water and land hexes and the manual which had some senarios and outlined a few new game mechanics. It didn't certainly didn't seem like enough to me, but the game has become even more fun with the new game mechanics. If you want to play with a fifth or sixth person, you have to buy another expansion set for the core game as well more for any expansions you have. It's a fairly pricey game if you want to get some of the expansions, but I think it is totally worth it if you do find it addictive and fun.

Do you like a good board game that requires more thinking than luck? A little skill compared to random success? Then this is the game for you.
We love playing Settlers and also have purchased the add ons of Seafarers and also Knights. The game requires some strategy and some planning in order to do well and win. Assessing proper location, stockpiling resources, placing the robber or pirate, undermining other players -- well it all adds up to great fun -- and perhaps even a friendly argument or two.
Highly recommended for teens and adults who can grasp the overall concept and outwit opponents to claim victory. It is not usually a fast game and does take awhile to set up and get going. Enjoy!

This game is awesome! The board and pieces are beautiful and the game itself is challenging, yet not too complicated. There is just enough complication to keep you coming back. You will need to play with the rulebook open for the first two times or so, but once you know the rules, it's a cinch.

I like the way it mimics real life; people who invest early in their infrastructure/business/education end up earning more at each "cast of the dice."

My husband and I play it without the "Robber," because it seems to take it from "I want to win" to "I want you to lose." We still have whoever has more than 7 cards put half back, and whoever rolled the 7 still takes the card of their choice, but no placing the robber on anyone's square.

We've played nearly 20 times since we got it a month ago. We love it!