Catan Console Edition Review (Nintendo Switch OLED)

by Jim Smale · Published November 15, 2023 · Updated November 15, 2023

For our Catan Console Edition Review, join us as we Acquire resources, master new strategies, and build our settlements across a board that comes to life. Challenge friends both online and in the living room or play against smart & dynamic AI to become the winning Catanian!

CATAN Console Edition

Catan Console Edition Review Pros:

Decent graphics.
2.3GB download size.
Cross-play support for online games.
Resource management gameplay.
Adapted from the classic board game.
An optional tutorial that can be replayed.
The tutorial is all voiced and is a series of videos.
Two ways to play – online multiplayer and local games.
Local multiplayer can be done with just one account and one controller.
The local game has quick play and configures the game.
Configure game settings – set players to local real people or Ai, counter color, avatar and name, avatar frame, and dice set.
Six sets of dice with four available initially and two to unlock.
Eighteen avatars each with a name.
Four frames to unlock your avatar, two initially, and two to unlock.
It plays very well.
Local games can have 2 to 3 players added.
Map settings – variable setup, combine build and trade phase and enable the second screen.
The second screen requires a mobile phone to scan the QR code.
Almanac is the text-based manual of the gameplay, rules, and tips.
You can set it so no one can do the top-down camera selection.
The whole board and all its actions are animated.
The camera allows you to scan around and zoom in and out.
Zooming in allows you to see farmers and miners working etc.
Button prompts and icons show on the screen.
Minimal Hud.
It’s a really good way to learn the game both digitally and at Tabletop.
Little downtime between turns even with the Ai.

CATAN Console Edition

Catan Console Edition Review Cons:

Cannot rebind controls.
Really long initial load time.
No touchscreen support.
The tiles are 3D which hinders dice rolls.
You can only have one game saved at a time.
The quick play has no options at all.
Doesn’t have difficulties for the AI.
Takes a while to learn for new players.
No expansions or new boards are included in the base game and even the deluxe version is only a few boards.

CATAN Console Edition

Catan Console Edition:

Official website.

Developer: Asmodee

Publisher: Dovetail Games.

Store Links –

Nintendo

8/10
Graphics - 8/10
7/10
Sound - 7/10
7/10
Accessibility - 7/10
8/10
Length - 8/10
7/10
Fun Factor - 7/10

7.4/10

Summary

Finally, Catan is on the Nintendo Switch! Catan is a staple in the Tabletop community for its genius resource management and accessibility to new players. I’m happy to report the same addiction and ease of play are here in the digital version. It is a competent version of the game and for new players, it is still a bit daunting but the tutorials are videos with narration that helps a lot and for those of us who like reading, the almanac is the full rulebook with every action and tile explained I’m great detail. The best part of this version is when you want to walk away you can just save! No putting it all back in the box and writing down who has what. The presentation is great and I love all the detailed work of the tiles but it is a shame that the tiles stifle your dice rolls. I wish the game had more customisation options as it only has a handful of dice and frames but for a base game of tabletop game, Catan Console Edition nails what it’s going for and adds another avenue for people to experience one of the best board games created. Overall the Nintendo Switch version makes it the quickest one to grab when you have friends around (saves on setup time and getting the tiles out!) but the loading times are not amazing and they make the chargeable DLC look like it’s a game mode rather than a DLC. It’s still a cracking game and we’ll be worth playing!