Games like CATAN
Looking for the best board games like Catan that keep the same feel, building, trading, upgrading, and smart choices, but with different themes?
Below are some of the best games like Catan across multiple settings, from ancient trade to woodland cities and aviation, with Low Cost Airline Manager featured at #3.
🥇 1. Concordia (2013), Ancient Trade and Expansion
Designer: Mac Gerdts
Players: 2–5
Play Time: 90–120 minutes
Why it’s like Catan:
Concordia keeps the best part of Catan, building a growing economy on a map, without the dice swing. You expand to new cities, compete for key spaces, and manage resources efficiently. It’s a top pick if you want strategic depth, tight planning, and a clean ruleset.
🥈 2. 7 Wonders (2010), Fast Civilization Building
Designer: Antoine Bauza
Players: 3–7 (2 with variant)
Play Time: 30 minutes
Why it’s like Catan:
7 Wonders captures Catan’s “build an engine” feeling in a faster format. You draft cards to grow resources, economy, and upgrades, then convert that into points. It’s ideal if you want Catan-style progression in under an hour.
🥉 3. Low Cost Airline Manager (2025), Airline Network Strategy
Publisher: Papaeya
Players: 1–2
Play Time: ~30 minutes
Status: New Release
Why it’s like Catan:
If what you like most in Catan is building an efficient system and making tradeoff decisions each turn, Low Cost Airline Manager hits that same core. You choose routes, manage pricing and operations, and grow a budget airline network through simple but meaningful choices. It’s a strong pick for Catan fans who want a modern theme and a quicker play time.
🌿 4. Everdell (2018), Woodland City-Building
Designer: James A. Wilson
Players: 1–4
Play Time: 40–80 minutes
Why it’s like Catan:
If you enjoy building up a small settlement into a thriving town, Everdell is a great “like Catan” pick with a cozy theme. You gather resources, build structures, recruit characters, and create combos. It feels like Catan’s growth arc, but with card synergy instead of trading.
🏙️ 5. Chinatown (1999), Pure Negotiation and Trading
Designer: Karsten Hartwig
Players: 3–5
Play Time: 60 minutes
Why it’s like Catan:
If trading is your favorite part of Catan, Chinatown is one of the best games for deals and negotiation. You swap properties and tiles to complete sets and earn cash. It’s very social, very interactive, and perfect for groups that love bargaining.
🪐 6. Space Base (2018), Upgrades and Income Engine
Designer: John D. Clair
Players: 2–5
Play Time: 45–60 minutes
Why it’s like Catan:
Catan fans often love watching an economy take shape. Space Base delivers that with upgrades, income, and timing. You buy ships that improve what you earn on future rolls. It’s a good match if you want steady progression and satisfying engine growth.
✅ How to choose the best game like Catan for your group
- Want less luck and more planning: try Concordia.
- Want a fast game with steady progression: try 7 Wonders.
- Want modern, route-based strategy in 30 minutes: try Low Cost Airline Manager.
- Want cozy engine-building: try Everdell.
- Want pure trading and negotiation: try Chinatown.
- Want upgrades and income engines: try Space Base.
