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Best games like Catan (2026): Catan made modern board games mainstream, and for many groups it is the first strategy game they ever loved. If you want more of that feeling (building something of your own, a dash of luck, and friends to outwit) these six games are the natural next step. Each one keeps a different piece of what makes Catan great.
Start here after Catan: Cascadia
Draft habitat tiles and wildlife, then grow your own corner of the Pacific Northwest. It keeps Catan’s satisfying build-up, drops the dice droughts, and plays in under 45 minutes.
Price band: $30+ (about $37) · Check today’s price on Amazon
Games like Catan at a glance
Six next steps for Catan fans.
- Best overall: Cascadia — tile-laying with no bad dice luck (about $37)
- Best map builder: Carcassonne — build the board together (about $32)
- Best route race: Ticket to Ride — connect cities by train (about $30)
- Best economy game: Splendor — gem engine racing to 15 (about $32)
What Catan fans usually want next
Most people who love Catan enjoy three things: watching their little empire grow, the push and pull of resources, and the table chatter. What they often dislike is the dice: a bad number can lock you out for half an hour. The best next games keep the growth and the choices while reducing luck or making it fairer. If you need a refresher on the original, our Catan how-to covers it.
1. Cascadia — best Catan follow-up for most groups
Players: 1–4 (ages 10+) · Price band: $30+ (about $37) · Pick for: Best Catan follow-up for most groups · See Cascadia on Amazon
On your turn, take one habitat tile and the wildlife token paired with it, then add both to your area. Scoring cards reward patterns like bears in pairs or salmon in runs, and you score your largest habitat of each type.
Like Catan, you watch your land grow every turn. Unlike Catan, no die roll can leave you empty-handed.
Skip it if: your group loves trading. Cascadia has almost no negotiation.
2. Carcassonne — best for fans of Catan’s map
Players: 2–5 (ages 7+) · Price band: $30+ (about $32) · Pick for: Best for fans of Catan’s map · See Carcassonne on Amazon
Players draw and place tiles to build a shared medieval map, then place meeples to claim cities, roads and fields. The board grows into something different every game, just like a fresh Catan island.
It plays up to five out of the box, where Catan’s base box stops at four.
Skip it if: you want resource management. Carcassonne is about placement.
3. Ticket to Ride — best for families moving on from Catan
Players: 2–5 (ages 8+) · Price band: $20–$30 (about $30) · Pick for: Best for families moving on from Catan · See Ticket to Ride on Amazon
Collect train cards and claim routes to finish secret destination tickets. It has the same race-to-build feeling as laying Catan roads, with shorter turns and no trading.
It is the easiest game here to teach to grandparents and kids.
Skip it if: you enjoy Catan’s tense trades. There are none here.
4. Splendor — best for fans of Catan’s resource engine
Players: 2–4 (ages 10+) · Price band: $30+ (about $32) · Pick for: Best for fans of Catan’s resource engine · See Splendor on Amazon
Collect gem tokens and buy cards that give permanent gem discounts. Like upgrading settlements to cities, your engine snowballs until you can buy big cards in one turn.
It is fast, around 30 minutes, and works very well with two.
Skip it if: you want a board to build on. Splendor is all cards and chips.
5. Azul Mini — best compact pick for Catan players who travel
Players: 2–4 (ages 8+) · Price band: $20–$30 (about $26) · Pick for: Best compact pick for Catan players who travel · See Azul Mini on Amazon
Take tiles of one color from shared factories, fill your rows, and score on your wall. Every draft leaves leftovers for your rivals, so there is real tactical tension.
The mini edition packs flat with trays that hold tiles in place.
Skip it if: you need room for five or six.
6. King of Tokyo — best for groups who love Catan’s dice and trash talk
Players: 2–6 (ages 8+) · Price band: $30+ (about $45) · Pick for: Best for groups who love Catan’s dice and trash talk · See King of Tokyo on Amazon
Roll six dice up to three times and use them to attack, heal, gain energy or score points. Buy power cards with energy to mutate your monster. First to 20 points or last monster standing wins.
It keeps the shouting and the luck, but turns it into a 30-minute brawl that plays with six.
Skip it if: dice luck was what you disliked about Catan.
Match your favorite part of Catan
| What you love about Catan | Try next | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Building your own area | Cascadia | about $37 |
| A board that changes every game | Carcassonne | about $32 |
| Racing to build roads | Ticket to Ride | about $30 |
| Growing an economy | Splendor | about $32 |
| Tight drafting choices | Azul Mini | about $26 |
| Dice and table talk | King of Tokyo | about $45 |
Should you buy a Catan expansion instead?
If your group already plays Catan every week, an expansion like Seafarers or the 5–6 player extension can be a great buy. If Catan comes out only now and then, a new game will give you more variety for the money. Many groups end up with Catan plus two or three of the games above, which covers nearly every kind of night.
For simpler options to mix in, see our easy board games for adults.
Games like Catan: quick answers
What game is most like Catan?
Carcassonne is closest in feel because the board is built during play, though it has no trading.
What is a good Catan alternative for two players?
Splendor plays very well with two.
Is there a game like Catan with less luck?
Cascadia keeps the building and drops the dice entirely.
