Settlers of Catan expanding empire, coming to DS
by Griffin McElroy 
{ Oct 18th 2008 at 6:30PM }
Fans of bloodthirsty trade practices and ceaseless expansionism will be glad to know that the classic board game-turned-XBLA hit, Settlers of Catan, is on its way to the Nintendo DS. The game will be a port of the upcoming mobile title Catan: The First Island (with appropriately upgraded graphics and audio, we hope), a trailer for which we've embedded after the break. No details have yet to surface about the title's release date, though we imagine adapting a thirteen-year-old board game for a handheld doesn't take a remarkable amount of time.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Dirk Dorkelson @ Oct 18th 2008 6:36PM
Aw, when I saw the first part of that headline, I thought they were finally adding some of the expansions to the XBLA version. Then I read the second half and was a sad panda.
343 Guilty Fart @ Oct 18th 2008 6:46PM
Same here, would love to play some Seafarers or Knights.
Orcef @ Oct 18th 2008 7:06PM
Why is it that you have to be a panda to be sad? I've seen pandas (only in zoos of course) and they look more pissed off than sad. If you're going to be a sad anything, be something that really looks sad, like a tapir.
BIGFAT @ Oct 18th 2008 7:11PM
every now and then i go back and play the XBLA version and to my surprise people still play it even though safari been dropped support for it.
That game has a very loyal fan base.
Blah @ Oct 18th 2008 7:52PM
orcef your lack of pop culture knowledge makes me a sad panda
Steve @ Oct 18th 2008 9:51PM
I'm with you. I still love playing Catan when I have a few minutes--it would be refreshing to have an expansion.
Markez @ Oct 18th 2008 9:58PM
@ Blah - Really can't agree with you that the panda reference is pop culture at all, it's rather obscure as far as I'm concerned. Maybe it's a little more well known amongst us who nerd it up commenting on videogame blogs, but even then I don't think tons of people recognize it. If sad panda is really a pop culture reference to you I think you might be a little lost in your fantasy land.
But, he is absolutely right. The tapir is one sad looking animal, and that's what I'll roll with from now on, ie, if this is a bad game, I'll be one sad tapir.
I'll have to give this a whirl on XBLA to see if I'd want it at all on DS.
Saria the Cat @ Oct 18th 2008 11:59PM
Any time another awesome board game makes it into any game system, I am one happy cat.
Blah @ Oct 19th 2008 1:57AM
Markez
I'd say anything that's coined from south park is a pop culture reference. I don't know where you got it that its only for video game blogs =\
Psalm Bowser @ Oct 19th 2008 6:07AM
Markez is talking shit as usual.
Markez @ Oct 19th 2008 4:44PM
My bad, thought sad panda was a 4chan reference or whatever. Likely confused it with the pedobear bit.
I'll stick with my preference for sad tapir, however.
Orcef @ Oct 19th 2008 6:20PM
Sorry for challenging pop-culture. That reminds me of another sad animal, sheep.
dukemeiser @ Oct 19th 2008 9:16PM
You can already play the expansions online with your computer of choice. (Although the expansions require money. The basic game is free.)
http://www.catan.com/
Rob Accomando @ Oct 18th 2008 7:06PM
I didn't know Don Flamenco was in Catan.
http://www.nerdzapper.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/07/don-flamenco.png
Voodoo @ Oct 19th 2008 9:05PM
I didn't know Grand Moff Tarkin was in it.
BIGFAT @ Oct 18th 2008 7:08PM
i hate the graphics of the one on the youtube video, so unless they make better graphics and revamp the interface (that is way to crowed compared to the xbox live one) i wont be buying (but i want to buy it).
The XBLA versions has spoiled me.
FSK405K @ Oct 18th 2008 7:22PM
You're right, it's terrible. Did they program this for Game Boy Color?
BIGFAT @ Oct 18th 2008 7:59PM
i was thinking Apple II but you may be right:)
chispito @ Oct 18th 2008 9:38PM
If I'm not mistaken, the youtube video is from a phone app.
BIGFAT @ Oct 18th 2008 9:42PM
the sad part about it is the ds version will probably look no different.
Gnoll @ Oct 19th 2008 3:50AM
Yeah, this is a cell phone app. It's stretched so it looks blurry, but on a phone it looks dang good for what it is.
Given a graphics overhaul, I'd love to play this on the DS. I play it on my phone when I need to kill time, but it hurts my eyes staring at a small screen.
FSK405K @ Oct 18th 2008 7:21PM
Catan + Friend Codes = Stick with XBLA.
Saria the Cat @ Oct 19th 2008 1:01AM
But you can't play XBLA during plane or train rides.
matt @ Oct 18th 2008 7:24PM
I'm not playing no damned Catan without the expansions. It's not even a game once you've played the real thing. How hard would it be, programmers? Are you just hoping to milk us later with expansions?
Wookievomit @ Oct 18th 2008 8:53PM
Um unplayable without the expansions? o.O Your a minority in the catan world my friend. City and Knights and Seafarers really doesn't make the game better just makes it different
DudeRed @ Oct 20th 2008 2:22PM
Well I can see his point, but I don't think catan is ever unplayable. But once you have played the basic game a couple hundred times, it does get a little repetitive and old. The expansions are a nice change and add a lot more strategy to the game.
Covarr @ Oct 18th 2008 7:30PM
While I think the touch screen has the potential to be a better interface than the 360 version has, I'm worried that they'll dink around too much and add pointless touchscreen minigames. "Scribble as hard as you can for twenty seconds between rounds! Whoever wins gets an double materials for the next round!"
I really want a PSN version of Catan, mostly because I haven't gotten around to buying a 360 yet. I imagine, however, that it wouldn't have as many online players, though.
dennis @ Oct 19th 2008 4:26AM
come on guys, catan on the ds rocks..!! This is a dream come true! you are all just acting spoiled here.
Geist @ Oct 18th 2008 10:04PM
I want me some mobile Catan. I just hope they make some new graphics for the DS, there's certainly the potential for a 3D map.
dphizzle @ Oct 19th 2008 5:01AM
this is awesome in the sense that it might get other people into Catan, but nothing really beats the experience of playing the board game. it's just fun effing people over with the robber and soldier cards in person.
ed @ Oct 19th 2008 8:26AM
I didn't know Armando Iannucci was in this!
(btw because you're all into shitty comedies and don't have an ounce of culture in your pathetic excuse of an education you won't know who the fuck that is but do know he's better than anything you ever are or ever will become. And thats a fucking Asda promise)
ogvor @ Oct 19th 2008 2:11PM
I am ridiculously excited for this game, even if the Cellphone version looked awful compared to the XBLA version.
DudeRed @ Oct 20th 2008 2:16PM
I thought I would share this site to all of the Catan fans out there. It has the basic game and all the expansions for free (no trail period either). All you have to do is register for the site and your in. You can play other people on the site or you can just stick with the bots. Enjoy!
http://games.asobrain.com/