How to Play Catan with Your Friends straight from the Browser

Settlers of Catan was originally a table-top board game invented by Klaus Teuber in 1995. Much like the Age of Empires game, it’s a strategy game where the objective is to establish a settlement that’s more prosperous than your opponent(s)’s.

Its concept and design make it prime for online play. But is there a browser-based version of the game and if so, how do you play it with your friends? In this guide, we’ll answer this question and more.

However, before you continue with the rest of this article, you need to ensure that you’re optimized to run online games.

Is there a way to play Catan online with friends?

There are indeed ways to accomplish what you want. Catan Universe is the definitive, digital, cross-platform adaptation of the classic board game CATAN.

You can play the classic board game, the card game (Rivals for CATAN), and use the most essential extensions all in one convenient app, whenever and anywhere you choose.

Moreover, you can participate in thrilling duels against other players from all around the world as you travel across the universe of CATAN. Your computer screen will feel just like a genuine game table thanks to the accurate graphics that have been faithfully recreated from the original.

How can I play Catan online with friends?

The best way to play the modern game of Catan online is through Catan Universe. It seems to have the best graphics and features.

Furthermore, browser players can compete against mobile players. Catan Universe allows up to six players.

The base multiplayer version of the game is completely free. You can create your own avatar and change the theme of the board. All you have to do is sign-up and register an account.

However, Catan Universe does allow you to test the game without registering an account. Its features a bit more limited if you decide to play account-free.

Unfortunately, like most computer games, it does come with a set of system requirements. Make sure that your PC meets them before trying to play the game.

Quick Tip:
Use a gaming-optimized browser. We recommend Opera GX because it’s built primarily with gamers in mind. Like the base version of Opera, it comes with a built-in VPN and adblock.

Moreover, Opera GX lets you monitor your RAM and CPU in order to avoid performance problems. The browser has quick access to social apps for gamers like Discord and Twitch.

Opera GX

Get the best out of the Catan Universe with this fast and modern browser!

Free Visit website

Catan Universe system requirements

• Operating System: Any 64 Bit operating system (Windows 7/8/8.1/10, Mac OS 10.6+, Linux)
• Processor: Quad-Core CPU or better
• RAM: 4GB
• Graphics Card: Open GL 3.1+ Compliant

Once you’re sure that your system meets these requirements you can register an account with Catan Universe.

Set up an account with Catan Universe

1. Open the Catan Universe website.
2. Click on the Browser version of the game.
   
3. Close any dialogs that appear and wait for the game to load.
4. Click the Register button.
5. Enter your details on the next screen and accept the terms of use and privacy policy, then click the Register button.
6. Catan Universe will send you an activation code via email. Fish for it and enter it into the Catan Universe activation screen. This is how to play Catan online.

Once your account is successfully activated, Catan Universe will give you a virtual tour and tutorial to help you familiarize yourself with the game.

All your friends need to create accounts before you can play with them. If you find that you don’t like Catan Universe very much, there is an alternative.

Alternative online Catan game

Catan Universe is the best way to play Catan online, however, there is another outstanding option. Colonist.io is a less graphically taxing alternative to Catan Universe. It is by no means better than Catan in terms of design or execution but some players appreciate its simplicity.

It doesn’t require as much power to run as Catan Universe so it’s compatible with more systems. You get the settler’s board, dice, and figures. There are no fancy avatars here.

We recommend that you also take a look at the 12 best browsers to use on old and slow PCs to have a speedier online experience.

Up to four players can play at a time and chat with each other. If your friends are too busy to play with you, you can play against bots or fish for people to play against in the lobby.

In addition to this and most importantly, it’s completely free. It has a thriving community behind it. All of these points make it one of the best online games.

In this guide, we demonstrated how you can play the Catan game online. Games like Catan Universe can be resource-heavy at times, so make sure you play it using Opera GX for the best experience.

How do you prefer to play Catan, virtually or on an actual physical board? Please let us know down in the comments section. As always, thank you for reading.