I love a good board game, but I don't impress easily. That's why Catan: On the Road caught me so off guard. It only took a single session for me to fall head over heels in love with this 15-minute family game. Did I win? No. But that tells you something about how much fun I had. Now I'm recommending it to anyone who'll listen - and I'd argue that it's a must-have for vacation, not to mention one of the best travel board games overall.
Designed for three to four players, Catan: On the Road is a streamlined version of classic Catan (AKA one of the best board games ever produced, in our humble opinion). Despite being much smaller, it's surprisingly similar to its classic; like the original board game, your aim is to earn the most points. You can do this in a variety of ways from gathering the largest army to constructing vast cities, so you've got plenty of strategies to try.
Rather than using a crap-ton of board tiles and tokens like the original, though, On the Road whittles all that down to a single deck of cards. While you'd think that boils off most of what makes Catan unique along with its nuance, nothing could be further from the truth. Actually, both my family and I were surprised at how much it felt like OG Catan.
If you enjoy Catan or always wanted to try it (but were put off by its size or complexity), this is the perfect entry-point. It's quick and easy to play, very portable, and doesn't take much setup. Plus, its price puts it firmly into "oh, what the heck" territory.
Buy it if:
✅ You want a lightweight but strategic game
✅ You want a way into Catan
✅ You want a portable game
Don't buy it if:
❌ You don't have much table space
UK: £9.99 at Amazon
Basically, you're still gathering resources each turn (they're randomly-drawn cards, mimicking the probability-based nature of the original Catan) and using them to purchase items or buildings. These, in turn, allow you to get more resources or special bonuses that will help you in your mission. Once you've gathered seven Victory Points overall, it's game over.
Plus, its size and the fact that it plays on a smaller surface makes it ideal for travel or taking with you on vacation. Besides fitting into a pocket, it doesn't require a massive dinner table for setup. That's ideal if you want something that you can chuck into a suitcase for your summer holiday; you can play it wherever you're staying, on the train, or at the airport while waiting for a flight.
Now, I will point out that it's not perfect despite being a ton of fun. I found in my test session that those who managed to buy a City card early (which gives you extra resource cards each turn rather than just one) can quickly build up steam because they're obviously getting more to work with. But at the same time, this doesn't mean those who take a different approach will get left behind. I came in second despite taking an entirely different approach, for instance - I focused on getting the longest roads and the biggest armies instead.
Similarly, there are a host of new 'event' cards that adjust the balance of power each time they're drawn. These range from the classic robber who steals resources to special festivals that provide free resources for those who are struggling. Oh, and don't forget players' ability to trade (with others or the bank) when needed.
All this comes together to make a game with that 'special sauce'; I was very eager to try again once we finished. For me, that makes it a very easy recommendation.
For more suggestions, don't miss the best card games or the best tabletop RPGs. As for portable games, Wingspan Pocket shrinks the beloved board game down in size.
