How Catan 'Fixed' Monopoly and Revolutionized Board Games
Channel: Andrew Venus
Date: 2020-10-02

The copy of Catan used in this video was borrowed from Newcastle Libraries' board game collection (https://www.newcastle.gov.uk/services/libraries-culture/events-and-whats/library-board-games). See me teach, in the worst possible way, how to play some of their games (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkGeWaxmQvoxBaLHZsOO3wL0aQtjL_z8I).

In 1995 the PlayStation arrived revolutionized video games. At the same time, Settlers of Catan had a similar effect on board games. Catan took classic board game Monopoly and gave it an update. In the process it would establish many of the principles and philosophies that inform board game design today. Also, Street Fighter the Movie was released on VHS. 1995 was an important year.

(French subtitles kindly provided by Séréna: https://www.facebook.com/frenchnewcastle)

0:00 Introduction
01:08 Part 1: Admitting you Have a Problem
02:32 Part 2: A Short History of Monopoly
05:36 Part 3: 'Fixing' Monopoly
07:12 Part 3a: Player Agency
09:46 Part 3b: Bad Deals
12:42 Part 3c: Bad Times
14:16 Part 3d: Player Interaction
15:16 Part 4: Conclusion