Elasund: The First City
- Players
- 2-4
- Best withThe player count this game plays best at.
- 4 players
- Play timeHow long a full game runs once everyone knows the rules.
- 90 min
- AgeThe minimum age printed by the publisher.
- 10+
- ComplexityHow demanding the rules are, from 1 (very light) to 5 (very heavy).
- 2.7 / 5
- Year
- 2005
About the game
Elasund: The First City is set in the world of Catan, based on Rebecca Gablé's 'Die Siedler von Catan' novel, and finds players competing and cooperating to build up the great city of Catan. Using dice rolling, tile placement, and set collection, players enclose plots and develop the city's districts across a 90-minute session for two to four players. As part of the 'Abenteuer Catan' series that began with Candamir: The First Settlers, it blends familiar Catan-universe theming with a distinct standalone ruleset. The mix of enclosure and hand management mechanisms gives it a different feel from the classic Settlers formula while staying rooted in the same setting.
Hobbli's Notes
As an older, lesser-known entry in the Catan universe, Elasund is an interesting curiosity for series completionists more than a must-play title today. It offers a reasonably solid medium-weight Euro experience, but it's been overshadowed by both the core Catan line and more modern designs using similar mechanisms. Worth tracking down if you're a Catan superfan, though it's not the first stop for new Euro gamers.
What we like
- Interesting expansion of the Catan universe's lore.
- Solid blend of tile placement, dice rolling, and set collection.
- Approachable medium complexity for Catan fans.
- Distinct enclosure mechanism sets it apart from Settlers.
Keep in mind
- Out of print and can be hard to find.
- Overshadowed by other, more popular Catan spin-offs.
- Some mechanisms feel dated compared to modern Euros.
Who it's for
Best suited to Catan enthusiasts and medium-weight Euro gamers aged 10 and up looking to explore the wider Catan universe.
