Settlers Of Catan

[Randomex]

High-level (or claiming to be) Catan channels on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUsKNYO4po7rXrKJ2K8v42g/videos
https://www.youtube.com/user/Treeckosaurus/videos
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDJstAeSqadgast_hHFSQPg/videos
https://www.youtube.com/user/ProDuckChins/videos
https://www.youtube.com/user/topgunsam/videos
https://www.youtube.com/c/InkFPS/videos
(Probably not high-level - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDrtxBS3DMhqobEksONH1XQ/videos )

[Randomex]

https://www.vice.com/en/article/7kp8ve/catan-25-anniversary

[Pupashtetl]

Could this game be played by only 2 people?

[Pupashtetl]

If not, what is the most recommended board game for 2?

[etech0]

If not, what is the most recommended board game for 2?

That's a very subjective question!

There are modifications to play Catan with two players but the ones I've tried weren't too exciting, definitely not worth buying the game just for that. There's a Catan dice game which works nicely for 2 (or more) players and is also shorter to play (20-30 minutes with 2 players), worth trying IMO.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Catan-Dice-Strategy-Game/51055679

If you want something longer and more complex, Rivals for Catan is also a two player game (and there are expansion packs if you want to make it even more complicated).

[YitzyS]

If not, what is the most recommended board game for 2?

What's the best song? It's subjective.

Among the classic two-player games are Chess, Checkers, Stratego, Othello, Battleship, and Mancala.

[etech0]

Pandemic
Forbidden Island
Ticket to Ride

[Randomex]

Among the classic two-player games are Chess, Checkers, Stratego, Othello, Battleship, and Mancala.

Among the classic non-two-player games are Monopoly, The Game of Life, Trouble, Uno...

[Randomex]

Pandemic
Forbidden Island

Note that these games are cooperative - the players win or lose together.

Ticket to Ride

Ticket to Ride: Nordic Countries would most likely be better for 2 players.
There's also the Switzerland map, but it can't be played without owning TtR itself (or TtR: Europe or N.C.).

[Randomex]

If not, what is the most recommended board game for 2?

How long and how complex a game do you want?

Would you prefer to compete, cooperate, or fight?

[etech0]

Is Ticket to Ride: Nordic Countries more similar to the US or Europe version? Or totally different?

[Randomex]

The basic ideas of TtR never change (though Rails and Sails gets a little weird with it).
I don't own Nordic Countries. From what I can find on the Internet:
Player count is 2-3 with 40 trains per player (although 45 are usually included).
Tunnels and ferries (from Europe) are included. (You can use any 3 cards in place of a locomotive for ferries.)
The restriction on taking a revealed locomotive is gone, but locomotives can only be used for ferries, tunnels,
or the one 9-length route.
The 9-length route is claimed with X cards of a single color and (9-X)x4 other cards.
The end-game bonus is for most tickets completed.

(Also, the Tallinn-Tampere ticket should be 4 points, not 3.)

[etech0]

Whoa, thanks for doing the research!

So what makes it better for two players than the original game?

[yfr bachur]

Nordic Countries was designed for 2-3 players, so the board is tighter.

We own most of the Ticket to Ride games.
I would recomend the Japan/Italy expansion for couples playing together.
Japan introduces a cooprotive element to the game.
For a more complex game, the UK map is highly recomended

I also recommend our house rule: If you win, you make supper!

[etech0]

TY