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The whole 'gateway game' thing is getting used wrong at my local meetup
Honestly, I keep hearing people call Catan a gateway game for new players, but I've seen three groups in the last month get totally stuck on the trading rules. Tbh, I think a real gateway game should have zero hidden information on turn one, like Ticket to Ride. Has anyone else noticed this or am I just being picky?
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davis.dylan2mo ago
the_tara nailed it with "placing a meeple in Carcassonne" lol. That reminds me of the time I tried to teach my cousin Catan and she spent 10 minutes trying to trade her one sheep for wood and the whole table just stared at her. We ended up playing Uno instead.
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pat1423mo ago
Yeah, the_tara gets it. First turn needs to be brain dead simple or you lose people right away. Catan's trading is a wall for newbies.
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the_tara3mo ago
Spot on about Catan. That trading phase can totally derail new players who aren't comfortable negotiating yet. I'd argue a true gateway game needs simple choices on the first turn, like placing a meeple in Carcassonne or picking a card in Splendor. The goal is to get them playing immediately, not explaining complex systems. Hidden info is fine if the basic action is super clear.
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