Unpopular opinion: 3 player Catan is actually better than 4 player
Everybody in my group acts like 4 players is the only real way to play Catan, and they give me weird looks when I say 3 players is tighter. With 3 people you get way more interaction on the board and fewer turns where you just roll and pass. We played 5 games of 3 player last Friday at my place and every single one came down to the final few points, while our old 4 player games usually had one person running away with it by turn 8. Anyone else prefer 3 player for games that say 3 to 4 on the box?
Wait, am I the only one who didn't even know the box said 3 to 4 until like my tenth game? I spent years thinking Catan was a 4 player game only and just dealt with it. But yeah I'm with you on this, 3 player games are way tighter because nobody gets left in the dust with that one sad little spot in the corner. The trade game gets way more interesting too since you actually need each other instead of one person hoarding all the wheat. My group still fights me on it every time but the scoreboard doesn't lie.