IO Games
Colonist.io

Colonist.io

Colonist.io is a brilliant and challenging web-based board game that offers a unique and exciting alternative to the popular Settlers of Catan. In this game, players assume the role of colonists and must build a civilization while expanding their territory. The game combines simple rules with deep gameplay, requiring players to employ strategy, planning, cunning, and negotiation to emerge victorious. With a base game of four players, the first player to reach ten points wins. You can play solo against bots, with friends, or with players from all around the world.

To start playing Colonist.io, you need to understand the basics of the game. The objective is to produce resources, build settlements and cities, and utilize those resources strategically. Buildings such as settlements and cities generate resources when any player rolls the dice. If a settlement or city is located at the border of the dice number, the player will receive the resource shown on the corresponding tile. Settlements produce one resource, while cities produce two.

One key element of the game is the Robber. When a player rolls a seven, they can place the Robber on any tile they choose. This action allows them to steal one random card from any of the colors adjacent to the tile where the Robber is placed. Additionally, the Robber prevents the player from gaining resources from the tile it occupies.

Resources in Colonist.io can be used in various ways. You can use resources to build roads, settlements, cities, or trade with other players. Building a road requires lumber and brick, while constructing a settlement requires lumber, brick, wool, and grain. Cities, on the other hand, require two grain and three ore. You can also use resources to buy development cards, which offer various advantages in the game. The types of development cards include the Knight (allows you to place the Robber and steal a card), Year of Plenty (lets you take two cards from the bank), Road Building (allows you to build two roads), Monopoly (lets you steal all instances of a single type of card from every player), and Victory Point (gives you one victory point).

Trading with other players is another important aspect of the game. By default, you can trade four cards of the same type to obtain one card of a different type from the bank. However, if you have a settlement or city near a port, you can trade with the bank using the port's specialty. For example, if you have a 3:1 port, you can trade three cards of the same type to obtain one card of any other type. Similarly, a 2:1 port allows you to trade two corresponding cards for one of any other type.

In addition to resource management and trading, Colonist.io introduces two significant elements that can earn players additional victory points: Longest Road and Largest Army. The player with the longest consecutive road, consisting of at least five connected roads, earns two victory points. Likewise, the player who uses the most Knight cards, with a minimum of three, earns two victory points.

Points in Colonist.io are awarded for various achievements, including settlements (1 point each), cities (2 points each), longest road (2 points), largest army (2 points), and victory points from development cards (1 point each). The game ends when a player reaches ten points.

When playing Colonist.io, the controls are straightforward. All you need is a functional mouse, touchpad, or touchscreen to navigate and interact with the game board.

If you're looking to improve your strategy in Colonist.io, you can explore advanced Settlers of Catan strategies. There are numerous resources available, including blogs, that offer detailed strategies for enhancing your gameplay.

In conclusion, Colonist.io is an engaging and challenging web-based board game that offers a fantastic alternative to Settlers of Catan. With its simple rules and deep gameplay, the game allows players to build civilizations, expand territories, and compete against friends or online opponents. By employing strategy, planning, and negotiation, you can aim to be the first to reach ten points and emerge victorious in Colonist.io.