catan is great, but every once in a while you get that game where one number comes up an inordinate number of times, and one guy just runs away ridiculously because he happened to build on both 9s and it's just awful and unfun and really disappointing
but aside from that it's good, it's definitely better with an expansion or two!
that said, dominion is definitely a step above. especially when you get a few expansions involved there, things really get crazy and the variety goes through the roof.
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it's an underwater adventure ride