In households everywhere boardgames are an intrinsic part of your childhood experience, with Snakes and Ladders, Monopoly and Trivial Pursuit coming readily to mind. And while the adults among us might enjoy card games such as ‘Cards Against Humanity’ and Ring Of Fire, for those who want a game to share with all the family, there is nothing more unifying than a solid game of Monopoly, where loved ones are pitted against each other in a game that requires deliberation, logic and ‘mad ass skills’. In the game, players roll two six-sided dice to move around the game board, buying and trading properties, and developing them with houses and hotels. Players collect rent from their opponents, with the goal being to drive them into bankruptcy.
Money can also be gained or lost through Chance and Community Chest cards, and tax squares; players can end up in jail, which they cannot move from until they have met one of several conditions. And while Monopoly is designed to be played with all the family, you could equally make this a ‘university friendly’ drinking game where players must drink everytime they land on a certain square. After all I know from my own personal experience that while I might not be the best Monopoly player- I once had to watch my friend and her mum play Monopoly for 3 hours after I lost the game- I am great at drinking games! You can even play Monopoly online games and battle other players!
Published by entertainment and game giant Hasbro, everyone knows the game of Monopoly. It’s a classic boardgame that’s a favourite of families and is often dusted off at annual gatherings like Christmas. I can guarantee that you will probably have played it at least once because Monopoly is licensed locally in more than 103 countries and printed in more than 37 languages, making it an integral part of popular culture. While we know it as a traditional boardgame that is the gift that keeps on giving, did you know that Monopoly was derived from The Landlord’s Game created by Lizzie Magie in the United States in 1903? The Landlord’s Game existed as a way to demonstrate that an economy which rewards wealth creation is better than one where monopolists work under few constraints, and to promote the economic theories of Henry George—in particular his ideas about taxation. It wasn’t until 1935 however that Monopoly as we know it today, was given it’s name, published by the Parker Brothers, and later acquired by Hasbro in 1991.
While the traditional gameplay is still entertaining, it has been modernised, both in its boardgame format as well as in video games and in other online alternatives. In fact, you’ll find special editions including versions based on Star Wars and Game of Thrones as well as a version of the game that swaps residential wheeling and dealing with major brand management. From Monopoly Live to Game of Thrones, here are five modern versions of Monopoly that you should try this year, guaranteed to convert even the most ‘Anti-Monopoly’ player there is out there.
Monopoly Live
For one of the most modern takes on Monopoly look no further than Evolution’s live casino Monopoly. This online alternative to the traditional boardgame captures the excitement of real-money betting by mixing elements of classic Monopoly with roulette as a live host spins the wheel to determine your chance for instant cash wins. There’s even an augmented reality aspect via a 3D bonus game which sits alongside the familiarity of the Community Chest, jail and the buying of houses and hotels. I don’t know about you but the idea of playing Monopoly in real time, and online, has showed that Monopoly is more than just your average board game, but one which has used trends in digital technology to create an augmented reality version of a cult classic that is now available to play from the comfort of your computer or laptop.
So put away the board game and try something new today!
Star Wars
Monopoly has embraced pop culture’s biggest attractions and few come more ground-breaking than Star Wars. This alternative version of the boardgame modernises its traditional gameplay with an immersive retro style as you play either on the Rebel or Empire side. Instead of buying houses to dominate the residential market, you need to build bases to conquer the galaxy. Owning planets will determine the winner with “rent” paid when players land on planets you rule.When players land on your planets, they owe you rent – but the same is true when you land on theirs! Powerful Force cards will alter your destiny, but there can be only one winner. When every planet is owned, the game is over – and if the Force is with you, you’ll be the ultimate winner!
A must have for any Star Wars Enthusiasts out there.
Monopoly Streets
A video game version of Monopoly released for all major consoles including Playstation 3 and Xbox 360, it first appeared in 2010 to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the popular boardgame. Monopoly Streets powerfully immerses us in the traditions of the game while giving the iconic family favourite a unique and fresh spin. For instance, it boasts rules you’ll be familiar with alongside entertaining variations such as Bull Market which shortens the game to twenty rounds and Speed Die which adds a dice to proceedings.
Game of Thrones
After the aftermath of the Game of Thrones Finale, we have weeped for hours lamenting the end of one of the greatest shows- in my totally non biased opinion- and wondering what on earth Jon Snow came back for. And while many have criticized the writers for the rushed narrative of it’s final season, there’s no denying that Game of Thrones has had a powerful impact on the society that we live in today. So with that in mind, what could be more modern than giving Monopoly a Game of Thrones makeover. Here you get to enjoy the classic game through a collector’s version as you battle for supremacy by building castles and keeps instead of houses and hotels. Just one of the exciting changes sees the Chance and Community Chest cards swapped for “The Iron Throne” and “Valar Morghulis” cards inspired by the hugely popular TV series.
Game of Thrones fans can travel the legendary lands of Westeros as you buy, sell and trade locations from the Seven Kingdoms in this edition of the Monopoly game.The six Monopoly game tokens are inspired by the honorary sigils of the Ideal Houses, who will you pledge your loyalty to, and includes 32 holdfasts and 12 castles in place of houses and hotels and the properties are locations from the TV show. With 42 Gold Dragons and 53 Silver Stags cardboard coins, ride the flame wave into Monopoloy’s coolest kid on the block. And if you want further incentive, it also features an Iron Throne card holder with a musical stand that plays the Game of Thrones theme song, how cool is that?
City Edition
A subtle alternative to the gameplay you’ll already know, City Edition has updated Monopoly by switching property buying with permit acquisition. New monetary values, buildings of the future, and modernized playing cards are also on show in City Edition which has an electronic upgrade to allow players to hold auctions. And if you want something even more specific, the city edition has gaming versions such as Birmingham and Manchester, where cities, towns, counties and now, even football clubs are celebrated through these special editions of this classic family game. Featuring many of the region’s most famous landmarks and cultural icons, from Wolverhampton to Norwich Monopoloy City Edition is a great palette cleanser in between themed editions of Monopoly.
So if you’re a Monopoly fan who wants a change or someone who’s eager to try the game in one of its more modern alternatives, this selection will definitely bring hours of entertainment.
Have You Ever Played Monopoly Before? What Are Your Thoughts?
*Disclaimer
Please note this is a collaborative post but all thoughts and opinions are my own and are not affected by monetary compensation.
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