Hasbro has announced Monopoly Live, a computer-assisted version of classic Monopoly. I admit that I enjoyed playing Monopoly as a child, but that was before I became aware of other board games that edged it for elegance, game duration, replayability …
In my opinion, the future of Monopoly is in developing different games with the same theme, such as Monopoly Deal. Monopoly Live meets a need that does not exist: relieving players of the responsibility of keeping track of play, even though that tracking is a central part of the game’s charm. For young children, handling paper money has considerable educational value.
I expect the game will sell well, but I can’t say that I will have any enthusiasm for playing it.
About Meng
Board Game Fanatic, and Father of Two, Meng is an Australian who became hooked on board games at high school, with such classics as Talisman and Diplomacy. Years later, he rekindled his interest while living in the United States, both immersing himself in the local gaming scene and also taking advantage of mail-order to expand his collection to some 300 items. After returning to Australia in 2008, and with little time left after work, study and travel, the majority of his gaming nowadays is with his two young children. Hoping one day in the distant future to teach them to play a rollicking game of Die Macher, in the meantime he provides more age-appropriate fare and tries to discuss some life lessons along the way.
Meng goes by the handle
meng on Board Game Geek.
I smell a gimmick. Prove me wrong, Hasbro. Prove me wrong.
Technically, I don’t think there is anything wrong with the original Monopoly. It’s just over played and looks like a tarnished antique when placed side by side with the newer games.
This new Monopoly game is a blatant attempt to inject some life into the franchise, and why not? Nothing wrong with a little innovation. Besides, Monopoly has been around since 1933 and could use an update.
What a golden age we live in…