Monopoly PC game
by Amanda Nettgen
(USA)
Quick verdict
Game:
Parker Brothers Monopoly
Download from:
GameHouse (FULL FREE version when you open a trial Fun Ticket account!)
Rating:
3/5
The FREE Monopoly download edition plays just like the timeless board game version, minus the set up and with a few added statistics. You’ll be getting the classic’s replica, plain and simple, but with the option to play alone - unlike in real life.
What's it about?
Chances are if it’s your second time playing the Parker Brothers Monopoly PC game, you’ll be loading a saved game, as the virtual version is just like the physical form in that it takes forever to win.
If you’re starting fresh, your first job is to choose a token (no new ones here), then add up to three computer and/or human players. You can choose the difficulty of the AI players (but not your friends).
You can modify how you’d like to play by adjusting a slew of House Rules. You need to do this before you play, however, and not later in the game when you encounter how annoying it is to have to own an entire color set before you can build a house. House Rules I have always played by in the real game of Monopoly include collecting all tax money when someone lands on Free Parking and playing without that pesky even build law.
Play in the Monopoly PC game is the same as in regular Monopoly: roll the (rotating) dice – twice if you get doubles – and do laps around the board buying pretty much everything you can (the title deed will pop up with the option to purchase it or send it to auction).
When you land on somebody else’s property (denoted by a clone of their token at the top), you’re forced to pay up. Rent increases as the landlord remodels the place with houses and hotels, and personal money is replenished by $200 each time you pass GO.
You can suggest trades during any turn, but don’t assume you’ll always be able to con the AIs. The goal is to be the last player standing after all the others have gone bankrupt.
The added features of the Monopoly PC game are slim but useful. A running history of each move that’s been made is recorded in a box to the right, along with a timer telling you how much of your life has been spent playing the particular Monopoly game.
Clicking on BANK allows you to see which properties are still available at a quick glance. Similarly, selecting a fellow player’s profile will show you the breakdown of their ownerships.
Other computer and video board games you might enjoy!
Battleship Fleet Command game (PC)
Blokus World Tour (PC)
Carcassonne board game (XBox 360)
Cafe Mahjongg (PC)
Clue Classic (PC and Mac)
Family Feud (PC game)
The Game of Life (PC)
The Game of Life, Yahtzee and Payday video game (GameBoy Advance)
The Game of Life: Path to Success (PC)
Hasbro Family Game Night (XBox 360 and Wii)
Hasbro Game of Life
Mahjongg XP Championship (PC)
Monopoly (PC game)
Monopoly 3 (PC)
XBox 360 Monopoly game
Risk board game (download for PC)
Risk 2 computer game (PC)
Scrabble (download for PC)
Scrabble Blast! (PC)
Scrabble Journey (PC)
Settlers of Catan (XBox 360)
Skip Bo Castaway Caper (PC)
Spongebob Atlantis Square Off
Spongebob Squarepants Monopoly (PC)
Ticket to Ride game (XBox 360)
Trivial Pursuit Silver Screen edition (PC)
Uno Undercover (PC)
Uno video game (XBox 360)
Wheel of Fortune (download for PC)
Yahtzee (download for PC)
Yahtzee Texas Holdem (PC)
Computer board games HQ
Pros and cons
If you really love Monopoly, then this PC version is obviously good for travel.
It’s easier to save ongoing games with the computer version rather than have your months-long Monopoly hogging a coffee table somewhere (and then having you forget whose turn it is and whose money is whose).
The added animations of the game are barely noticeable, but the graphics are very good.
My complaint is that the Monopoly PC game is just vanilla Monopoly – no new playing pieces, different boards, nor fun features. It makes me wonder about the customer audience; are there really enough people out there who don’t already own the 3D version of Monopoly that would buy this take in lieu of the board game?
The verdict
This Monopoly free gamecaters to a small audience, I think. It gets a decent rating because it’s, well, Monopoly and is a solid copy of the franchise with streamlined graphics. You’re better off buying one of those themed Monopolys if you want some variety, though.
Comments for
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
