Monopoly (video game)

Monopoly
Current-gen versions cover art
Developer(s)	Leisure Genius (1985/1988) Virgin Interactive (1991) Westwood Studios (1995) Gremlin Interactive (1997) Minds-Eye Productions (1999) Runecraft (2002) EA Bright Light (2008)
Publisher(s)	Leisure Genius (1985/1988) Leisure Genius (1991) Hasbro Interactive (1995) Infogrames (2002) Electronic Arts (2008)
Composer(s)	Ian Livingstone (2008)
Series	Monopoly
Engine	RenderWare (2008 version)
Platform(s)	Amstrad CPC, BBC Micro, BlackBerry, Commodore 64, MS-DOS, Game Boy, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo 64, Nintendo DS, NES, Wii, PlayStation, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable, iOS, Pocket PC/Windows Mobile, Sega Genesis, Sega Master System, Super NES, Windows 95\Windows 98\Windows ME\Windows 2000\Windows XP\Windows Vista, Xbox 360, ZX Spectrum
Release date(s)	(ZX/CPC) 1985 (C64) 1988 (PC 1991) 1991 (PC 1995) September 30, 1995 (PS2/PS3/X360/Wii 2008) October 24, 2008
Genre(s)	Board Game
Mode(s)	Richest
Rating(s)	ESRB: E

There have been more than a dozen video game adaptations of Parker Brothers' highly successful board game Monopoly.

The first of the adaptations were released in 1985 with the release of Monopoly for the BBC Micro, Amstrad CPC and ZX Spectrum. Over the years, Monopoly has been released for different operating systems on the PC and Macintosh platforms. Also, versions have been licenced and produced for the NES, Super NES, Game Boy, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo 64, Nintendo GameCube, PlayStation, PlayStation 2, Sega Master System, Sega Genesis, Xbox, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable, and Wii consoles, as well as mobile device (PDA/Smartphone) versions.

The game plays by the same rules as the standard board game, and allows for single or multiplayer games. When a single player game is chosen, the game would generate computer-controlled opponents.

One of the lesser-liked features of the game was that the players could play only in the exact style programmed into the game. This could be slightly different than the various "house rules" that many homes employ, and could cause problems. An especially problematic feature was the mandatory auctioning of un-bought properties, that led to rich players having a better run of the board. Some versions however, like the Nintendo 64 and PlayStation versions, do allow the most common "house rules" to be turned on, such as Free Parking jackpot, no collecting rent in jail, and unlimited houses/hotels.

PlayStation and PC/Mac versions

PS version was developed by Gremlin Interactive, whilist PC/Mac version was by Westwood Studios. The PC/Mac version played top down, while the PlayStation version was 3D. They both had movies in common, played when showing the game pieces moving on their own.

Current generation version

A new version developed by Electronic Arts was released in 2008 for the Wii, PlayStation 3, iPhone and Xbox 360, with a slightly stripped-down version for the PlayStation 2. It includes a transatlantic selection of boards, including the new Here & Now edition boards and new game mode, Richest. There are no online features, however.

Reception of Current EA version

EA's Monopoly game scored fairly poorly, with a 54% average on the PS3 on Metacritic, and 56% on the Xbox 360. The Wii version fared better with 70%.

The Official Nintendo Magazine in the UK were most positive in their evaluation of the Wii version, which they called "great fun" in the Christmas 2008 issue.

EuroGamer was less enthusiastic, saying: "For the price of Monopoly for Wii, you could buy real Monopoly. Twice. Or you could just buy no Monopoly at all and spend the money on something more likely to inspire amity and harmony, like a book by Hitler."^[1]

External links

• Monopoly at MobyGames

References

1. ^ http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/wii-christmas-roundup-review?page=3 EuroGamer