iPad Review: Monopoly

Hey, remember that awesome board game that you would play with your family pretty much every night? And basically you tried to own the most property and take away your family member’s hard-earned money? Well, that game is back for the iPad! Monopoly, the ever-so fun game of trying to snatch up the most property and lay houses to collect higher rents from those poor unsuspecting souls that land on your property.

Monopoly comes back and in a more fun state: watch as the pieces zoom across the board, trying not to land on those properties owned by different players. Gameplay is fairly simple: just roll the die with a flick of your finger and decide whether you want to buy a property or pass on buying it.

It’s been a while since I last played Monopoly. Probably a decade, so I was pretty hazy on the rules and the like. Thanks to the game’s handy-dandy in-game tutorial, I started recalling all that there is to the game. But what I can’t seem to recall is that apparently, there are auctions for every passed property (property that you don’t want to buy). I don’t remember doing that with my family and relatives - perhaps we just skipped that part on the rules, heh. Which could actually be the case, but I digress.

There are a few modes: very easy, easy, normal, and hard, and I played on easy (actually, I didn’t realize that there was a very easy mode until my score popped out at the end of the game and it showed the different game modes). I say, choose easy if you don’t really remember the game or you’re new to it. The AI won’t be particularly hard and you can find your way back into the game by experimenting with different property purchases and whatnot.

I must say, I enjoyed the game. It brought back memories from the past (oh how I laughed heartily when my relatives called my younger brother “Money Chief” because he would hoard money) and this version brought a new twist to the game. It told me tips that I didn’t remember (like how certain groups had a higher chance of others landing on) and prompted me to buy the important properties, like the railroads! Who can forget about buying those railroads? Ka-ching!

Of course, remember to manage your money. That I kinda forgot and I was going on a fun spending spree. I was lucky, I should say, that I didn’t have to mortgage my properties (my poor opponent did as it kept landing on my properties one after another). One thing about mortgaging is that if you mortgage your property to get you some money, you can’t collect rent and collecting rent is huge in the game (of course, I didn’t really understood it until later in the game). And always remember to buy the same colored properties so you can get even more money! Moar money is good!

I’ve read other reviews where it says that the game crashes, but I’m lucky that it hasn’t crashed on me yet (knock on wood). And the AI hasn’t had much luck against me yet (knock on wood). Of course, Electronic Arts is having a huge sale right now, so you best get the game when it’s cheap ($0.99). Apparently, when not on sale, it costs $10. Yikes! I ain’t gonna buy a game at that price.

Interested in wanting to know more or to purchase the game? Check it here.