Ah, Monopoly – where my dreams of buying a house (or five) actually come true every time I play. It’s a staple, a classic, a must-play game at any and every festive family occasion. How else are you supposed to fight off your food coma, if not by aggressively bankrupting your sweet papa. It’s innocent, guiltless fun, I tell you!
So in some jolly good news for a change, the great minds at Hasbro Gaming have unleashed two (2!) new editions of Monopoly. What does this mean, you ask? Well – GAME ON, MOLLS.
Also, they’d make a fab Chrissy gift this year.
You simply can’t go wrong with gifting someone Monopoly, because board games as good as this one don’t get old. They really don’t, full stop. I don’t make the rules! I’ve had my Classic Monopoly game since I was a wee kid, and it still comes out of the box every year.
There’s just something so genuinely wholesome about gathering ’round a table and whipping out Monopoly after a massive feed. Especially in the coming months, when we can see our loved ones again after months cooped inside. Playing an iconic board game together again is the cherry on top.
So whether you’re thinking about treating yourself or a loved one to some fun, allow me to point you in the direction of these new editions of Monopoly.
Let’s begin with one heck of a spicy meatball, shall we?
Monopoly Cash Decoder
If you thought things couldn’t get any more competitive between you and your loved ones, I bring you the Monopoly Cash Decoder game. This fun twist on the ol’ classic adds FAKE cash and FAKE Chance cards to the mix.
Chaotic, I know.
Luckily, Mr. Monopoly is giving players his special cash decoder, so they can sniff out the fakes. Reckon you know who the fake players are, challenge them with accusation coins. But – because there’s always a but – choose wisely, ‘cos you only get a few coins to play.
So when a player pays for something, opponents can use the Monopoly cash decoder to see if they used fake money. It’ll basically reveal hidden patterns that’ll confirm if the money’s real or not. If it’s fake, you get to keep the cash. The Monopoly cash decoder will help players figure out if a Chance card is fake as well.
AND, instead of having taxes, utilities, or buying railroads, players can just hop on a train and head to an unowned property. In other words: spend that fake cash ASAP before you get caught with it.
The player with the most money at the end – real OR fake – wins the lot.
Monopoly Cash Decoder is perfect for ages eight and up, so you can get the whole family involved. I’m already giggling over the thought of calling Nan a “huge fake” at Chrissy lunch.
Monopoly Builder
As you can see from that piccie, Monopoly Builder puts quite the different spin on the original game we all know and love.
Players travel the board buying properties and collecting rent and resources. They can also use builder’s blocks to build their island city in the middle of the board. The more a player builds, the more points they’ll earn. This is as close as I’ll get to being a property developer, tell you what.
It’s all about the strategy, baby! Collect and trade resources to build your tower, higher and higher.
The game ends when the fancy schmancy penthouse is built, and then whoever has the most points is crowned winner.
For maximum fun, Monopoly Builder is best suited to two to four players, ages eight and up.
Hasbro Gaming has a slew of Monopoly games to choose from, and you can check them all out right here.
