Classic Monopoly With A Vegas Twist
Written: Dec 22 '06 (Updated Dec 22 '06)
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Pros: All the fun of traditional Monopoly.
Cons: Wish $100 could buy a casino for real!
The Bottom Line: The bottom line is at the craps table.
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| brandi_jean's Full Review: USAopoly Monopoly - Las Vegas Edition |
Knowing how much I enjoyed monopoly as a kid and how much I love Las Vegas as an adult, I was given Monopoly: Las Vegas Edition as a birthday gift from my mom a few years ago.
One of the greatest things about any edition of Monopoly is that it is suitable for anyone. It is recommended for ages 8 and up, but younger ones can always "help" or play teams with someone older. I have played with friends and family - great-grandparents down to the little ones, and it has always made for a fun time. When playing with friends we sometimes even make it into a drinking game, which is tons of fun but can get confusing!
Monopoly Game Play
The object of Monopoly: Las Vegas Edition is to be the wealthiest player. Essentially you want to become a real estate mogul by buying, renting, and selling property. You want to make the other players go bankrupt, but keep an eye on your cash flow or you can easily go bankrupt too.
Each player starts off with the same amount of money. One person acts as the banker and starts each player off with $1,500. In classic rules, the banker also acts as an auctioneer but Monopoly is sometimes played without the auctions. The banker will be responsible for paying salaries and any other money owed to the players, collecting money from the players when they owe the bank, and handing out the deed cards. If the banker is also a player, their money must be kept separate from that of the bank.
The board consists of 40 spaces. Players select a token and begin on go. Two dice are rolled and you move that many spaces. Most spaces allow you to buy property if it is not owned, if it is already owned you must pay the owner rent. Some of the other spaces direct you to draw cards, pay fines, or go to jail. Rolling doubles gives you another turn but rolling doubles 3 times in a row will land you in jail.
Passing or landing on go allows you to collect your $200 payday. If all deeds to a color group are owned by a player, then you can build on those properties or charge double rent. If you are running low on cash, you have the option to mortgage any properties you own. Play continues until only one player is left in the game or one player is declared the richest by the value of cash, properties, and buildings.
As a side note, Monopoly has many variations to the game play. I find it best to agree on rules before beginning the game when playing with new people so that everyone is on the same page. Simple variations include getting paid double for landing on go, making a pot of money in the middle instead of paying the bank and collecting it if you land on Free Parking, and having to stay in jail until doubles are rolled (not being able to pay to get out). In addition there are several ways to make the game shorter. A few are setting a timer for the desired length of time and the wealthiest when the timer goes of is named the winner, starting the game with a few properties that have been randomly handed out, and doubling or tripling the normal rent on a deed card.
Las Vegas Edition Differences
Monopoly: Las Vegas Edition is played the same way as traditional Monopoly. Things look different and may have different names, but it is otherwise the same.
The game board is fancied up a bit. The center of the board has a rendition of the classic Fabulous Las Vegas sign, stating Monopoly Fabulous Las Vegas Edition. The board also has a black background instead of the white and the properties consist of Las Vegas casinos. Downtown and The Strip replace Park Place and Boardwalk.
Another change is that of the railroads. Those spaces are now filled with Whittlesea Taxi, CLS Shuttle, CLS Limousine, and Southwest Airlines. The traditional Chance and Community Chest cards are replaced by Slots and Blackjack cards. In addition the cards have new Vegas themed directions such as 'Valet Parking Pay $50', 'Tip Showgirl Pay $100', 'Elope Pay Each Witness $50", and 'Counted Cards Go Directly To Jail'.
The dice are changed to resemble red casino dice, and houses and hotels are called Suites and Penthouses, though they still are the same pieces. The included tokens are now a showgirl, a roulette wheel, slot machine, poker chips, blackjack cards, and a wedding chapel.
My Thoughts
With video games, chat rooms, and all the other things that kids (and adults too!) are spending their time doing, board games are not as popular as they used to be. As a child I loved playing all kinds of board games with my mom and I still love them now. Monopoly is the type of game that allows the whole family to sit down together, converse, and have fun. Not to mention that it helps children begin to understand the realities of money management (and paying rent).
The Las Vegas Edition offers that same fun with a newer touch. It's fun for just two or for a large group. And as I said earlier, when playing with all adults you can really make it a Vegas theme by serving cocktails and have other players take a drink every time they land on your property. But no matter how you play, or what edition you play, Monopoly is a game that every household should have.
Recommended:
Yes
Type of Toy: Game
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brandi_jean
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Member: Brandi
Location: Illinois
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