Tabletop Tuesday - Monopoly

Welcome to another edition of Tabletop Tuesday - Your weekly exploration into games of dice, cards, luck and more of the Tabletop world.

This week's game...the game of paying bail to get out of jail (or hoping for some doubles) that is the classic Monopoly.

Players: 2-6
Time: 60-120 minutes
Genre: Casual / Family Game



Monopoly is often regarded as being a poorly designed game, one that tends to drag on endlessly and is heavily reliant on luck.  Despite this reception, it still stands to hold a monopoly of sorts (pun intended) on the board game market, with dozens upon dozens of versions being made to this day, locally licensed in more than 103 countries and printed in more than 37 languages.  So what is the appeal of this relentless real estate game that seems a staple of every household?  For one, it is a very simple and easy to understand game.  Players go around the board purchasing properties, to which they then try to upgrade and eventually bankrupt their opponents.  This simplicity in its game design and game board graphics make it very easy to adapt to just about any other media franchise you can think of.  From Star Wars to Game of Thrones to Fallout, there is a version of Monopoly to entice everyone it would seem.  And with such unique metal miniatures and custom artwork on the Chance and Community Chest cards, the allure to give the game a chance is certainly ever present.

Part of the reason this game drags on for so long is due to the addition of house rules.  In fact, you may not even realize some of the rules you play with in Monopoly are not part of the official rules because they have been so ingrained with the game's culture.  As such, allow me to share a few tips / reminders which may help to create a speedier and more tolerable Monopoly experience:

• There should be no lucrative $500 to be found at Free Parking.  In fact, money from Chance and Community Chest cards, taxes or anything go to the Bank, not to Free Parking.  It may make that one space less exciting, but the more money that goes on the table, the longer the game goes.  So resist the temptation of this house rule.
• You also do not get double the amount of money for landing on the GO space.
• Whenever a player lands on a property and chooses not to buy it, that property should be auctioned off to the highest bid of the other players.  This will speed up the end-game dramatically, while also allowing for greater interaction between players.
• One suggested house rule - Give each player 3 random starting properties.  This will get the ball rolling faster and eliminates some of the advantage found in player turn order.
• Another suggested house rule - Have the game end when one player goes bankrupt.  The winner will then be the player with the most money, property, etc.

With these suggestions in mind, Monopoly can be a bearable, maybe even nostalgic experience to be enjoyed.  That said, I recommend this game for those who have a heavy tolerance for luck and are looking for little strategy / thinking involved.

I won't lie, Fallout makes a pretty darn good fit aesthetically for Monopoly.

If you have any questions about Monopoly, let me know in the comments.  Otherwise, stay tuned for future installments of Tabletop Tuesday.  And happy gaming!