A Different Spin On Monopoly (Monopoly)

Member Name: Topdog

Product:	Monopoly
Date:	22/01/02 (178 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Classic, Entertaining, Family Fun

Disadvantages: Length of game play

Everyone knows how to play Monopoly. The rules, strategies and concepts behind the game are so ingrained in our social fiber that the only people who don't know it are either newborns and senile. Monopoly has a presence in countries all over the world, and has been translated into dozens of languages. Colleges and businesses have even licensed their own versions, with relevent locations and landmarks substituting for the more commonly known properties. For the sake of the review, I will give a brief synopsis of the game, followed by my personal family alternate gameplay.

Play starts with each player given approximately $1,700 seed money. There are 28 properties of variable value to purchase by landing on them and paying the printed amount. If you match all like properties of color, you own the monopoly and can then build houses and hotels. Homes are built by paying an amount of money determined by the value of the property, printed on the front of the card. Rent is charged to any player landing on your property, either developed or not, according to the relevent card. There are Chance and Community Chest cards if you land on those spaces, each one either giving or taking away money, or relocating your game piece. You might also go to jail, either by a card, landing upon the Policeman space, or rolling doubles three times in a row. You can get out of jail by rolling doubles, paying $50, using a Get out of Jail Free card, or waiting three turns. $200 is collected by each player as he passes the Go space. Property can also be mortgaged if you need to by turning it upside down and collecting half the actual value. Rent is not collectable while the property is mortgaged. To unmortgage, you must repay the mortgaged amount, plus 10% penalty to the bank. Play ends when one player has gathered the collective wealth of the other players, usually within 6 hours.

With that out of the way, I'd like to tell you about a different way to play the game. M
y brothers and I decided long ago that this game, while great in it's present form, could use a little tweaking. After much deliberation and brainstorming (mostly consisting of hot cocoa and marshmallows while watching Bugs Bunny) we created the Ammended Rules and Gameplay for Monopoly II (back then there were no other versions yet.) In short, here they are...

1) Every player will have the opportunity to invest their money. The first manner in which this may be done is through common interest savings. Deposits into your savings account may be made, up until you pass the Policeman, at which point you may only invest again after passing Go. Interest will compound after passing Go at a rate of 5%.

2) Players may also purchase Certificates of Deposit. The interest rate will vary based upon the number of turns around the board you wish to wait. The standard rate will be 7% per 20 turns, with a $500 minimum investment. Adjust as you see fit.

3) The stock market will be reflected in the following manner: There will be a variety of stock from which to choose. Create 5 different possible companies, and assign them a value. Stock prices can range from between $5 and $100 per share. The market fluctuations will be determined after a certain player (call him the Broker) passes Go 2 times. As on Wall Street, stock prices are determined through the roll of the dice. Odd numbers decrease the value by that percent (roll a 5, and your value drops 5%), even numbers increase the value by that percent. All investments must be made prior to the Broker passing the Policeman the second time.

4) Credit cards shall be issued with varying annual fees, interest rates, and limits. Make these cards out of cardboard rectangles, cover with white paper and draw a logo and relevent interest and limit information. The limits for the three credit cards created are $500, $1500, and $3,000. No player can own more than two credit cards. Interest is compounded
every time that player passes Go.

5) Land development cannot take place until all of the properties are purchased and real estate negotiations are complete. This gives every player a fair footing before building begins.

With these rules in place, game play can last between 2 and 20 hours, usually ending at an agreed-upon time. The winner is declared (generally with an account worth $50,000) and the loser (who may have only $20,000) sulks away, plotting his next attempt. Somehow, we always felt better losing with a bankroll, than losing by mortgaging Mediterranean and selling our gamepiece to the winner.

These rules may not be for you. They may be too complicated (it gives the banker a real job to do,) and require too much paperwork or calculation. My brothers and I loved this version, and had great fun figuring out the variable interest rates and credit management.

Then again, maybe we were just geeks.

Summary: