Monopoly (GBA) (Monopoly (GBA))

Member Name: thole09

Product:	Monopoly (GBA)
Date:	20/05/09 (9 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Gameplay

Disadvantages: Some graphics, Some audio

"Monopoly" is a video game released for the Gameboy Advance console in 2004 by Zoo Digital Publishing. It is based on the board game of the same name. In the United States, the game received a rating of "E" by the ESRB panel which deemed it suitable for all ages.

The gameplay of this title is what one may expect. Selecting from a variety of tokens, the player engages in a standard game of Monopoly where the objective is to acquire property and bankrupt all opponents. This is accomplished by the rolling of dice and moving said amount of spaces. The player will then interact with the space he or she lands on by purchasing it, passing or paying any related fees to a specific player. I did not note any specific special functions in this game but I did note one obvious gameplay fault. The computer opponents take an exceptionally long time "rolling" the dice. When the action only requires a prompt pressing of the "A" button, the computer seemingly "shakes" the dice in the virtual hand for a few moments which can be draining to the Gameboy's battery life. There is some difficulty in this game but I was able to land on and purchase Mayfair consistently within the early rounds of each game.

The game is presented from an overhead view which focuses on the Monopoly board. The game board appears to suffer from some pixelation as I found the images to be blurry. I also noticed one graphical fault and that is there is no way to easily tell which character owns what property; there are no on screen markers. Instead, the player must cycle through the player's list and check their acquired property list. There is also no way to tell what space relates to what property unless one knows the game board. There are the standard colours but no accompanying text. The soundtrack is also repetitive with one musical score and generic "knocks" as the piece moves across the screen.

Overall, Monopoly is a standard board game release for the Gameboy console and would entertain those seeking to play the game. It is hindered by poor visuals but the function gameplay is present and enjoyable. It is a game I would recommend to prospective buyers but would see it reaching a limited market.

Summary: Thumbs in the middle