Monopoly in video games explained

Monopoly
Genre:Strategy, board game
Platforms:Amstrad CPC, BBC Micro, BlackBerry, Commodore 64, MS-DOS, Game Boy, Game Boy Advance, GameCube, Game.com, Nintendo 64, Nintendo DS, Nintendo Entertainment System, Nintendo Switch, Luna, PlayStation, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PlayStation Portable, iOS, Pocket PC/Windows Mobile, Genesis, Master System, Super NES, Microsoft Windows, Wii, Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, ZX Spectrum, Stadia
Composer:Ian Livingstone (2008)
First Release Version:Monopoly
First Release Date:1985
Latest Release Version:Monopoly Madness
Latest Release Date:2021
Italic Title:no

There have been numerous Monopoly video games based on the core game mechanics of Parker Brothers and Hasbro's board game Monopoly. They have been developed by numerous teams and released on multiple platforms over 35+ years.

List

History

Early versions

Many unlicensed, non-commercial computer games based on Monopoly were distributed on bulletin board systems, public domain software disks and academic computer systems, and appeared as early as the late 1970s. At the time, Parker Brothers was unaware of this distribution until a user informed them of one version that stated "A Parker Brother game" on the title screen; the company then began enforcing its copyright and trademark on Monopoly.[7]

Over the years, Monopoly has been released for different operating systems on the PC and Macintosh platforms. The first of the legally licensed commercial adaptations began in 1985 for the BBC Micro, Amstrad CPC, ZX Spectrum and MSX.[8] Versions have been licensed and produced for the Nintendo Entertainment System, Super NES, Game Boy, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo 64, GameCube, PlayStation, PlayStation 2, Master System, Genesis, Xbox, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable, Wii, and Nintendo Switch consoles, as well as mobile device (PDA/Smartphone) versions.

The Monopoly video games play by the same rules as the standard board game, allowing for single or multiplayer games. When a single player game is chosen, the game in question would generate computer-controlled opponents.

Console and computer versions

Monopoly for the PlayStation was developed by Gremlin Interactive, and a Windows and Macintosh version by Westwood Studios. The Windows/Mac version played top down, while the PlayStation version was in 3D. They both had cutscenes in common, played when showing the game pieces moving on their own.[9] In 1998, Hasbro Interactive released a Monopoly video game for Microsoft Windows, which used 3D graphics instead of the top-down design used in previous versions. It ran on Windows 95 (although can be run on up to Windows XP, but will not work on Windows Vista and up) and had a special online play feature which used a modem.[10]

A new version developed by EA Bright Light was released in 2008 for the Wii, PlayStation 3, iPhone and Xbox 360, with a slightly stripped-down version for the PlayStation 2. It includes a transatlantic selection of boards, including the new Here & Now edition boards and new game mode, Richest. There are no online features, however. EA's Monopoly game scored fairly poorly, with a 54% average on the PS3 on Metacritic,[11] and 56% on the Xbox 360.[12] The Wii version fared better with 70%.[13] The Official Nintendo Magazine in the UK were most positive in their evaluation of the Wii version, which they called "great fun" in the Christmas 2008 issue.[14]

The Monopoly Family Fun Pack, produced by Ubisoft for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, was released on November 18, 2014. It is an on-disc bundle consisting of the digitally-released Monopoly Plus and Monopoly Deal, as well as Monopoly Plus's My Monopoly expansion.[15] In 2017, Ubisoft released a more traditional Monopoly video game on the Nintendo Switch, based on Monopoly Plus. This game takes advantage of the Joy-Con's "HD Rumble" feature.[16] In 2020, the Stadia version of the game, based on Monopoly Plus, was released.

Mobile versions

There are several official mobile Monopoly games and variants, including Monopoly Poker - Texas Holdem,[17] Monopoly Slots - Slot Machines,[18] Monopoly Solitaire: Card Games,[19] Monopoly Tycoon,[20] Monopoly,[21] Monopoly Junior,[22] and Monopoly GO!.[23] Monopoly GO! has seen impressive growth, passing $1 Billion in revenue in its first seven months.[24]

Other versions

An official version, Safe As Houses was released for the Atari ST.[25]

An electronic handheld version of the game was marketed from 1997–2001.[26]

For several months in 2009, Google Maps hosted an online version of Monopoly, Monopoly City Streets, using its maps as the board.[27]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Monopoly World Cup France 98 Edition. The Centre for Computing History. 2021-11-29. https://web.archive.org/web/20211130105423/http://www.computinghistory.org.uk/det/61384/Monopoly-World-Cup-France-98-Edition/. 2021-11-30.
  2. Web site: MONOPOLY SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS EDITION PC. Metacritic. 2021-12-07.
  3. Web site: MONOPOLY: Build-a-lot Edition Review. Gamezebo. David. Becker. 2009-09-13. 2022-01-22. https://web.archive.org/web/20220123113704/https://www.gamezebo.com/2009/09/13/monopoly-build-lot-edition-review/. 2022-01-23. live.
  4. Web site: New MONOPOLY Poker Mobile App Out Now. Alison. IGC. 2020-08-18. 2021-11-30. https://web.archive.org/web/20210113054739/https://invisioncommunity.co.uk/new-monopoly-poker-mobile-app-out-now/. 2021-01-13.
  5. Web site: MONOPOLY Poker. Steam. 2021-11-30. https://web.archive.org/web/20201218214307/https://store.steampowered.com/app/1474700/MONOPOLY_Poker/. 2020-12-18.
  6. Web site: MONOPOLY GO! . 2023-11-27 . www.scopely.com.
  7. News: Go Directly To Jail . . ABC Publishing . Microscope . 92 . 10 . January 1988 . 5 July 2016 . Leemon . Sheldon . 30 . As it turns out, the company has been completely unaware of what was going on. It was not until a user named David Addison made and distributed a particularly detailed version of the game on the Amiga that Parker Brothers became aware of the problem. This program contained the phrase "A Parker Brother game" on its title screen, which apparently made someone think that Parker Brothers might be interested. They were not only interested, but appalled to learn how many computer versions were being circulated..
  8. Web site: Retro Consoles . April 30, 2022 . richunclepennybags.co.uk. 26 April 2022 .
  9. Web site: Monopoly for Macintosh (1996) . . Blue Flame Labs . 2016 . 5 July 2016.
  10. Web site: Monopoly 3D Big Box Game For PC New & Sealed eBay. https://web.archive.org/web/20190430214351/https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Monopoly-3D-Big-Box-Game-For-PC-New-Sealed/401523597247?hash=item5d7cabdfbf:g:cLIAAOSwgZBa1KQv&LH_BIN=1. dead. 2019-04-30. 2019-04-30. 2019-04-30.
  11. Web site: Monopoly Critic Reviews for PlayStation 3. Metacritic. 31 December 2011.
  12. Web site: Monopoly Critic Reviews for Xbox 360. Metacritic. 31 December 2011.
  13. Web site: Monopoly Critic Reviews for Wii. Metacritic. 31 December 2011.
  14. Web site: Monopoly Review // The classic board game becomes a classic Wii title . 27 October 2008 . Official Nintendo Magazine . Nintendo UK . 5 July 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120612080015/http://www.officialnintendomagazine.co.uk/6195/reviews/monopoly-review/ . 12 June 2012 . dead.
  15. Web site: Ubisoft – Monopoly Family Fun Pack. Ubisoft.com. 2014-12-28. 2014-12-28. https://web.archive.org/web/20141228121836/https://www.ubisoft.com/en-CA/game/monopoly-family-fun-pack/. dead.
  16. Web site: Monopoly Coming To Nintendo Switch With HD Rumble Dice Rolling. Nintendo Life. April 13, 2017. June 14, 2017.
  17. Web site: 2023-12-19 . MONOPOLY Poker - Texas Holdem . 2023-12-21 . App Store . en-US.
  18. Web site: 2023-12-10 . MONOPOLY Slots - Slot Machines . 2023-12-21 . App Store . en-US.
  19. Web site: 2023-12-18 . MONOPOLY Solitaire: Card Games . 2023-12-21 . App Store . en-US.
  20. Web site: 2023-12-02 . MONOPOLY Tycoon . 2023-12-21 . App Store . en-US.
  21. Web site: 2023-12-12 . MONOPOLY . 2023-12-21 . App Store . en-US.
  22. Web site: Monopoly Junior - Apps on Google Play . 2023-12-21 . play.google.com . en-US.
  23. Web site: 2023-12-19 . MONOPOLY GO! . 2023-12-21 . App Store . en-US.
  24. Web site: Kuhnke . Oisin . 2023-11-27 . Monopoly Go proves 'casual' mobile games are still a massive deal . 2023-12-21 . VG247 . en.
  25. Web site: Atari ST Safe as Houses. Atari Mania. 10 January 2021.
  26. Web site: Electronic Handheld Game . Hasbro . Parker Brothers . 5 July 2016.
  27. Google-Powered Monopoly Still Under Construction. 11 September 2009. WIRED.

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