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Monopoly in video games

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Monopoly
2008 Monopoly PlayStation 3 version cover art
Genre(s)Strategy, board game
Developer(s)
Official
Publisher(s)
Official
Composer(s)Ian Livingstone (2008)
Platform(s)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
First releaseMonopoly
1985
Latest releaseMonopoly Madness
2021

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.[6]

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.[7] 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.[citation needed]

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.[citation needed]

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.[8] 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.[9]

A new version developed by Electronic Arts 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.[citation needed] EA's Monopoly game scored fairly poorly, with a 54% average on the PS3 on Metacritic,[10] and 56% on the Xbox 360.[11] The Wii version fared better with 70%.[12] 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.[13] Eurogamer was less enthusiastic, saying: "For the price of Monopoly for Wii, you could buy real Monopoly. Twice. Or you could just buy no Monopoly at all and spend the money on something more likely to inspire amity and harmony, like a book by Hitler."[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.

Other versions

An official version, Safe As Houses was released for the Atari ST.[17]

An electronic handheld version of the game was marketed from 1997–2001.[18]

For several months in 2009, Google Maps hosted an online version of Monopoly, Monopoly City Streets, using its maps as the board.[19]

References

  1. ^ "Monopoly World Cup France 98 Edition". The Centre for Computing History. Archived from the original on 2021-11-30. Retrieved 2021-11-29.
  2. ^ "MONOPOLY SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS EDITION PC". Metacritic. Retrieved 2021-12-07.
  3. ^ Becker, David (2009-09-13). "MONOPOLY: Build-a-lot Edition Review". Gamezebo. Archived from the original on 2022-01-23. Retrieved 2022-01-22.
  4. ^ Alison (2020-08-18). "New MONOPOLY Poker Mobile App Out Now". IGC. Archived from the original on 2021-01-13. Retrieved 2021-11-30.
  5. ^ "MONOPOLY Poker". Steam. Archived from the original on 2020-12-18. Retrieved 2021-11-30.
  6. ^ Leemon, Sheldon (January 1988). "Go Directly To Jail". Microscope. Compute!. Vol. 10, no. 92. ABC Publishing. p. 30. Retrieved 5 July 2016. 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.
  7. ^ "Retro Consoles". richunclepennybags.co.uk. 26 April 2022. Retrieved April 30, 2022.
  8. ^ "Monopoly for Macintosh (1996)". MobyGames. Blue Flame Labs. 2016. Retrieved 5 July 2016.
  9. ^ "Monopoly 3D Big Box Game For PC New & Sealed | eBay". 2019-04-30. Archived from the original on 2019-04-30. Retrieved 2019-04-30.
  10. ^ "Monopoly Critic Reviews for PlayStation 3". Metacritic. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
  11. ^ "Monopoly Critic Reviews for Xbox 360". Metacritic. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
  12. ^ "Monopoly Critic Reviews for Wii". Metacritic. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
  13. ^ "Monopoly Review // The classic board game becomes a classic Wii title". Official Nintendo Magazine. Nintendo UK. 27 October 2008. Archived from the original on 12 June 2012. Retrieved 5 July 2016.
  14. ^ Gibson, Ellie (18 December 2008). "Wii Christmas Roundup". EuroGamer. p. 3. Retrieved 27 April 2010.
  15. ^ "Ubisoft – Monopoly Family Fun Pack". Ubisoft.com.[better source needed]
  16. ^ "Monopoly Coming To Nintendo Switch With HD Rumble Dice Rolling". Nintendo Life. April 13, 2017. Retrieved June 14, 2017.
  17. ^ "Atari ST Safe as Houses". Atari Mania. Retrieved 10 January 2021.
  18. ^ "Electronic Handheld Game" (PDF). Hasbro. Parker Brothers. Retrieved 5 July 2016.
  19. ^ "Google-Powered Monopoly Still Under Construction". WIRED. 11 September 2009.
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