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Systems > Super Nintendo > M > Monopoly > Staff Review
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Monopoly is not an enthralling game. And its electronic adaptation for the Super Nintendo is likewise no exception.That doesn’t mean it isn’t a fun game. I’m not saying there won’t be tense moments as your opponent rolls the dice and attempts to circumvent a hotel gauntlet you’ve established on the red properties. It certainly doesn’t mean there won’t be triumphant fist pumping and wild victory dances as he, in a short-lived moment of relief, lands on that Chance square smack dab in the middle of the fray, but is immediately ordered to your Boardwalk suite and the squalor of bankruptcy.
I’m just saying those fist pumping moments will be few and far between.
The benefits of electronic Monopoly are obvious; sans the hassle of set-up and the annoyance of having to constantly make change to pay rents, the game moves at a much quicker pace. There also won’t be disputes between players as halfway around the board someone announces they forgot to collect their bonus for passing Go, or that someone forgot to pay rent, as all exchanges are handled automatically. You won’t have to shuffle Chance and Community Chest cards, or appoint someone to deal out deeds, or fumble around placing hotels. Everything is neat and tidy, and half the time handled without you even realizing exactly what happened.
Although the social aspects of the game are significantly diminished, and many of the menu screens certainly could be user-friendlier, what we have is ultimately a slightly less messy way to play the classic game, with a few amusing animations and ditties tossed in that we’ll quickly grow weary of… but unfortunately can’t turn off.
Also, there are a few quirks you should be aware of. Choose not to purchase a property and it’s immediately put on auction for all players to bid on – which may be fine according to the official rules, but it’s not how I (and perhaps most people) are accustom to playing. Likewise, landing on Free Parking nets you no income, so those tide-turning instances when someone hits the jackpot won’t be occurring here. Strict, by-the-book rules are adhered to, whether they result in a more mundane experience or not. There are also a few preset game set-ups (property is already distributed) to choose from if you wish, but all of them seemed to undermine the strategy and lead to anti-climatic games.
The one reason I could see someone interested in Monopoly is that you don’t need pals around to play; you can partake in a round with up to seven different computer controlled characters, each with their own moniker. Despite their different names and icons however, all of them seem to behave identically, from the butler Jeeves to the Old West tavern tough Billy Bob to the starlet Amanda. Once you crack their common behavior, and pending a horrendous string of bad luck, you’ll win every game.
The catch is that computer-controlled opponents place an unreasonable emphasis on holding a monopoly (all deeds of the same color, for you uninitiated folk). I remember in my first game, I owned two of the green properties, and was looking to acquire the third. The sim who held the remaining deed demanded an absolutely ridiculous sum in return – the three other properties I owned, plus an additional one thousand dollars. I tried to barter but he wouldn’t budge, and after several turns, I finally caved in figuring the money I would eventually get from owning houses would more than balance it out in the long run.
The trouble was I was so piss broke after the trade I never had the money to develop the property. And without the real estate built on it, I wasn’t pulling in nearly enough to keep up with my fellow players. So I went bankrupt.
And from this, I learned how to totally exploit the computer by turning the same trick around on them. I’d attain either one of the dirt-cheap Mediterranean/Baltic duo, and by cleverly trading with other players too dimwitted to see my strategy, eventually obtained my own monopoly by dealing the cheapie in exchange for the remaining deed I needed. The computer always accepted, because he got a monopoly in return too. However, because mine was worth disproportionately more value, I was able to easily run the table and bankrupt all my competitors as they fought amongst themselves. I’d sell my spare, small-profit properties to a player in exchange for the money to buy houses, bankrupt him with said houses, and get all my properties back in return due to his debt.
A group of human players would easily align against me to prevent strategies like this from working. The same people would realize these properties are worth practically nothing anyway, and not even consider the deal. These bozos show no such unity or common sense.
Which is a real shame, because I honestly enjoy playing Monopoly from time to time. The combination of strategy and luck the game involves is frustrating, but ultimately rewarding for those with the patience to last an entire session, because smart planning usually does pan out in the end. I’d love to be able to duel against some worthy computer adversaries at my leisure because rarely am I with a group interested in unwinding with a game.
Unfortunately, I just don’t see any competition here.
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Weak Though there may be a few bright spots, the overall product is fairly weak and does not come recommended. |
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Staff reviews represent the opinion of the individual staff member that wrote them and do not necessarily represent the opinion of the site staff as a whole. If you disagree with the contents of this review, you may click to leave feedback on our dedicated forum. Thank you!
| HG 2010 Fundraising Progress: $233 / $3000 (8%) |
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Title: Monopoly |
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Clue is another Super Nintendo game in the Casual genre that has been attracting activity lately, so you might want to check it out and see what all of the fuss is about!
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