Monopoly – SNES

Platform: Super Nintendo – Snes9x Emulator

Developer: Sculptured Software

Publisher (NA): Parker Brothers

Release Date (NA): 1992

Genre: Board Game

Nerd Rating: 9 out of 10

Reviewed by Dovahkyle

Let’s just assume you have no idea what this game is about, and no I’m not being presumptuous. I just recently (this past weekend) taught two of my friends how to play this classic board game, as neither one of them had ever played it. I didn’t even realize someone from my generation could make it into their teen years without having played through this game of greed and capitalism. Monopoly is nostalgic for me in many ways. My brother and I had a Star Wars version of the board game, and these games would drag on for days sometimes. Also, my Grandmother had the NES version with the 4 way wireless splitter so we could all play. Yes, my Grandma was awesome. She was killer on Dr. Mario and Tetris, both for the NES as well as the Game Boy.

I recently started playing the SNES version on my Snes9x emulator at school, because the game only requires one button push for most of the game. This allows us to continue playing while school is in session (sneaky, sneaky). The SNES version is a much higher quality game than the NES version, in many ways (graphics, sound, gameplay, etc.) which is no surprise. What is a surprise is the fact that this version blows the N64 version out of the water. The N64 version is slow and laggy with bottom line graphics for a 64 game and just an overall disappointment. Having been a Monopoly fan for most of my young life, I find the SNES version has the classic rules that we all know and love and still has the speed that is required to not bore everyone to death. Watching dice land on a table and little characters running across a seemingly huge board, with long drawn out animations gets annoying. Sculptured Software found the happy medium of “less is more” and realized just because you can do something, doesn’t mean you should.

Gameplay

Is this player Human or Computer?

The object in a nutshell is to cause all of your opponents to file chapter 11, yes bankruptcy is the only way to lose this game. The goal of the game is to own a “monopoly” (all properties in a color set). Once this monopoly is obtained (either by purchase or trade) the owner can then proceed to build houses, and eventually hotels on those properties. Ultimately causing the opponents who land on them to pay devastating amounts of cash for rent.

Two dice will determine how each player’s turn will proceed. If the player rolls doubles then he/she can take another turn. If doubles are rolled three times in a row, the player gets to go straight to jail. First thing is to determine how many players will be playing, and how many of them are human (of course I’m referring specifically to the Super Nintendo version, in the real life board game, I really hope this isn’t something you have to do, but hey we all have some weird friends right?). Up to eight people can play and after determining who is playing the player can select a game token to represent him/herself. The game will determine a random player order and off we go. Properties can be purchased as soon as a player lands on it. If the player either doesn’t want it or can’t pay for it, the deed goes up for auction immediately.This allows the other players to furiously bid in a back and forth battle to win the deeds they desperately want.

The board is composed of eight color sets and two non-color sets of properties that can be purchased. Starting with the first two properties on the board (my favorites and definitely the cheapest) Mediterranean and Baltic (one of the two, two property monopolies). Going all the way around the board to the highest priced (and the other of the two property monopolies), Boardwalk and Park Place. All other property sets are composed of three properties. There are also two non-color monopolies, the Railroads and the Utilities, both of these are great monopolies to own on the board strategically, but they are overall unnecessary to win.

The railroads are a four property set that increase in rent each time another RR deed is owned, for example: Owning one RR deed gives the owner $25 rent from whomever lands on the property. Once two deeds are obtained the rent jumps up to $50 on both railroads and so on, until the max of $200 is charged each time someone lands on any of the railroad properties. The other non-color set is the Utilities composed of just two deeds, Water Works and The Electric Company. Rent for these properties is pretty realistic. The player that lands on the owned utility will roll the dice and pay 4 times the amount shown. If both deeds are owned by the same player then the rent is 10 times the amount shown on the dice. I think this is how my electric company works.

Being that each player only starts out with $1500, it takes time, patience, bargaining and a lot of luck to own multiple monopolies with houses and hotels on each one. Yes the game could go on without the owning of complete color sets, although the game will be uneventful and long. When everyone landing on properties is only paying out a max of $50 (Boardwalk rent with no homes) rent it could be a real drag. This brings us to the next big part of the game, TRADING.

Before any player’s turn anyone may start a trade. This is first done by selecting which opponent to trade with, and then choosing the items up for trade. Let’s do a sample run here: I own Baltic Avenue, and Willy has Mediterranean. In order for me to start building houses and eventually hotels I must obtain this deed to complete my monopoly. I first click on his name on the trade screen, I choose his deed that I want, then I could either choose a property of mine to give in exchange, an allotment of cash or both. Then Willy has the opportunity to either change trade details (properties and cash amounts) to his liking or he can accept my offer. More often than not he will choose the classic, “No deal at this time” routine. More time will be spent on this screen than any other towards the beginning and into the middle of the game. It doesn’t start to get scary until multiple people are building houses and hotels. By that time I usually pray I get sent to jail because it’s just safer in there and I can still collect rent.

The board is more than just an allotment of deeds, many other exciting spots are also available to land on.

• CHANCE & COMMUNITY CHEST: These are two decks that give the player good or bad instructions
• TAXES: No you can’t even get away from them in games
• FREE PARKING & JUST VISITING JAIL: The only two spots on the board that don’t give or take any money
• GO TO JAIL: Just what it says, go directly to jail, do not pass go, do not collect $200
• GO: This is also the starting point of the game, each time a player passes GO he/she collects $200 from the bank.

If a player reaches the point of not being able to pay a debt, he/she can do one of two things: A) Declare Bankruptcy, and so ending the game for that player or B) Raise money from the menu. Raising money is done a couple of different ways:

1. Sell Houses and Hotels back to the bank (for less money than it cost to build them of course)
2. Sell deeds to other players (usually for less than they’re worth, but hey your desperate here)
3. Mortgage properties (rent cannot be collected on mortgaged deeds and 10% will be paid on top to un-mortgage)

If the player files chapter 11 due to debt owed to another player then all assets go to the player he/she owed money to. The last player with a dime to his/her name wins the game and is named CHAMPION OF MONOPOLY! No not really but you do win.

 Controls

Press B to refuse offer

Wow, don’t think to hard on this, 3 buttons and some direction-pad action. Honestly press “A” for almost everything. Press “B” to refuse trade or back out of a menu and “Y” to declare bankruptcy when the time comes, and it will come. The only time you even have to think faster than one thought per minute is when a deed is up for auction, as the player will have to continue clicking on his/her own name to raise the bid until the property is going, going, gone. I did use my gamepad although totally unnecessary, but it helps when the controller is under the table during class and I can sneak an “A” button hit to roll my dice. While at the same time looking ever so intently at my teacher so he is thoroughly convinced that I am paying attention.

Graphics/Sound

Don’t you be coming back here now

I love the way this game looks it totally stomps on the previous version with bright crisp colors, 3-d like game tokens that come alive to run, drive or hop down the board, and that scary cash register that chomps my money when I have to pay someone with that freaky mechanical chomping sound, yeesh. The classic tunes from the previous version, souped up a little with better sound effects and dice that actually roll. Instead of telling you how great this one is compared to the previous game, let me tell you why the N64 version sucks. For one, it doesn’t give me the option like SNES version does to make the game run faster and every time I roll the dice they launch up into the air all slow and methodical and then bounce for what seems like an eternity. I dislike that version immensely.

Replayability

Dovahkyle is bankrupt

I’ve been playing multiple versions of Monopoly since I was a wee lad and I have taught many people, including my own children, how to play this glorious game. I don’t know if one could become sick of purchasing, building and ultimately sending others to the streets in bankruptcy, but I guess it could happen. Being that this game sticks to the original rules, then if you like the game it’s just a matter of which version you are more comfortable with. I will always play the real board game with my family as sitting around a TV kind of defeats the purpose of a board game, but this version is perfect for when I’m on the go, especially on an emulator.

Overall

You just paid $2000 to Billy Bob

I personally recommend this version over any other I have played when it comes to video games. I love the standard board (especially the Star Wars version) for spending quality time with the family, but the SNES version is a major win over the cheap looking predecessor and the lame successor. Give it a GO and when you pass it collect $200. Get your friends together or play against up to 7 computer controlled opponents (for you loner types) and fun will be had by all.

Be sure to check out the portable version of Monopoly for the original Game Boy!

*FS Rating System*

Gameplay: 9

Story: N/A

Controls: 10

Graphics/Sound: 7

Replayability: 10

Overall: 9

Written by Nerd Bacon