Monopoly Electronic Banking Edition

From LoveToKnow BoardGames

Monopoly finally gets a much needed update with Hasbro’s Monopoly Electronic Banking edition.

Monopoly Electronic Banking Edition

Monopoly Electronic Banking edition combines classic play with a much needed update to the computer age. In this version of the game, all of your financial dealings are done by using an electronic credit card machine.

With the exception of the credit card swiper everything remains relatively the same:

You will learn how to handle finances
Use strategy to sucker the competition
You will still use money but in a different, easier way
You will still attempt to avoid going to jail, as well as hope to pass go and land on community chest and chance

With the electronic card reader, you no longer need to try and arrange your paper money or keep a watchful eye on Aunt Matilda. The game is truly coming to grips with our seemingly cashless society that we have adapted to.

Old Fun, New Twists

Pay with plastic.

If you take away the brand new electronic banking feature, you are left with the fun of classic Monopoly as the basic rules have not changed much from the original version. All of the cardboard real estate deeds, houses and hotels, community chest and chance and player tokens are still present. Trying to keep the game as close to the original as possible, the rules have remained the same, so if you've ever played the original Monopoly you will know how to play this one. The box has changed a bit, and the board is folded differently, but other than that there is no change.

The game pieces have changed to better match today's culture. So, you can say goodbye to the old shoe and racing car but say hello to the segway and altoid tin. There are no more railroads either as they have been replaced by airports. The utilities have also been changed to Internet service providers and cell phones. The local real estate has change somewhat as well adding such sites as Texas Stadium and Times Square to the board with property values being extremely high.

The biggest change is the electronic banking as you no longer need paper money or a cash tray. Players begin with a whopping 15 million in cold hard cash that is tracked with the credit card machine. Your card is inserted when you pass go to collect money and when you need money removed. You can do everything you did in classic Monopoly.

The electronic banking device is easy to learn with a little practice. There is a learning twist to the game as the more you use the device the more you will learn about basic bookkeeping. The cards work more like a debut card rather than credit card so players learn money management and not how to rack up charges then file for chapter 11.

Monopoly Electronic Money edition plays about the same as the classic game so that means it could take hours to play. There are alternative rules that players can use in order to move the game along. With the electronic banking system, there are added surprises along the way, but all in all the game offers the same fun it always has.

Pros to Electronic Banking Monopoly

The game, although more advanced and with new references and hidden twists, still has the same basic play
The electronic banking system is easy to use and works well.
Responsible money management is taught.
Children, teens and adults can all enjoy the simplified version.

Cons to Electronic Banking Monopoly

Players often like to add their own rules to the game, but they may not work well here.
Even though the game has been updated with current references, the game will not remain so for long.