Original Release: Parker Bros, 1991, NES / SNES / Genesis / Game Boy
The first video game version of Monopoly of note is arguably still the best, with really strong presentation and fast gameplay.
Monopoly (NES, Parker Bros, 1991)
Where to Buy: Amazon
How to Emulate: coming soon!
Review by: C. M0use
There’s not much point to playing a video adaptation of a board game over the actual board game, unless you want to play solo against a bunch of derpy AI opponents. So what can a vidya adaptation offer in terms of extra value? As Monopoly for NES shows us, it’s panache.
Well, before that, it has to not trip over itself by offering a clunky interface or slow gameplay. Which this doesn’t, making everything very zippy and intuitive, moving even faster than the game does in real life. But the icing on the cake comes in the form of cute animations, good sound and music, amusing voice clips, and generally a good sense of lighthearted humor about the whole thing.
The game can be enjoyed by up to six players, with any mix of human and computer-controlled among them. The computer-controlled players (eight selectable, each with a facial portrait) even have their own personality in terms of how sharp they play, willingness to trade, and what properties they prioritize.
Of course, since it’s the NES, it lacks the net-play possibility (except through emulation and hacking.) For a hot-seat party game, though, this quite possibly might be the best board game adaptation ever made.
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