Game Boy Monopoly

"Best Portable Monopoly Ever"

Opening Remarks: If you don't like Monopoly, than you probably don't exist...because I know absolutely no one that doesn't. The game hasn't been around for 65 years for nothing. But there have been some pretty shoddy ports of Monopoly, let's hope this game does better.

Gameplay: You would never know by looking at or playing it, but this game is a port of the 1991 version of Monopoly for GameBoy, which in turn was a port of the NES version of Monopoly. Guess what? The gameplay still holds up. The reason so many other versions of Monopoly weren't very great was because the AI of the computer wasn't good at all. This version has 8 very smart computer opponents (Erwin, Ollie, Penelope, Carmen, Maude, Issac, Gertrude, and Arthur).

The entire gameplay is pure Monopoly...which is good, but has some bad mixed in there as well. You have to play by the official rules. When I play Monopoly and land on a property that I don't want to buy, I don't buy it and the next person takes his turn. Here, if you don't want it (or don't have enough money to buy it), it gets auctioned off. Also when I play, all the money taken from taxes and fines goes in the Free Parking account, whoever lands on Free Parking gets that money...can't do it here.

Still, the gameplay is very good and will keep any Monopoly fan busy. The best aspect of the game is that the computer acts as Banker...you won't need to bother with handing out title deed cards, screwing with the houses and hotels, or doing the math on those mortgages.

Pros: The smart computer AI.

Cons: Playing by the "official" rules.

Graphics: The game board goes all around the game screen while you're rolling the dice. When you move, you see your token move along to that space. There is an animation sequence for everything. The tokens are appropriate (the horse gallops along, the car drives, etc), and when you pay a tax or rent it shows a cash register or the nation's capitol building eating your money like Pac-Man. All of the Chance and Community Chest cards have an animation on them too. All of the animations look good and the color in the graphics helps since all the properties are color-coded. Overall, very good.

Pros: Everything.

Cons: Nothing.

Sound/Music: There isn't much music, but what you do hear is nice. There's little music bits on the title screen, when you're in jail, the menu screen, the auction house, etc. There aren't many sound effects at all. There's little beeps for selection choices and for when you're rolling the dice. It gets the job done.

Pros: The sound/music is taken straight from the other versions.

Cons: Could use some more music.

Play Control/Game Design: What's there to say here? You push a button and ithappens. Rolling the dice, making selections, etc. It's not like it's a Real Time Strategy or RPG.

Pros: Responsive controls.

Cons: Nothing.

Improve: More music.

Recommended if you like: Clue (SNES and Genesis)

Final Words: A very good GameBoy version of Monopoly that wasn't plagued with bad AI like so many other versions were. An excellent addition to anyone's collection.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 10/17/04