5 Underrated Monopoly Versions You Might Not Know About

Published on 25th October 2022 by Jerry Hughes

Did you know that there's more to Monopoly than just Park Lane and Old Kent Road?

Monopoly, a staple of everyone's board game collection, has been causing havoc among families and friends for reportedly over a century. We all know Monopoly and the impact it can have on our friendships. We all have that second cousin who isn't invited to the 2022 Family Christmas because they once stormed off after landing on Regent Street with two hotels on it, disputed the five they just rolled and declared it was actually a four - no dice my friend.

We all know Monopoly as the one of the most recognisable 19.5" by 19.5" piece of cardboard in all the lands. But did you know that there's much more to Monopoly than just those brown, blue, purple, orange, red, yellow, green and purple rectangles that cause us all pain.

There are dozens of different versions of Monopoly currently on the market, all created with their own specific audiences in mind. This gives everyone a different experience, no matter what version they pick up, whether you’re taking on the banker, or maybe not if there isn't even a banker to take on…

We'll take a look through some of our favourite versions of the classic Hasbro board game Monopoly. Some of them you might be aware of, but hopefully there's a few hidden gems here that might make a perfect Christmas present for someone you know, or for yourself.

Check out our full Monopoly range, but before you do, find out our 5 favourite versions below that you might not know existed.

1. Monopoly Junior Edition

There aren’t many six year olds who have the patience for a ten second advert on YouTube at the moment let alone a five hour marathon game on Monopoly, so there’s not a better way to start their introduction into the classic game, than this Monopoly Junior Edition.

Aimed at players five years and older, everything has been designed for younger players, from the moving pieces, down to the properties you can buy such as the Pizza House and The Zoo. But don’t worry, there are some recognisable parts of the game such as Park Lane and Chance cards ensuring true enthusiasts can still get their regular Monopoly fix.

The Junior Monopoly version is much more fast paced, with a smaller board and transactions made easier with just single valued notes. Whilst their mathematical abilities will still be tested, play won’t be halted as much by the need for a calculator. This amounts to a highly accessible board game and provides the perfect way to introduce younger kids to Monopoly.

2. Monopoly Fortnite Edition

Here’s the tricky situation, the kids are a bit too old for the Junior Monopoly version but you still think that the standard version is a bit too full on. Wait, what’s that racket in the background? It's the latest air shredder emote being used to celebrate their latest Victory Royale on Fortnite, where they’ve laid 99 other competitors to waste and it’s their ten seconds of fame.

Now if only there was a way to combine their love of the famous video game and your favourite board game, well actually there is with Fortnite Monopoly! (that could be seen coming from a mile off I bet). The concept here follows some basic similarities of the original, however there are lots of key differences to make it more appealing to the younger generation. These include loot chest cards, location cards such as the infamous Tilted Towers and just like the actual game, you still have to play to avoid the dreaded Storm.

There’s plenty of the original Fortnite characters to play here including the Durr Burgers’ very own Beef Boss and instead of earning money, players have to earn health points to stay alive whilst battling each other and the Storm to win.

The perfect gift to go with those V Bucks for any Fortnite fan, this version of Monopoly is for up to 7 players and will be a hit with all kids this Christmas.

3. Dungeons & Dragons Monopoly Edition

Now we’re moving into the more enthusiast space, if you’re looking to buy a gift for the hardcore D&D fan or a casual roleplaying buddy, then the Dungeons & Dragons Monopoly edition could be just the board game for them.

The custom pieces used in the game might be the winner on their own, with six original pieces used for the move counters and a visually stunning gameboard that together are certain to be a joy for all D&D fans.

With plenty of similarities to the original game this version of Monopoly is cleverly adapted for true D&D fans. Tour your favourite sites, accumulate fortunes or sell and trade iconic monsters like the infamous Demogorgon to help conquer your competitors. Other clever twists include the renaming of the Chance and Community cards to Encounters Cards and Treasure cards respectively. Meanwhile, Houses are Expeditions and Hotels renamed as Bases to keep it true to the original role playing experience.

Check out the Monopoly Dungeons & Dragons version.

4. The Lord of The Rings Monopoly Edition

So you’ve just finished The Rings Of Power TV show after rewatching the extended editions of the Lord of the Rings Trilogy for the umpteenth time. If like us, you’re still looking for your next Middle Earth fix, then look no further with The Lord Of The Rings Monopoly! This version of the classic board game takes inspiration from Peter Jackon’s epic trilogy and is sure to please fans of Tolkein and board games alike!

A nod is needed here for the elegantly created moving pieces here, including all nine Fellowship characters as tokens (eat your heart out silver car and boat!). As you’d expect, protecting the lands of Middle-earth is the goal here. The hardest part is deciding amongst your family and friends which characters you’re going to choose.

When it’s your turn, the ring of power allows you to control the board and protect the locations / properties from the evil armies of Mordor on your way to Mount Doom. Here’s the big question, will you be able to successfully protect Helms Deep?

Designed for 2-6 players and aimed at ages 8 and up, this Monopoly version is certain to be a top hit with all Lord of the Rings fans!

5. Animal Crossing Monopoly Edition

Would this list really be complete if we didn’t give a nod to our video gaming heritage and what better way to do that other than the loveable Animal Crossing Monopoly version.

Take your cosy gaming sessions to the next level by immersing into the colourful and creative world of Animal Crossing New Horizons, where you can enjoy island life.

Complete with a picturesque gaming board, featuring playing pieces based on the game’s characters as well as plenty of Nook Miles for you to collect along your journey. This gives you a better chance of winning the game, because the person with the most Nook Miles is the winner!

Hasbro has done a perfect job of bringing the popular Nintendo title to life. This Animal Crossing Monopoly version is perfect for those winter evenings with your family, friends or with children who’ll struggle to put down their Switch once they’ve started playing this hard-to-put-down game. There are a few key differences to the original Monopoly game in play here. Rather than buying properties, building on them and collecting rent, you instead need to go around the board and collect items such as fruit, bugs and fossils. You’ll even find yourself stopping at popular locations from the game such as Nook’s Cranny.

Giving you the chance to mix up those cosy evening gaming sessions, this Monopoly version is a must play for any Nintendo fan and a perfect addition to your family’s board game collection.

That completes our roundup of the five best Monopoly versions to discover at GAME. We hope the variety of versions listed give you the inspiration to keep you and the family entertained just in time for the festive season. There’s plenty of ideas here to mix up your board game nights and make those who always try to get Mayfair with 4 hotels think twice… Whether you’re a gamer, die hard film fan or trying to get younger family members involved, there’s something here to mix up everyone’s board game collection with Monopoly and Hasbro.

FAQs

Is playing Monopoly hard?

Playing Monopoly isn’t always known to be hard but some of the games can be quite long and depending on how experienced and the quality of your opponents, winning can be a challenge. However, the game can be fun and a good learning experience for children and teenagers.

How long is a game of Monopoly?

This depends on the version of Monopoly that you play, versions like the Junior Monopoly and ones based for children are often a lot shorter than the standard editions. If you’re playing the standard version and you’re playing well skilled opponents, buckle yourself in for a few hours, however each version will have an approx time limit accompanying it on the box or in the instructions, so look out for this if it’s important to you.

Is Monopoly good with 2 players?

This can depend, each version will come with a suggested amount of players, normally ranging from around 2-6 players. Often, the more players you have in the game, the more competitive and longer that game will be.

Is Monopoly good for kids?

There are versions which are ideal and suitable for kids, each game has it’s own suggested age range which that version is designed for. The Junior version of Monopoly is ideal for younger children and can be looked at as a good way to introduce them to the game before moving on to the standard and longer version of Monopoly. Many people believe that Monopoly is a good way of introducing children to how to budget and look after finances whilst competing against opponents and it can be looked at as an educational game.