Ah, Monopoly, the classic board game we all know and love, where you attempt to become the dominant force across the market and can become a rich tycoon living the high life in Mayfair or end up in the dumps of Old Kent Road. Starting back in 1903, it has since become one of the most successful board games of all time and remains very popular to this day. We've also seen it in many previous video game adaptations, including one previous attempt on the Wii. This time around, EA has decided to try something a bit different by adapting some Monopoly boards into 3D cities, but not much else has really changed.
There's only one real mode, the main Monopoly game, which can accompany up to four players and computer opponents. There's also a large range of choices to keep things varied, such as three different difficulty settings that alter to a large degree how smart the AI is when it comes to buying properties.
On top of that, there are six different pre-set house rules available with the ability to create your own rule variations. Most importantly, there are nine different boards overall with two utilising the new 3D city design and the other seven sticking to the familiar style, which range from the classic design to jungle and ice themes. While there's definitely some nice variation here, it's disappointing to see only two 3D cities included for the release, particularly since they make a nice addition to the game.
The various player pieces return here, such as the car and the dog, who are also accompanied by a set of generic characters new to the game. Not of all of them are available straight away – you can buy some of them from the shop when you've earned enough virtual Monopoly money during play, including the ability to play as your Mii. You can also unlock a brand new board in this way.
The game recreates the Monopoly board pretty well, with classic properties and colour system well intact alongside main features such as auctioning properties, trading with your opponents, building houses and hotels, mortgaging your properties and, if worse comes to worse, filing for bankruptcy when the money has run out, with the winner simply being who's been able to last long enough.
Not much is new for the 3D boards at heart – they're basically just like normal Monopoly if played across a large city. The only real change is that you now have a “Corporate HQ” that grows and shrinks depending on the total value of your money and properties combined, which is a nice touch but doesn't add much. It's the same old game it ever was, even if nothing has really changed at its core, and EA has done a good job recreating it for the Wii.
Of course, if you're playing on your own, this is really not the right game for you. The fun has always been in multiplayer, which is a blast when played with four people. Matches can drag on for ages sometimes, however, particularly if you're left with a computer opponent, and once you've gone bankrupt, the wait for others to finish can be very boring. This isn't helped by the fact that computer opponents don't always seem to play fair. While in the end it boils down to random chance from the dice roll, it can feel quite frustrating at times when a CPU opponent repeatedly misses particular spaces on the board, such as ones containing a lot of your houses or a hotel.
Graphically, Monopoly Streets utilises a rather colourful design, particularly around the 3D cities. They suffer from a lack of polish, however, looking a bit rough at times, and it's a similar story for the character models. Audio-wise, the game has a rather energetic soundtrack that works rather well. It also features character voices, though some of these can become rather annoying.
Conclusion
Anyone who's a fan of the board game will find enjoyment in Monopoly Streets, and EA has done a good job bringing this version to the Wii. While 3D cities are a nice added feature, though, there's not really enough new brought to the table to make this a standout experience, and if you own one of the other video game versions already, you're better off looking elsewhere.
Comments 33
I love Monopoly, but I already have Star Wars monopoly. It doesn't get much cooler than that.
Insta-rent!
@gren: Nintendo Monopoly
Monopoly isn't my thing so I won't get this. I can't say I'm suprised though, remakes of classic games are never good.
I haz Pokemon monopoly.
@WarriorCatFreak
6 out of 10 doesn't equal bad.
It equals: Slightly better than "meh".
We've got "Pokémon Monopoly" and "St. Louis Cardinals 2006 World Champions (Baseball, for those of you Across the Pond or Down Under) Monopoly."
@5.irken004 and bulbasaurus rex: ME TOO **internethighfive**
Oh, you guys are making me jealous. Nintendo Monopoly would be awesome. Although I do have a Russian one.
ANYWAY that was pretty off-topic. Nice review, and it's kinda unsurprising that the matches last forever, try to play a game of Monopoly in real life with three friends.
Nintemdo monopolly!
I have Manhunt monopoly. A little different take on the classic. Instead of paying in money when you land one someone else's property, you pay in blood.
I love me some Monopolizing, miiiight pick this up.
I have Pokémon Monopoly, Classic Monopoly, and Yorkshire Monopoly where you're
allowedrequired to shout "by 'eck, 'ow much?" whenever you land on someone's hotelI assume jail, right?
Hmmm.... interesting... pretty awesome...I'll give it a 7/10
I had been thinking about getting the other Wii version but this sounds better.
i say put it on wiiware and let me play online
@irken
I knew someone was going to say that.
We had the game little more than a week before we had earned enough points to open all the game boards, Mii's and tokens. Nothing left to use the points for now. They just accrue for nothing. It's not WiFi like PS3 and Xbox versions. Very disappointed for these reasons.
@Terra & @Blaketoberfest I too had that version. Monopoly CD-ROM! Back when that was a term people used, and when it sounded cool since it meant it would have more data than could fit on a floppy... ahh, those were the days.
I'd like to try this out... never can get enough Monopoly.
dang it! i was hoping to get this only if it got a 8 or higher!
Oh I wish it was all right in one player mode, I thought for a minute this Sim City type game for Wii and was thinking I might add this to my Christmas list. I might not now but if I can rent it I will.
I like Nintendo Monopoly in particular. Playing as a NES controller is pure bliss
You think this is bad? Try Iowa Monopoly.
I have Internet Monopoly. Monopoly is a very fun board game. Just very long.
Edit: If I can, I'll def rent this. I may like it. I do have the Nes cart, though, so I don't know.
I just have to quote the Nes Monopoly auctioneer: Sold!
When it hits online compatibilities , then the dice will get to rolling. I will say a monopoly video game is easier to clean up ha
We bought Monopoly Streets for Wii a week ago but still can't play it with more than 1 human. When we try to choose tokens it doesn't respond. It will let 1 real person play with 1-3 AIs but they do seem to cheat. Can anyone out there tell us what we're doing wrong. EA doesn't seem to know anything about this game, very disappointing!
@Zaphod Beeblebrox Thanks for your reply. It's our first game that doesn't allow shared remotes. Once we bought 2 more remotes our problem was solved. Over Thanksgiving week our family had a blast playing Monopoly Streets!
fun game but I WONDER.....whenever the computer plays even on easy it always wins a real turn off
any one no more info on teenage mutant ninja turtles turtles in time is coming to wii or if not ever going to come its cool and y did xbox 360 get it and ps3 is now getting it y ant we getting it this is not right xbox and ps3 in not even a part of the game and they get it there getting there money back for that lol
i am sorry i don't no were to post it went to tmnt and they did not have a post thing there sorry if any one nows any thing about this game post it for me thank u
@beastmaster666 Try the forums.
@Yellowhare91 I had the PC Monopoly years ago as a young teen. I wish I still did, it disappeared on me without a trace as a great many of my things and clothing tend to. I enjoyed it a great deal.
I now have this game for the wii, and I enjoy it as well.
The 3D city graphics, the different ways the characters move/utilize their tokens, ability to use your miis instead of the characters and Mr. Monopoly's humorous comments make for a more exciting experience but I also agree with the negative aspects of it which are described in this article.
For a version that is stressing a new 3D city experience to the game, it doesn't provide nearly enough boards using this design. I could not last but a few minutes trying to play the classic board styles because it just was not as interesting. I might as well be playing the physical board game.
I also wish more of the classic tokens were provided, such as the horse which was my childhood favorite.
That the characters must start each move with a signature gesture is an unnecessary lag and their vocalizations can get on one's nerves.
This makes using a Mii with the tokens in place of the characters better as miis mimic the physical movements but do not make the sounds. Unfortunately, you have to unlock the miis feature and not all your created miis can be used if you have a large number of them which disgruntles me greatly. I understand that expecting the game to be able to read over 50 miis is irrational but we should at least be able to change the roster it displays.
Being an only child with few friends, virtual versions of this game such as the PC and this one for the Wii and other consoles provides a way for me to still be able to enjoy it. I, however, feel as is said here that the computer players can seem awfully rigged in a couple of ways:
1.) My hotels and houses are not landed on nearly as much as the same color set would be owned by one of the computer players. Any of my properties really tend to get less visitors than the computer players.
2.) I don't roll nearly as many doubles in an entire game as the computer players. I have had them roll doubles twice two turns in a row. In speed die mode they roll a lot more buses than I.
3.) I have never managed to roll myself out of jail, while a few computer characters have. Not for a while, but they have.
4.) They seem to accept trades for the last in a color group more from each other than from me. They also don't seem to be so outrageous in their offers amongst each other. I get rejected for totally fair valued trades and/or countered with my side having more worth than theirs, I have even been asked for my full amount of money. They don't trade fairly at all.
So overall I give this game while enjoyable the same as this reviewer does, a 6/10
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