While Hasbro has painted a target on its back with that unfortunately alienating Monopoly for Millennials retool of the classic board game (The new game reads “Forget about real estate. You can’t afford it anyway.” – what did you expect your target audience to feel?), their latest Monopoly installment, Monopoly Cash Grab, may just be the right dose of irreverent, light-hearted fun.
At the very least, we don’t think it’s possible for it to miss its mark as spectacularly as its peer.
With the Cash Grab — yes, we see what you did there, Hasbro — players will be afforded a cash-spurting gun, that’s built very much like the ever iconic Supreme Cash Cannon, and can be loaded up with Monopoly bills and chance cards. Apparently, players simply fire off the thing, cue cash rain and mad free-for-all, and the player with the most bills when the gun empties wins. Seems fairly straightforward, but the chance cards will kick things up a notch.
We have a couple of cards that you’ll probably find familiar if you’ve played Monopoly Deal, like ‘Just Say No’ (negates the effect of another chance card), and ‘It’s My Birthday’ (gets everyone to pass you 100). There are some others that’ll really change the winds of fortune, which players may want to save up for the end-game, like swapping or taking money stacks. Other cards like ‘Counting Money Out Loud’ feels a little juvenile, but we suppose knowing your opponent’s hand may help you strategise better.
One thing to note, it doesn’t say in the rule book when the Chance cards should be played, or if there’s a limit to the number of chance cards that can be played per turn — and well, maybe there isn’t, or… maybe you’d want to impose your own limit.
The Cash Grab gun works fine for the most part. The plastic feels sturdy but not too hefty, so kids ought to be able to fire it without a problem. However, the lid does take a bit of muscle to pry open on the first couple of tries. And the notes do get jammed every now and then, if they’re not properly aligned when slotting them in.
Priced at S$39.99, Monopoly Cash Grab will be exclusively available at Toys “R” Us from December 1st onwards for those of you staying in Singapore. So feel free to pick one up for your kid, niece or nephew this holiday – for all you know, it could inspire their future billionaire dreams.
JoYFQ is a Gryffindor who distracts herself from the pitfalls of capitalism and hegemonic representations by reading fanfiction. Has surprisingly good RNG luck in games. Probably just jinxed herself.
Yonk
Natalie
