Product Description

Monopoly: Here and Now Edition is a whole new twist on the classic property trading game. Move around the board, collect money, and punish your siblings financially as you have good clean family fun. This updated version includes modern day rents and all-new contemporary game tokens and airports. The 22 new properties salute America's greatest modern destinations from New York City to Honolulu. For the first time ever, Monopoly fans helped design the new board by voting on their favorite landmarks from selected cities.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #521 in Toys & Games
• Brand: Hasbro
• Model: 18903
• Released on: 2006-09-14
• Dimensions: 15.80" h x 10.40" w x 2.80" l, 2.34 pounds

Features

• It's a whole new twist on the classic property trading game!
• The four railroads are now airports, including LAX, JFK and Chicago's O'Hare!
• Hot property includes Times Square in New York City, Boston's Fenway Park, Las Vegas Blvd., Houston's Johnson Space Center, Nashville's Grand Ole Opry, and Minneapolis' Mall of America!
• New tokens include the Toyota Prius, New Balance Shoe, McDonald's French Fries, Labradoodle, Motorola RAZR Mobile Headset, and a Laptop Computer
• The goal still remains the same: buy, sell and trade well-known U.S. properties to win the game!

Amazon.com Review
The back of the box poses the question, "What would the Monopoly game be like if it were invented today?" One could sum up most of the difference in one word: inflation. If you're used to playing the traditional game, you might feel a little woozy handling Monopoly money denominations that start at $100k and top out at $5 million. Players are no longer vying for control of Atlantic city but now the entire U.S., from sea to shining sea. Entry level properties like Baltic and Mediterranean Avenues, which sold for $60 back in the day, have been replaced by Texas Stadium in Dallas and Cleveland's Jacobs Field, each selling for $600,000. The most disturbing piece of property for sale in this game is the White House--one can only assume it's someone's subtle political humor. Railroads have been replaced by airports like O'Hare and JFK. Utilities have been supplanted by cell phone and Internet service. And, of course, the game pieces have all been updated: laptop, cell phone, hybrid car, commuter coffee mug, jumbo jet, super size fries. Gameplay, however, is still the same. The idea is to buy properties, build houses and hotels, and charge other players rent when they land on your land. Thankfully, transactions are still handled in cash and not by some convoluted electronic banking scheme. There's a lot of changes here that will make cynics and traditionalists sour. That's okay. The original game is still available to them. What's interesting about this edition is that it brings back a kind of jaw-dropping thrill--one that made this game a household word in the middle of the Great Depression, when people dreamt of becoming a millionaires. This game will let you dream of becoming a billionaire. --Porter B. Hall

From the Manufacturer
A modern makeover for today's would-be billionaires! Play America's favorite game as if it were invented today. Move with cool tokens that are iconic to life here and now. Own popular destinations from across the United States. Buy and sell at values reflecting current market prices. Own it all to win. 2 to 6 players.

Customer Reviews

Monopoly Here and now
This specific monopoly was a good thing to buy for new places on the board and new peices, as for the rules they remain the same, even though the cash has increased it is basicly the same they just added digets which means your playing the old monopoly. As far as the cards go they are changed slightly which is good no one wants to read the same material for more then a decade before it becomes well outdated. As for the rest of the rating, other monopoly games you can purchase cash for (on amazon.com) which is genaric. On Hasbro you can also purchase additional houses, hotels, and replacement tokens. If you are wanting something custom then you cant buy additional replacments which can be a downfall if you have young children.

Don't like it!
Don't like this because of the property choices. Letting America "chose" is just basically pandering to the mindless masses. And the most populated areas are guaranteed to win.

There are a lot of sports stadiums. Why? You can't build houses in them, I know, I know, you build next to them, but I would rather have bona fide places. I hate these sports stadiums. Worse are natural wonders, who's going to build houses in the middle of nowhere? It would have been best to let a professional game designer design the game. I made a mistake when I bought this on sale, I should have known that it was on sale because it was poor selling.

My second gripe is that the millions of paper money value is confusing. You have inflation, blah, blah, blah, but buying a stadium for a few million bucks? That's not realistic either.

I guess the only saving grace of this is it introduces different American landmarks to a young generation of kids.

My final verdict is that they should redo this and give some proper thought to what properties to include. Times Square, Beverly Hills, Rodeo Drive, Silicon Valley, etc. are a few good places to start.

Fun, but no major changes
First of all, I love Monopoly, although I don't play it anymore because I own the FAR SUPERIOR Monopoly: the Mega Edition. Aside from Mega Monopoly, however, Monopoly Here & Now is my favorite version of the classic property-buying game.

Monopoly Here & Now is the same game as the original. Everything is different, but the game is still the same. Popular properties from all over America have take the place of Boardwalk, St. Charles Place, Illinois Ave., etc., Utilities are now Service Providers, Railroads are now Airports, the Chance/Community Chest cards are different, the tokens have changed, and - this is what people love - you now get million dollar bills in lieu of hundreds, hundred-thousands in lieu of tens, etc. But the game is still the same, despite the modern makeover.

This is a double-edged sword. You're getting what you know with a modern look to it, but I wish that if Parker Bros. are going to make a new version of the game, that they would at least make some major changes.

The cards are essentially the same. Each card was taken, the amount changed proportionally (if there's money involved), the location names, if any, have been changed, and a new picture of Mr. Monopoly has been added. Cards such as those that send you to jail and get you out free have remained the same, plus an added caption telling you why you were incarcerated. Even the buildings are the same. Tax squares make you pay an equivalent amount to the old game, but since we're now dealing with millions, you will either have to pay $750,000 (Credit Card Interest - Luxury Tax was $75; see the similarity?) or $2 million/10% instead of $200/10% on Income Tax.

Still, you can't argue with fun. But if you want something different, try Mega Monopoly.

Mega Monopoly is somewhat the same game, but it has more properties, Bus Tickets, a Speed Die, Skyscrapers, Depots, etc. If you want a different (and WAY better) Monopoly experience, Mega Monopoly is what you want. If you simply want to keep playing classic Monopoly, but with a different look, buy Monopoly Here & Now.

Have fun! I hope you enjoy this product or Mega Monopoly (I prefer the latter, it's much more fun)!