The geekiest version of Monopoly you'll ever play

Monopoly. Although it's supposedly the most famous and popular board game of all time, do you know anyone who actually enjoys playing the damn thing?

We don't, and here's why: The property spaces are meaningless unless you happen to live in New Jersey (for the US version) or London (for the UK version). No one really cares about Boardwalk, Marvin Gardens or Pentonville Road, so competing to purchase them just isn't very much fun. But… What if those locations were changed? Say, to stuff like Rapture, Liberty City, Green Hill Zone and the Mushroom Kingdom?

Behold! Monopoly… the videogame version (CLICK FOR LARGER SIZE):

Thanks to Cheryll Del Rosario for her amazing Photoshop skills

Wait! Seriously, do not scroll any further until you've clicked that image above to see the larger size and every fantastic detail. We've transformed the whole board (compare to the original) using iconic videogame art, locations, characters and vehicles. For example, here are our replacements for the two most expensive properties in Monopoly:

And here are our versions of the two cheapest properties:

Between those two extremes, you'll land on all sorts of familiar spaces. St. James Place, Tennessee Avenue and New York Avenue are now Liberty City, Vice City and San Andreas:

While the dull Midwestern vibe of Kentucky, Indiana and Illinois Avenues have been switched for galactic real estate like Metroid's Zebes, Mass Effect's Citadel and Halo 2's, well, Halo:

There's more! Collecting railroads and utilities might pass for entertainment in a retirement home, but we deserve better. In GamesRadar's update of Monopoly, you'll buy a very different kind of Electric Company or Water Works, and you'll fight over much more valuable forms of transportation:

And don't think we forgot the money. Earning colorful paper currency is what Monopoly's all about, so we decided the $1, $5, $10, $20, $50, $100 and $500 bills should feature mascots somewhat cooler than that old dude with the top hat and cane:

So… wanna play? You can! Below is the full-size, absolutely ginormous, downloadable and – most importantly – printable file for GamesRadar's Monopoly board. Also, a printable file for GamesRadar's Monopoly money. Pull the original out of whatever dusty closet corner you keep it in, lay our better version on top, and you're good to go. The only thing missing are the property cards, but if enough of you ask for them, we'll make those, too.

Printable board (right click and "Save Target as…")
Printable money (right click and "Save Target as…")

You're welcome!

Jun 4, 2010

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